This is a post on how to renew your passport in twenty four hours. There’s a rule in most countries where your passport cannot expire less than six months after your return international trip. I learned this lesson the hard way at 3pm the day before were suppose to leave on our trip. If you find yourself in this situation, follow the steps below to get your passport renewed in twenty four hours.
Call the passport agency
Step 1: Call the National Passport Information Center to make an appointment as soon as possible. These guys will route you to your local passport agency where you’ll set up an appointment for an expedited passport renewal. There’s also an Online Passport Appointment System that you can use but in case of an emergency I like to talk to a person.
Schedule an appointment
Step 2: Lock down an appointment. Your local passport agency will schedule an appointment for you to come in to speak with a passport agent for the same day or the next depending on when they can get you in. I called at 3pm, which is closing time for my office, and got in at 8:30am the next morning.
You can view a list of regional passport agencies on the National Passport Information Center website.
If you can get an appointment in time then you’re probably going to be OK. They print your passport right there so if you get in you should get your passport. The process to create the passport is about 4–5 hours so if your flight leaves the same day as your appointment make sure to allow enough time or try to reschedule your flight.
Expedite rules
In order to expedite your renewal you must follow these rules:
- Customers must bring a passport photo. This is a new photo that will go into your new passport. Walgreens or CVS do these for you in a couple of minutes.
- All passport agencies require an appointment. There is no charge to make an appointment at a passport agency and customers should not pay anyone or any business making such a charge.
- You must pay the $60 expedite fee in addition to application fees to apply at this agency.
- Proof of international travel is required.
- Will call service is offered for life or death emergencies and immediate travel abroad (leaving within 8 business days). The agency will advise you when the passport will be ready for pickup at will call based on your documented travel plans.
- Passports will be processed within 8 business days of applying at the agency. During your appointment, the agency will advise how the passport will be sent to you.
Change your flight
Step 3: Change your flight (optional). Because the appointment wasn’t until 8:30am the day of my flight we’d be cutting it close for a 3:30pm departure. Initially Delta wanted to charge $3,000 per person to change the reservation. But, after speaking to a manager the good folks at the airline were able to get us on the same flight the following day for $300 per person. The point here is to be nice and ask for the manager.
Prepare the documents
Step 4: Prepare all your documents. In order for an expedited passport renewal you need the following items:
- Passport Application
- You need one 2×2 color passport photo. See Passport Photos for requirements and photo examples.
- Proof of travel within the next two weeks (airline ticket, hotel reservation, etc)
- Your current passport
- Money (these things ain’t free)
Go to appointment
Step 5: Show up at your appointment. Here you will drop off your old passport as well as all the supporting documentation. You’ll talk to an agent and tell them why you need your passport so quickly.
Wait
Step 6: Wait.
Pick up your passport
Step 7: Come back the next day to pick up your brand new passport. Mine was ready at 2:05pm which seems to be passport-handin-out-time since there were a lot of other people showing up to get their passports along with me.
The time it took me to renew my passport was exactly 23 hours and 5 minutes since I realized I needed a new passport. That’s it. All the information you need to find regarding an expedited passport renewal can be found on the How to Apply for a Passport page.