Where To Apply For A Passport By William Manor At Isnare.com Ezine Articles

There are literally thousands of locations where you can apply for a U.S. passport. The location you choose will depend on what passport service you require, where you are located and how quickly you need your application processed.

Apply by Mail to Passport Services

You can apply by mail for a renewal if you meet certain requirements. You present passport cannot be damaged nor can it be more than 15 years old. You can't request a renewal if you obtained your present passport before the age of 16 years old. You must also have the same name that is in your travel document.

Applications for either a name change or added pages can also be mailed directly to the U.S. Department of State Passport Services. There is no fee for these last two services unless you require they be expedited.

Apply at a Passport Office

There are over 9,000 passport offices or application acceptance facilities for those who are applying for a new passport. These include many post offices, clerks of court, public libraries and other state, county, township, and municipal government offices that have been designated by the Department of State to accept passport applications.

The acceptance agent must witness the signing of your application. You pay an execution fee to the agent.

Apply at a Passport Agency

There are 13 regional passport agencies located in major cities throughout the United States. These regional agencies only attend those who are traveling within 2 weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. In other words, they deal with emergency cases. You must make an appointment by phone.

Regional passport agency locations include Bostona, Ma.; Chicago, Il.; Aurora, Co.; Norwalk, Ct.; Honolulu, Hi.; Houston, Tx.; Los Angeles, Ca.; Miami, Fl.; New Orleans, La.; New York, NY; Philadelphia, Pa.; San Francisco, Ca.; Seattle, Wa. and Washington, D.C.

Apply for a Passport through an Expediter

When you need your application processed in less than two weeks and visiting a regional agency is not possible, you can contract a private passport expediter. Expediters can obtain your passport for you from as little as 10 business days to the same day.

Passport expediters have a special relationship with the U.S. Department of State Passport Services that grants them permission to hand deliver applications and pick up processed passports for clients. There is, however, a limited number of same day passports that are available.

The growing demand for U.S. passports has contributed to an increase in the number of expediting company start ups. Since the timely processing of your passport is essential in an emergency situation, you need to be careful to choose an experienced and reputable expediter.

When choosing an expediter, check with the Better Business Bureau in the city where the company is located. Look for testimonials from clients. If the company is doing a good job, clients will say so. Lastly, compare two or three expediters before making your decision. While time is short, taking this step could save you a lot of headaches.

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