Urgent: Just found passport expired, travel on July 31st

[Anonymous]

So found out this evening that my DS passport has expired and I have international travel tickets booked for July 31st. We have less than 10 business days left.

Called for an appointment and the automated line had earliest appointment for Aug 1st and then I read it takes 8 business days to get the passport, even the expedited one. So that is after Aug 13th or so.
I called airlines to check if tickets can be moved I stand to lose atleast $750 in change penalty charges and DS will have to miss first week of school.


Is there any other way to get before July 31st? Any agencies that can do for us? We can go the passport office on Wed, can try to see if we can get an ad-hoc appointment, does that work?
Any other options?

TIA!

[Anonymous]

We had a similar problem last year for two of our kids. We used this service - http://www.rushmypassport.com/ We went to Takoma Park to get the paperwork filled out and certified because you can walk in with no appt. Worked like a charm. Took about 5 days.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So found out this evening that my DS passport has expired and I have international travel tickets booked for July 31st. We have less than 10 business days left.

Called for an appointment and the automated line had earliest appointment for Aug 1st and then I read it takes 8 business days to get the passport, even the expedited one. So that is after Aug 13th or so.
I called airlines to check if tickets can be moved I stand to lose atleast $750 in change penalty charges and DS will have to miss first week of school.


Is there any other way to get before July 31st? Any agencies that can do for us? We can go the passport office on Wed, can try to see if we can get an ad-hoc appointment, does that work?
Any other options?

TIA!

I've heard of services that get it in 5 business days, but you may want to lie like a pants on fire that you have an elderly relative who won't make it. My mom was really in that sitch and got her passport in 3 days.

[Anonymous]

The passport office downtown handles urgent requests. I believe it's on k street. You can get one in a day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The passport office downtown handles urgent requests. I believe it's on k street. You can get one in a day.

Yes this. Office is located at 19th street. Use the Farragut North stop in the Red Line if you are taking Metro. exit onto street. On 19th walk towards M street and you will find it.

[Anonymous]

Bring your tickets when you go to the passport office. You'll need to justify the urgency.

[Anonymous]

look at the passport agency website (not one of the services you pay for) and get the info for an appointment with urgent travel. You can get it done the same day if you are close enough to your travel, but you need to follow the directions. I did this once and it was pretty smooth (and there were a bunch of people who didn't realize they didn't have valid passports until at the airport who were really in a bind having to delay their trips by a day).

[Anonymous]

That was pretty dumb OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:That was pretty dumb OP.

Ignore the above "perfect person."

Also, try the consulate of the country you are going to.

[Anonymous]

If you are leaving within two weeks, the passport agency in DC will rush it for a fee. Bring your tickets/itinerary, expired passport, Original birth certificate with raised seal, all available forms of US currency, your first born child, a DNA sample, and Starbucks for everyone and you should be okay.

[Anonymous]

Make sure if you need a visa you deal with this at the same time. We went through the rush passport thing once only to figure out, duh, we needed visas too. Only took an extra day, and thankfully the airline didn't sock us for change fees, but we felt pretty stupid.

We dealt with the 19th St. office, and we did have to show tickets to justify the urgency. It went pretty smoothly all things considered.

[Anonymous]

Best bet is to get a letter from your congressman. You'll have your passport by the afternoon the day you submit.

[Anonymous]

PS there's a special office next door to the 19th street main office for diplos/letters from congressmen etc.

[Anonymous]

Call your Congressman, I turned one around in 2 days last week.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Call your Congressman, I turned one around in 2 days last week.

if you go to 19th street you should be able to get your passport overnight without a congressman's intervention.