Needing a Passport In A Rush: Here Is A Guide On Getting A Rush Passport

When planning a trip abroad, there is a multitude of things you have to remember to bring and do before leaving home. Sometimes you forget about something as crucial as your passport, whether it’s because they’re expired, have no blank pages left or even because you forgot to get one. You wouldn’t be the first person in this situation and surely not the last, which is why there are several solutions to your problem depending on your circumstances.

Expired Passport

After not using your passport for a while you’ve finally taken it out, only to realize it is not valid anymore as it is expired. You think that the whole trip you planned is ruined, but you do have a few options.

Your first option is to get an expedited passport. Unlike getting one through the regular process, an expedited passport can be obtained in less than a week in contrast to 6-8 weeks. If you are willing to pay the extra money for the sped-up passport and processing fee, then you might save your trip with an expedited passport.

Make sure that you submit all the necessary forms that you would when applying for a passport for the first time with the inclusion of your expired passport. The expired passport verifies your identity and makes sure that it is not your first time traveling abroad.

Your other option is to request an emergency passport from the State Department. Technically an emergency passport granted to you by the State Department is also an expedited passport but with a few exceptions.

An emergency passport is only granted for situations deemed real emergencies, such as a life-threatening illness, a severe injury or death. Do not expect to be given an emergency passport simply because you need one to go on a vacation.

Unlike a regular passport, an emergency passport usually is only valid for one year and with only 5-10 stamping pages. This is to make sure that you do not use your emergency passport as the primary.

No Blank Pages Left

While you might have a passport that is not expired, it might not have enough blank pages for stamping. This situation is different than having an expired passport, mainly because of the costs.

Just like with an expired passport, you can get a new passport through the State Department as an emergency passport or through an expeditor as an expedited passport.

Unlike getting an emergency passport for an expired passport, you can get an emergency passport from the embassy of the country you are traveling to as well as the State Department. Unlike getting an emergency passport because of an expired passport, getting one because of no more blank pages will not cost you any money. One will typically give you the same day you request it if you do it on site.

You can also go through an expeditor. This process can cost you, but if you are in immediate need of a passport, an expeditor is probably the best way to go about. In both situations, you need to submit form DS-82 to the State Department or expeditor requesting for a renewal. You can also ask for more blank pages in the form.

Don’t Have a Passport

Some of you are going on your first trip abroad and completely forgot to get yourself a passport before traveling. The options you have are the same as the first two cases: emergency passport or expedited passport.

You will be charged in both situations because you are getting a new passport and do not have an existing one which is still valid. While the emergency passport is not as useful and the expedited passport might be more expensive, both options are far better than missing out on your trip abroad.