Hi, i submitted my passport for renewal, without expedited service, right before i started reading stories about the delays. Does anyone know if it's possible to switch to expedited service once the passport is already in the system? we're leaving for italy on july 30 and i'm getting nervous.
thanks for any help.

I think that once you submit it the passport goes into that particular pile for processing.The fact that its a renewal and you still have a month gives some encouragement-if you don't have it by a week before start making calls .

Hi as,

If you don't have your PP by 2 weeks before you leave, you can get expedited service.

Have you looked at http://travel.state.gov/passport

Thanks for info.
I can't get through on gov line. they hang up on you after a short wait.
I'll keep trying.Wish i had done expedited, but the problems weren't apparent then. This is what I get for being cheap!

Hi,
I would contact your congress person's office and tell them you are planning on leaving on July 24th. Our passport person at our congresswoman's office suggested giving the date of travel about a week before you are scheduled to leave. It gave a little extra time. They still missed it and I had to travel to Chicago with my boys to get the passports in person. I told the Chicago office we had to reschedule and took my original itinerary. If you give the 7/24 date, begin calling 7/10 and push 9, 3, 1, 3, 1 until you get an actual person. I called everyday to see the status. I would ask where they are being processed it may be helpful for you down the road.

Good Luck.

Travelatte

Got my passport. .Thanks to all.
I did call and got someone on the phone at about 5 minute before midnight. The agent said i had to call back 2 weeks before departure. I askd if there was a way to shift my application to expedited. He just said call again, but did check for me and saw that app was already in washington and half-complete. Arrived on monday.