The 24 Hour Passport Does Exist, But It Can Cost You

Typically speaking, acquiring a passport is a time consuming process.

First time applicants are generally advised to give themselves around two months to get a passport. Expedited passports are available at an additional fee, but even a rush passport can take several weeks to process. Many people do not know this, but it is possible to get a 24 hour pass port in dire circumstances.

Getting a 24 hour passport is not something that is usually needed unless there is an emergency. The task of getting one this quickly is fairly involved, but it can be done. Just be aware that the government only accepts this rush condition under extreme circumstances that it is will cost significantly more to get the passport this quickly.

The State Department will usually only issue a passport in 24 hours if an immediate family death, accident, injury or illness has occurred.

In other words, just because it is Thursday and you realized that you need a passport for your trip on Saturday does not mean that a passport is going to be issued. For more details, it is best to call the hotline that the State Department has set up for emergency situations.

It is also worthy to note that the local passport office is not the only place to turn when this happens. There are also private agencies that can help with these services as they are already tapped in for situations just like this. Keep in mind that they will have significant fees over and above what the government would charge, and they can be quite expensive if rush service is needed.

Obviously, it is much easier to obtain a passport renewal in twenty-four hours than it is to obtain a new passport. Sometimes passport renewals can be done electronically, or temporary emergency renewals may be granted via the Internet. Emergency applicants that only need a passport renewal often stand a very good chance of having their request granted in a timely fashion.

New applicants face a much tougher challenge. An authorized witness must personally witness the signing of the passport and must personally approve new passports. This can be very difficult for people who do not live near a major metropolitan city. Those applicants that live close to a major city with an official regional passport agency stand a much better chance to get a US passport because these people will be able to go to the agency in person.

Even though most agencies require an appointment, they will make exceptions for emergency situations.

Still, it is important to show up as early as possible. The earlier an applicant shows up, the more likely it is that he or she will get the passport that day. Or those that do not live near an agency, many private passport-expediting services offer 24 hour passport service. It is best to stick with well-established providers to ensure results.

It is very difficult to get a passport in 24 hours, but not impossible. Often times, success comes down to luck and circumstance. Hopefully you will never be in a situation that would warrant a passport, but if the unthinkable happens, the above advice should be able to point you in the right direction to get a pass port.