Travel Tips

Travel is a great thing, but there are plenty of things that can take an anticipated trip and turn it into an absolute nightmare. While many of these things are beyond our control, something like an expired passport can be avoided. If the expiration date on the passport is before the trip that is scheduled in a few weeks, expedited US passport renewal is there to help save the day.

We have all heard the set up before: someone has booked a trip and when it comes time to check their passport, they realize that it has expired and their whole trip is now in jeopardy. Believe it or not, there is no need to panic, even if the trip is right around the corner. There are ways to get a passport in just a few short weeks or even the blink of an eye if necessary.

This is a perfect example of a situation that warrants expedited passport renewal. Passports are only valid for ten years. After ten years, a passport must be renewed. Just like new passport applications, renewal applications may be expedited at an additional fee.

Unlike a first time passport application, a renewal application may be completed by mail. To renew a passport, the applicant must acquire and fill-out form DS-82. The DS-82 form will have detailed, step-by-step, instructions for the passport renewal process. The applicant must mail his or her old passport, and any relevant ID’s or forms, along with the DS-82 for processing. Write “expedited” on the envelope for all expedited passport renewals.

Since the old passport and copies of the current ID documents will be included in the package, it is best to take some extra measures to make sure that everything gets to its destination safely. First, it is recommended by the State Department that Tyvek packing is used for the contents. In addition to that, we recommend that overnight shipping is used with delivery confirmation for an added level of security.

When a passport is needed quicker than the standard order (about two months), it is recommended that expedited service is used. For anyone that is jammed up for time, the $60 fee is more than worth it. In addition to the extra service fee, there will also be the costs of expedited shipping.

The current turnaround time for an expedited passport is about three weeks. This can fluctuate with travel schedules. If a popular overseas travel time is coming up, it is very likely that more people are using this service and the passport may not come back in the three week span. However, there are other services that can be utilized to get it back even quicker.

Of all the things that can go wrong with international travel, it is never good to succumb to a preventable disaster. Trying to travel with an expired US passport is most definitely a preventable disaster. Anyone that finds themselves with an expired passport right before a big trip should consider paying the extra fee for an expedited U S passport renewal. Sixty dollars is a small fee for peace of mind.

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