# Fastest way to renwew a US passport (need answer kinda fast) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 16, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fastest-way-to-renwew-a-us-passport-need-answer-kinda-fast/578640 "2011-04-16T19:13:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fastest-way-to-renwew-a-us-passport-need-answer-kinda-fast/578640/1 "2011-04-16T19:13:28Z")
A friend of mine is going on an international trip in a few weeks, and just realized that his passport expired a few years ago. He is a US citizen. We’re looking at how to get a new one quickly. At my old job, we used a service called CIBT to process a visa to China for me in three days, including shipping. I assume similar things work for regular passport renewals. He found this [list of companies](http://www.topconsumerreviews.com/passports/) that claim to provide this service. Does anyone have any practical knowledge or advice? Has anyone here actually used any of these companies? Does it matter that his passport actually expired? He’d like to send it out on Monday, if possible. Thanks, -D/a ---
**Author:** ![Doctor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Doctor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fastest-way-to-renwew-a-us-passport-need-answer-kinda-fast/578640/2 "2011-04-16T19:40:18Z")
I had to get my passport renewed fast and it was no problem. I went to the passport office in LA and paid an extra “expedite” fee and had within a few hours. I think the expedite fee was something like $90 (maybe lower, I forget exactly). This was in 2005. Never used any sort of company for this. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fastest-way-to-renwew-a-us-passport-need-answer-kinda-fast/578640/3 "2011-04-16T19:51:45Z")
> [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](#): > > A friend of mine is going on an international trip in a few weeks, and just realized that his passport expired a few years ago. He is a US citizen. > > We’re looking at how to get a new one quickly. > At my old job, we used a service called CIBT to process a visa to China for me in three days, including shipping. I assume similar things work for regular passport > renewals. > > He found this [list of companies](http://www.topconsumerreviews.com/passports/) that claim to provide this service. > > Does anyone have any practical knowledge or advice? Has anyone here actually used any of these companies? > > Does it matter that his passport actually expired? > > He’d like to send it out on Monday, if possible. > > Thanks, > > -D/a Here is information from the State Department on how to schedule an appointment with a Passport Agency where they will renew his passport right away if he is travelling within two weeks. He will need to show proof of imminent travel. > **[U.S. Passports](https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html/npic/schedule/schedule_852.html)** > > How to apply for or renew your U.S. passport if you live in United States If he can’t get an appointment or if there is no convenient Passport Agency he’ll probably have to use one of the companies you listed. They do work, from what I hear, but they are expensive. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fastest-way-to-renwew-a-us-passport-need-answer-kinda-fast/578640/4 "2011-04-16T20:12:02Z")
As **Doctor** says, the quickest way is to do it in person. There are [24 offices nationwide](http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/agencies/agencies_913.html). You will need to make an [appointment](http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/schedule/schedule_852.html). You can get an [expedited service](http://travel.state.gov/passport/hurry/hurry_831.html) by post, but that takes 2-3 weeks. Or you pay an extra $200 and have someone else do the leg work. I’ve not used that service, but I’ve seen them in action and it seems to a slick operation. If the old passport was issued more than 15 years ago, it’s a different story. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 8:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fastest-way-to-renwew-a-us-passport-need-answer-kinda-fast/578640/5 "2011-04-16T20:13:43Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > Here is information from the State Department on how to schedule an appointment with a Passport Agency where they will renew his passport right away if he is travelling within two weeks. He will need to show proof of imminent travel. > > [U.S. Passports](http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/schedule/schedule_852.html) > > If he can’t get an appointment or if there is no convenient Passport Agency he’ll probably have to use one of the companies you listed. They do work, from what I hear, but they are expensive. Thanks. By Monday, we’ll be inside the two week window..and he does have his tickets booked. So that part is easy. He’s in North Carolina..apparently no regional agency there. Hopefully someone will have used one of them and can vouch for service..if not, I think he’ll just pick the one with the best online reviews. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fastest-way-to-renwew-a-us-passport-need-answer-kinda-fast/578640/6 "2011-04-16T22:22:45Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > There are [24 offices nationwide](http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/agencies/agencies_913.html). Anyone know why the National Passport Center is in Portsmouth, New Hampshire? I would have assumed the national center would be in Washington, DC. ---
**Author:** ![GreasyJack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/df705f/32.png) [@GreasyJack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreasyJack)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fastest-way-to-renwew-a-us-passport-need-answer-kinda-fast/578640/7 "2011-04-16T23:41:00Z")
A few years ago I was in a similar situation, although I ended up not taking the trip for other reasons. The solution I worked out was that I revised my itinerary so I had a six hour layover in a city with a passport center. When I called the office to make an appointment, they said it usually takes less than an hour, so I made an appointment for hour 2 of the layover. I also brought my passport application to the local post office that processes them here to check that all my paperwork was in order. Like I said, I didn’t end up actually following through, but I’m fairly sure it would have worked just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [April 16, 2011, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fastest-way-to-renwew-a-us-passport-need-answer-kinda-fast/578640/8 "2011-04-16T23:47:58Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Anyone know why the National Passport Center is in Portsmouth, New Hampshire? I would have assumed the national center would be in Washington, DC. Decentralization and politics. Since 9/11 the federal government has quietly been moving a number of core services out of the NYC/DC metro areas. As to where these core services end up is often a matter of politics with state congressional delegations and who offers the best “incentives.” ---
**Author:** ![Jormungandr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@Jormungandr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jormungandr)\ **Post date:** [April 17, 2011, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/fastest-way-to-renwew-a-us-passport-need-answer-kinda-fast/578640/9 "2011-04-17T00:29:34Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > As **Doctor** says, the quickest way is to do it in person. There are [24 offices nationwide](http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/agencies/agencies_913.html). You will need to make an [appointment](http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/schedule/schedule_852.html). > > You can get an [expedited service](http://travel.state.gov/passport/hurry/hurry_831.html) by post, but that takes 2-3 weeks. It might be quicker than that. My father used the regular service and got his passport in 10 days.