Sometimes life has a way of throwing some interesting curve balls our way. We think everything is going great and then all of a sudden something happens and we have to jump on a plane to Europe on short notice. If you don’t have a passport or it is expired, expedited passport services can make this problem go away in a snap.
The State Department does everything that it can to make this process as easy and quick as possible, but there are so many people applying that it is impossible for a truly quick turnaround to happen without paying for it. Besides, what the government considers quick, most of us would consider slow and painful. With millions upon millions of passports being processed every year, it is easy to see why the regular wait is about six weeks. Even the rush service is about two to three weeks.
This rush service that is being paid for encompasses the time from when the application is received and accepted until the passport actually shows up in the mail box at home. If this is still not fast enough, there are other passport agencies that are outside the government that can put an even quicker rush on the documents. While there services are faster, they also charge even more money.
The whole system is powered by fees, fees and more fees. A regular passport will cost $75 and $25 added for the standard processing. If a passport card is added, tack on another $20 to the order. The government offers a small break in the pricing for minors, but all processing fees remain the same. Renewals services are slightly less expensive.
When rush services are requested, there is yet another fee of $60 added to the kitty. Because these documents are mailed out, it is generally recommended that overnight mail be used. This is suggested because of the guaranteed delivery date and ability to track the package. This is piece of mind for a very small investment.
The overnight delivery will cost about $15 in addition to all of the other fees that are being charged. While some people may be rolling their eyes at this point as the costs continue to add up, this is a fee that is money well spent. The documents will be secure and able to be tracked this way and considering how important they are, $15 is nothing compared to the aggravation that would ensue if they were lost.
If expedited service is requested, the form that has to be filled out is the DS-82. This is in addition to the regular forms and does not replace the standard application. When mailing in the forms and documents, be sure to write “expedite” very large and clear on the outside of the envelope. The agents are trained to look for this and will make sure that the envelope is rushed through processing.
The process for receiving an expedited United States passport is little different than the regular requirements. The key is to use overnight delivery services and to make certain if one opts for regular mail, for goodness sake, use a certified or registered process. This is the only way that it will be possible to track the passport in the event of a snafu. One final tip is to be certain to use good packaging materials like a Tyvek mailing envelope to protect critical identification documents.