The Truth About Passport & Visa Expediters [Post Covid]

How do passport expeditors work? Is a passport expeditor a legitimate method of obtaining a passport within 24 to 48 hours? These are some of the most common questions in the U.S. Passport Help Guide we usually receive.

In this article, we will explain how the process works. So this will be a very informative post about which passport expeditor is the right one, and how to go about choosing a passport expediting company to expedite your vital documents.

Which Passport & Visa Should I Choose?

There are many passport expeditors around the nation that are accredited by the BBB and have favorable ratings with many online review services. StartVisa.com and National Passport Service rank high based on customer experience.

These companies would be able to obtain your expedited passport. The bottom line is they all state the same thing. They can get your passport fast online without the hassle.

If you would like a curated list of all passport and visa expeditors nationwide National Passport Service shares information on the top 10 services based on price, customer reviews, and timeliness.

It’s important to know passport expediters provide a hand carry service and appear at the Regional Passport Agency in lieu of the applicant having to appear. If the applicant were to appear in person, the passport agency will give the passport directly to the applicant just as fast as the passport expediting company.

Questions to Ask Passport Expediters?

• Which passport agency processes my passport application?
• How long is the company in business?
• What is the cancellation policy?
• Would my passport application be outsourced to a third-party company?
• Do you have a physical location?
• Are you registered with any passport agencies?
• How many years have you been doing passport expediting?
• Are you on the BBB and are you accredited?
• Can we contact a customer via email to ask for a reference?

What to do before Purchasing Expedited Passport Services?

• Check the companies’ other reviews on public review sites like Yelp, BBB, and Facebook.
• Call the 800 number and make sure someone picks up the phone, and customer services are being provided.
• Check if they have any online chat services.
• Make sure the company where you are purchasing the service is the actual passport courier and not a third-party vendor.

How Does Expediting a Passport Work?

In order to process an expedited passport with a registered courier service, the process is pretty simple. Many expeditors advertise a three or four-step process.

1. The first step is to order the expedited service that meets your needs. Many expeditors can process the passport as quickly as 24 hours. There are budget-friendly options as well starting around $99 for expedited processing
2. Once submitting a passport order, the next step for a passport application is to follow a set of passport application instructions. You will have to meet all the passport requirements and prepare all the documents for shipping.
3. Once you have prepared the documents the applicant will ship the passport to the expeditor for processing.
4. Now your passport is in processing with the expediter and a regional passport agency. Once the passport is complete, you will receive a notification that your passport is complete or not by the Passport Agency. Most expediters use FedEx or UPS to ship back your documents with preferred overnight shipping

Where can I apply for an Expedited Passport?

When looking to use a passport expeditor it is recommended that you first try to get your passport with the regional passport agency in your area. If this is not possible due to the location of the passport agency or no appointment is available then we recommend finding a reliable passport expeditor from our passport expediting directory.

How does a private company be able to process my passport application? Private companies could only expedite passports in an emergency situation. You will need to be traveling within fourteen days or thirty days if a visa is necessary.

These companies are  “couriers” that hand carry your passport application to the regional passport agency that they are registered with meaning they will hand-deliver your passport application to the passport agency, communicate any problems with the application then deliver your application back to you.

Conclusion

In conclusion, if you’re looking to expedite your passport and visa process during the post-Covid world, it’s important to keep in mind that the current climate has changed how many countries operate. Passport and visa expediting services have gone digital and are now more accessible than ever.

Although there will still be application processing times, they often reduce them dramatically for travelers attempting to gain fast entry into a country. Despite this, understanding the laws surrounding passports and visas in your destination countries still matters most.