# Travel >> Travel Preparation >> General Travel Prep

How to Get First-Time Passports Quickly

On average, it can take between four and six weeks to receive your first U.S. passport. For some travelers, this may be too long because they need their passport in a couple weeks or even immediately to travel. There is a way to expedite the process, but it takes extra personal time and costs extra fees. Keep in mind to get a passport, you must submit the fees, two passport-sized photos, identification documents and a completed application.

Instructions

- 1
  Make an appointment at a certified passport agency as soon as possible. Take a completed application, two passport-sized photos, your proof of citizenship, photo identification and fee to the appointment with you.
- 2
  Send the information in a certified mail envelope marked "Expedite" after your meeting at the passport agency. You must mark the envelope for the application to be processed as soon as possible.
- 3
  Contact a customer service representative at the National Passport Information Center within seven days of your trip if you have not received your passport. They can help you on speeding up the process or locating your passport.