How Fast Can a Passport Be Renewed?
People who ask the question of how fast a passport can be renewed are usually in a hurry to get their travel documents. The concern is usually not how long it takes to process a passport renewal application but what the quickest way for renewing a passport might be. Therefore, this article will not focus on routine processing but will detail the steps required to renew a passport in three weeks or less.
A passport can be renewed by mail in two to three weeks as long as you meet the requirements and submit the appropriate documents. In order to request a renewal by mail, you current passport must be in your possession, undamaged except for normal wear and tear and no more than fifteen years old. Also, it had to have been issued when you were age 16 or older. If you meet the requirements, you can send in the completed form DS-82 for a passport renewal along with two recent passport photos and the fees to the address on the application. Be sure to write “expedite” on the envelope.
Passports can be renewed in less than two weeks at regional processing centers. In fact, passport can be renewed as fast as the same day at these locations. There are only twenty of these centers in the United States. The passport renewal form can be submitted at the regional agency either by the applicant in person or by a qualified expediting service. Those who wish to apply in person should first set up an appointment via the National Passport Information Center’s toll-free number: 1-877-487-2778.
Applicants who opt for submitting their passport renewal applications through an expediting service can also request same day processing. However, that is not the only option. Expediters offer processing times that range from the same day to as much as two weeks. Fees are based on how quickly the passport needs to be renewed.
Returning to the original question of how fast a passport can be renewed, we see that it is possible have the process completed in one day. In fact, there have been emergency cases in which passport renewals were processed in only a couple of hours. Now that you know the options available, you can choose how fast you want to get your passport renewed.