# Travel >> Travel Preparation >> Passports

How to Obtain a Passport Quickly

Under normal circumstances, a person can expect a passport to arrive up in eight weeks. If the passport must be obtained in less time, even within 24 hours, the government does have an expedited service. It costs more than a regular passport, but it is the only way to get one in a short time.

Certified birth certificate
Social security card

Instructions

- 1
  Visit the United States Department of State website. Download the appropriate form for your circumstances. This may be form DS-11 or DS-82. Complete the form but do not sign it until you present it in person to an acceptance agent.
- 2
  Mail the form in a secure envelope. Write "expedite" on the envelope.
- 3
  A passport acceptance agent will contact you and set up an appointment. Bring a certified copy of your birth certificate, which must have a raised embossed seal, a copy of a government identification card, and two photos to the meeting with the agent.
- 4
  If the passport is needed for an emergency situation, call the department's automated appointment system at 1-877-487-2778. This applies to any passport needed in less than two weeks for international travel or four weeks to get a foreign visa. Under this method, bring everything, including the form, to the meeting with the agent.
- 5
  Pay the appropriate fees, including the expedite fee, at the passport agency. As of 2011, the expedite fee was $60 for each application.