No parent wants to get the phone call that their child has been hurt. Imagine getting that phone call when the child is on a trip abroad and not having a passport. While this can be a very stressful situation, it is made easier with emergency US passport services. There are services that will allow someone to forego all the normal waiting periods and have a passport ready to go in as little as a single day.
For U.S. residents, the Department of State (DOS) through its Passport Information Center is one way to approach the need for an immediate passbook or card. The DOS regards a life and death emergency as a serious injury, illness or death of an immediate family member requiring travel within 24-48 hours. One major requirement is that the applicants show up in person at a passport agency, which is usually a local post office.
They have an automated system to make appointments and live operators from 6am-midnight EST to answer any questions pertaining to emergency passports. If the automated system cannot offer an appointment that is quick enough, talk to one of the live operators instead to see what can be done. More than likely, they will be able to expedite the situation or put you in contact with an agency that can handle the task at hand.
Because the government options do not always fit into our plan, there are also plenty of private passport expediting companies that offer services to issue emergency passports. These agencies are approved by the State Department to help cut some of the hassle out of getting a passport. They will of course charge a fee for their services, but when people are dealing with an emergency the fee is nothing compared to the aggravation that it saves.
If the family is in a position where they are going to need their passports in 24 hours, these services are excellent and being able to make this happen. As a matter of fact, people that arrive early in the day can sometimes get their passports before the end of the business day. This is a great relief to those that know that they need to be on a plane as soon as possible.
For the most part, these agencies can be found online and all business can be conducted that way. However, there are also plenty of brick and mortar offices if that is preferred. These services are invaluable to someone that simply cannot deal with all of the forms that are required. They can supply the agency with their information and pretty much be done with it at that point.
It would be nice to think that these agencies were a part of our government and were there to just help, but unfortunately this is not the case. They are there to make a profit and while they will help, they are going to charge a fee for their services. The quicker the passport is needed, the more they are going to charge.
Receiving an emergency US passport can be accomplished relatively quickly and there are options beyond simply the Department of State’s process. Looking into the services of a private U S passport expediting company before an emergency strikes is well worth a little bit of time. Knowing where to go and what it may cost is valuable information for everyone, especially when faced with a family death or other serious situation.