There are 25 regional passport agencies in strategic locations throughout the United States. Applicants who need to obtain passports within 2 weeks if no visa is required or within 4 weeks if a visa is needed can schedule an appointment at the nearest agency. The number to call is 1-877-487-2778. During certain periods of the year, lines can be congested and it may requires several attempts before you get through. Click here if you need to expedite your passport.
The US passport agency claims that regular passport applications are processed and sent out by regular US Mail "normally" within 6 weeks. Expedited orders are processed and sent by regular US Mail "ordinarily" in less than 2 weeks. This is not guaranteed.
If you need your passport in a hurry and you prefer a guaranteed service, you'll have to contract a Passport Expediting Service.
Bob Tedeschi used a US State Department Passport Agency. Here is his conclusion:
"I spent an entire day sitting in lines in a hot, cramped passport office in Stamford, Conn., since moved to South Norwalk. The office, an hour's drive from my home, was one of the few in the Northeast that provided last-minute service for those who call at least a few days ahead for an appointment. The lines moved at a pace that made those at the Department of Motor Vehicles look fast. In retrospect, given the amount of work I missed and the aggravation, I would've paid $150 for an online service."Bob Tedeschi, New York Times Travel Section, March 17, 2002
Why does it take the US passport agency so long to process a passport?
The 1990's witnessed a dramatic increase in US passport processing. The total number of passports processed annually increased from a little over 3 million to more than 7 million during this period. Last year alone, over ten million passport applications were processed.
What has been done to compensate for the increase in requests?
A fee-based call center known as the National Passport Information Center was created. Instead of fielding calls, Passport Services can spend more time processing passports. This has helped very little; it still takes a lot longer for a passport application to be processed and processing times are very unpredictable.
Are Passport Agencies open on weekends and holidays?
No. U.S. Passport Agencies are closed on weekends. The US Passport Agency and most foreign embassies observe national holidays.
Where can I find a Passport Agency accepting appointments?
If you need your passport urgently, generally in less than 2 weeks, you can contact the passport agency nearest you. Contact informatin is given below.
SPECIAL ISSUANCE Agency
1111 19th Street, N.W. Suite 200
Washington, D.C. 20036
Hours: 8:15 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., local time, M-F, excluding Federal holidays
NOTE: Applications for Diplomatic, Official, and No-Fee passports
To serve you better, the U.S. Department of State has 2 Passport Processing Centers designed to help us meet our increasing demand for passports.
Please note that these Centers are NOT open to the public.
CHARLESTON Passport Center
1269 Holland Street
Charleston, SC 29405
Hours: 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., local time, M-F, excluding Federal holidays
NATIONAL Passport Center
31 Rochester Avenue
Portsmouth, NH 03801-2900
Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding Federal holidays
When you need express passport expediting, visit Fastport Passport & Visa Services.