julie

Does anyone know how long it takes to get a passport now? What if we pay the extra $35 to expedite the service? I hate to pay the extra to go through one of those independent services. We were considering a last minute trip to Europe, but our children do not have passports. Thanks.

Meg

If you live in or near a city with a passport office, you can pay the expedited fee and get them issued in a matter of days. I'm not sure what the normal turnaround time is.

Ed

Six weeks standard.

"Standard" expedited service is speced at two weeks. They claim to assist customers with urgent travel needs. See http://travel.state.gov/ppt_time.html

Independent expdeditor may be the only way to go if your need is shorter than that. We used to get passports issued in an afternoon in a prior life. But it took good connections to do that.

Ed

Carl

Julie,

I did normal service, and it came back in less than 2 weeks.

elvira

Depends on the time of year:
June thru August? You'll collect Social Security before you get that passport.

This time of year? two weeks, maybe three max.

Elaine

The busiest day of the year for passport applications is Good Friday, which happened to be the day that we applied. We do not have a regional passport office in our city, and the regular service took just under four weeks.

Kristin

I live in San Francisco. It was really easy and the passport came really quickly. I went to City Hall, got an application, walked to AAA got my picture taken and then submitted the application with the pictures.
Paid #35.00 plus $10 for the service and the password came in 3 weeks.
I know that you can go to some Post Office to submit the application too.
Good luck.

Beth Anderson

well, I finally managed to talk a friend into applying for hers! ( I am soooooo an evil influence!) she mailed 'em last Sunday, I can give you an update (as unhelpful as that may be)

if time's the issue, what's an extra 35 bucks per? especially if it will save you hundreds on airfare...

sharona

Hi Julie. My mother just got her first passport. She applied in January through the local post office and she got it in 3 weeks minus one day.

Patti Suttle

Hi Julie-my husband and I are taking 8 of our friends to Ireland, London and Paris in late June/July for 19 days. Some of them had passports but 2 of the couples don't and one of the single ladies does not either. One of the couples sent theirs in last week-2/6.
We took all their passsport photos ourselves (we did our own a few years ago as well). Saying this just for information-someone out there might want to do the same.
Patti

SharonM

I have known several people who have taken their airline ticket (proving departure date) with them directly to the passport office in New Orleans, and with an expedite fee, have gotten their passport on the same or next day.
As mentioned, turnaround time depends on the season and how many applicants are pending. I believe I got my last passport w/in 3 weeks of requesting (ordered in February). I would allow at least 4-8 weeks just to be sure though.

John Hathcock

With application, birth certificates, photos in hand I went to my local congressman's office. His office staff attached letter and prepared express mail to and from passport service. I delivered to post office, purchased express mail postage ($35 to and $35 return). I received passport in 6 days (Express mail delivered to my home on Sunday am) I was very pleased and surprised.

Go for it and enjoy!

traveler

if you are in a city, there are sure to be plenty of independent services that will expedite... my boyfriend used one for about $50, i think, and got his passport the next day. if you are in nyc, i can find the name of the place for you.

hhouston

My husband got his passport 8 days after he sent in the application - and that was with normal processing. We were very suprised at how quick the turn around was, but maybe our case was the exception.

s.fowler

In Chicago I [and my travel agent] have used Perry Visa.

Donna

We got our passports back in less than two weeks. I was amazed at how quickly they came in.

Patti Suttle

Our friends passports took 3 weeks.
Patti

guy

Just renewed not too long ago..thru normal channels and in no hurry..took 2-3 weeks as I recall...However, I do think there is also the option for renewing under exigent conditions..i.e. last minute whereby for an extra fee of a few hundred bucks, one can in fact get a turn around time of 3 days for a new passport if everything is in order..also I think there are travel firms who specialize in this and can get it done for you quicker better faster and for a nominal fee..

Beth

I did regular service and it only took 2 1/2 weeks. However, someone I work with used regular service and it took 6 weeks. So, it might depend when you apply.

Byrd

In January a good friend had her purse which contained her passport (and money and everything) stolen the day before she was to leave for Europe. She had another photo made, picked up her birth certifficate, and drove to New Orleans, and she had her new passport in a matter of hours. She left to join her family in Spain the next day.