Processing a passport through conventional methods can take up to six months. At the very minimum it will take six weeks. There is an extra fee charged that can speed the process up, but even then you are looking at three to four weeks. If you need to travel unexpectedly, then you may need a 24 hour American passport.
While this is far from being the norm, a 24 hour passport is not impossible. Before you plan to get yours back in 24 hours there are some things you should consider. The first thing you may want to keep in mind is that a 24 hour passport may cost you over $150, however, in certain circumstances this cost is of no importance.
There are services that are in business of expediting a passport. These services can be located via the Internet and are a possible alternative to traditional methods of processing a passport. There are several different time frames that these services will offer. Some services will offer two days, or three to four days, and they may also offer up to two weeks.
Naturally, these services will charge you a price based on the speed of the service. The quicker they process it for you, the more you will pay. If you are looking at expedited passport services, it is obviously important to you and can meet your needs.
The fact that a 24 hour passport can be accomplished at all actually depends on whether you are applying for a renewed passport or a first time passport. Renewed passports are much easier to obtain quickly than an initial passport. A renewed passport is simply processing a passport on a file that already exists. A new passport requires a witnessed signature by an official passport agent.
When renewing a passport you do not need to do it in person, since they already have your signature on hand. You can apply for a renewed passport through the mail. The fact that you can get it through the mail makes the difference on how quickly it can be processed. You must have accurate information on your current passport and the information must be what you are currently legally using. The passport must also be in good condition.
Your location will also play a factor in how quickly you can process a passport. Living in a major city gives you access to a passport processing center. While the headquarters for the passport processing office is in Philadelphia, there are also offices for passport processing in major cities such as Dallas and New York.
Living near a regional processing center can help you get a 24 hour passport. There may also be a passport processing center in your city that is deals with passports for emergencies. These offices prefer an appointment, but understand that this is not always possible.
Even if you live in a rural area, it is possible to get a 24 hour passport. Remember that there are new passport expediting services that will process the passport application as quickly as you need. You will have to pay the price to get it in 24 hours, but anything is possible for a price. These services may even have the ability to have your passport waiting for you at the airport.