Life is so unexpected that foreign travel plans may present themselves with little advance notice. Individuals traveling abroad must have a passport or they will need to get one prior to travel. Often the traveler does not have the amount of advance notice that falls within the standard eight-week or expedited four-week processing time required by the government. In cases of family emergency, there is often no time to waste so alternative options to obtain a rush passport must be considered.
Many online passport service companies offer shorter processing times, ranging from ten days down to 24 hours. Though it will cost the passport applicant more to use such a service, it may be necessary in cases of dire need. These private companies work with the relevant government agency to expedite the processing of passport applications. They are able to mail the new passport to the applicant within the desired time.
These services require that all the same paperwork be filled out as though it were going through the normal channels. These include government forms such as the DS-11, which is simply the application for a new passport. These can be found and printed out by going online and either getting them from the issuing agency’s website or the website of the provider.
The applicant will need to provide specific documents testifying to citizenship in order to obtain a passport. A certified birth certificate from the city, county, or state of birth is one of the acceptable forms of documentation. The birth certificate must have an official seal and must contain the date the birth was registered with the municipality.
The next item will be a copy of the applicant’s driver’s license and this must be no less than six months old. If, for whatever reason, the applicant does not possess a driver’s license, there are secondary forms of identification that are acceptable in order to help prove the applicant’s identity. These can come in the form of a state issued ID card, a professional license or a combination of other items that show both a picture of the applicant and a signature.
Once all the paperwork has been put together and all necessary copies made, the service provider will request that it all be sent to one of their offices for processing. This should be done by a private carrier such as FedEx or UPS. This not only ensures that the paperwork all gets there safely and in the shortest time possible. It also allows for it to be tracked the entire trip, reducing the chance of vital personal information being lost or misplaced.
The fees that are required in order to accomplish this will need to be sent in two separate amounts. The governmental fee will need to be made out to them and the fee to the service, designated for their use. These should be in the form of a personal check, certified check or money order as cash is not accepted.
Take advantage of those last-minute travel deals abroad, but be sure to set aside some extra money to get a urgent U S passport if necessary. With an online pasport service, there will be no worry that the passport will not arrive prior to departure. The traveler will be free to focus on packing, finding a sitter for the dog, and arranging to get to the airport for the vacation of a lifetime.