With expedited passport renewal services, US citizens can renew their passports for last minute or surprise trips. This is particularly important for travelers who will be heading to Mexico or Canada; the new Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will require all US travelers entering the country to carry a valid passport, passport card, or other compliant document. The rule, which comes into effect in June of 2009, is a departure from past travel rules between the US, Canada and Mexico.
Generally, expedited passport renewal takes approximately two weeks from the time the passport is mailed to the time it is sent back to the bearer. Other agencies, such as Visa Express, offer faster service for a fee. The standard US passport renewal process can take weeks or months.
Expedited passport renewal services are useful for travelers who must take international trips at short notice; they are particularly useful for unexpected business travel or emergency travel. Travelers should be aware that many countries require that passports be valid for at least six months from the date of entry into the country. If you have an upcoming trip and your passport will expire in under a year, make use of expedited passport renewal; this is particularly useful for long-term travelers who may be out of the US when their passport is set to expire.
The United States government charges approximately $60 for expedited passport renewal, in addition to the standard renewal fees. They will also charge for overnight delivery shipping costs. US citizens wishing to take advantage of expedited renewal services ship their passport overnight as well. To increase your chances of quick renewal, write "Expedited" on the envelope in large print and include your date of travel on the application. If you have an emergency that involves a life or death situation and you must travel internationally in under 14 days, you can call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 for assistance.
If you wish to go through an agency to renew your passport, be sure to research their credibility and additional fees. Visa Express, for example, offers four levels of passport renewal: emergency, urgent, rush and regular. The emergency renewal offers a processing time of 24 hours and a service fee of about $200 in addition to government fees. The urgent renewal offers a processing time of one to three days and a service fee of about $150 in addition to government fees. The rush service offers a processing time of four to eight business days and a service fee of about $100 in addition to government fees. Be sure to research several different companies before choosing one and always read the fine print.
