| There are a few different ways to acquire US | | | | the company drops off an application Monday morning |
| passports. The most common is to visit a local post | | | | and picks up the completed passport Monday |
| office and provide them with the documentation | | | | afternoon) and 7 3-day slots (meaning the company |
| required. Processing times can vary from 2 to 8 | | | | drops off an application Monday morning and picks it |
| weeks during normal periods and up to 3 months | | | | up Thursday afternoon). Expediting firms are not |
| during busy season (generally May through August). | | | | empowered to issue the passports themselves or |
| You may pay additional for faster return shipping of | | | | even to verify the applicant or documents, those |
| your completed passport which will be sent out directly | | | | responsibilities rest on the government. The expeditors |
| from the passport office when issued. This is the least | | | | simply facility faster than normal processing and less |
| expensive way but results in longer processing times. If | | | | inconvenience than traditional methods. For a cost, of |
| you are preparing for a far off trip or just keeping | | | | course. Prices for these services can range from $55 |
| things up-to-date, this is your best choice. | | | | to upwards of $300 on top of the governments fees |
| If you are lucky enough to live in a city that has a | | | | depending on how quickly the passport is needed. |
| passport office (Boston, MA, Chicago, IL, Cherry Creek, | | | | Although the passport expediting industry used to be |
| CO, Norwalk, CT, Honolulu, HI, Houston, TX, Los | | | | like the wild west where everyone could get in, through |
| Angeles, CA, New Orleans, LA, New York, NY, | | | | up a web site and start making money, the industry |
| Philadelphia, PA San Francisco, CA, Seattle, WA and | | | | has consolidated and had some tightening by the |
| Washington, DC), you may call the US governments | | | | government in recent years. The overall slot allotment |
| passport appointment hot line at 1-877-487-2778 and | | | | is basically still the same as it was in the late 90's |
| schedule an appointment to be seen in person. | | | | meaning that hundreds of new firms are now |
| Appointment availability can be as early as the next | | | | waitlisted at passport offices throughout the country. |
| day or two but are often booked a week or more out. | | | | Some of the smaller firms were bought outright by |
| An appointment will authorize you to enter to waiting | | | | larger firms just to gain control of their slots and gray |
| area during a morning or afternoon session and you | | | | area mergers of multiple small firms in different cities |
| will generally be seen in the order in which you show | | | | occur in order to provide support when one is |
| up. Fulfillment times can be as fast as same day (for | | | | overloaded with applications. Corporate travel and |
| morning appointment holders) or as long as 3 days. | | | | large scale agencies have found passport expeditors |
| This process can end up taking a full day (or two half | | | | to be very useful in ensuring travelers make their |
| days) between waiting to be seen and retrieving your | | | | flights and their leverage for higher quality services has |
| new passport, but offers a fast turnaround time and | | | | brought some of the better firms up to a new level |
| saves on return shipping fees. | | | | and consequently left some of the smaller ones to |
| Passport expediting firms help fill some of the gaps. | | | | feed for the leftovers on the Internet. The major |
| Expediting firms register with the US State | | | | players, of which there are a dozen or so, have an |
| Department and go through minimal screening to | | | | estimated 70 percent share of Internet and retail |
| ensure that no employees have been convicted of | | | | customers and nearly 95 percent of the corporate and |
| federal crimes or other public trust crimes and are | | | | travel agent market. These large firms control slots at |
| issued a number of "slots" or pre-registered | | | | multiple passport office throughout the country and |
| appointments. Most firms receive between 7 and 30 | | | | often have office in multiple cities, 24 hour call centers |
| slots with pre-determined processing times. These | | | | and modern technology that provides up to the minute |
| times vary from passport office to passport office | | | | changes in requirements, processing times, delays, |
| and sometimes even within the same office. For | | | | online status checks and more. These firms also |
| instance, registered forms with the Washington | | | | process business and tourist visas for travel to almost |
| passport office receive 7 same day slots (meaning | | | | any country. |