How to get an expedited or emergency passport
Options for travelers who need a passport faster than routine processing allows — from expedited mail service to same-day regional agency appointments.
Which option fits your timeline?
Your travel date determines which path is actually available to you. Mail options require enough lead time for transit both ways — regional agency appointments are the only route once your departure falls within two weeks.
| Situation | Option | Estimated time | Additional cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Travel in 6 or more weeks | Routine mail | 4–6 weeks processing | None |
| Travel in 3–6 weeks | Expedited mail | 2–3 weeks processing | +$60 |
| Travel in 14 days to 3 weeks | Regional agency appointment | 1 day to 2 weeks | +$60 |
| Death or life-threatening illness of immediate family member abroad | Life-or-death emergency appointment | Same day to 3 days | +$60 |
Processing times exclude mailing — add up to 2 weeks in each direction for mail service. Emergency appointments are reserved for qualifying life-or-death situations; missed flights and cruises do not qualify.
Expedited passport by mail
Expedited mail service costs $60 on top of your standard application fee. Include the $60 in the check you write to the U.S. Department of State — it is part of the application fee total, not a separate payment. On the outside of the envelope, write "EXPEDITE" in large letters.
As of April 16, 2026, the State Department reports expedited processing at 2–3 weeks from the date they receive your application. That clock starts when your envelope lands at a processing center, not when you mail it. Transit time into the center typically runs 1–2 weeks. Add another 1–2 weeks for your completed passport to travel back. The real-world total from mailing to passport-in-hand usually runs 5–7 weeks under normal conditions.
The $22.05 Priority Mail Express return delivery option cuts the return leg to 1–3 days. Pay it as a separate check to the U.S. Department of State and include it with your application. This is worth doing whenever your travel is under 6 weeks out — it removes one variable you can actually control.
One misconception worth correcting: sending your application envelope overnight does not move you to a faster processing queue. Overnight shipping gets your documents to the center a few days sooner, but your position in the processing line is determined by the $60 expedited fee, not by your carrier or shipping speed.
The $60 fee is non-refundable once your passport is issued. If the State Department does not issue your passport within the stated timeframe, you may request a refund of the expedited fee only — not the base application fee or return delivery charge.
Regional passport agency appointments
The State Department operates 29 regional passport agencies and centers across the country. They are the only in-person option for travelers with an urgent departure — none of them accept walk-ins. Every visit requires a scheduled appointment.
To qualify for an appointment, your international travel must fall within 14 calendar days of when you book, or within 28 days if your destination requires a foreign visa that you haven't received yet. Proof of travel is required: a flight itinerary, airline ticket, or booking confirmation showing your name and travel dates.
Book through the State Department's online appointment system at passportappointment.travel.state.gov. Appointments open on a rolling basis and fill quickly at most locations. If you cannot get an appointment online and you have already submitted a passport application, call 1-877-487-2778 — representatives are available Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern, and Saturday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern.
Bring the same documents you would for any DS-11 application, plus your proof of travel. The $60 expedited fee applies at regional agencies; the $35 execution fee that acceptance facilities charge does not.
See our regional passport agencies page for locations and what to bring to your appointment.
Life-or-death emergency passports
The State Department reserves emergency appointment slots for a specific situation: you need to travel internationally within the next two weeks because an immediate family member abroad has died, is dying or in hospice care, or has a life-threatening illness or injury. That is the entire qualifying category.
Immediate family for this purpose means parents or legal guardians, children, spouses, siblings, and grandparents. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and other relatives do not qualify. Traveling abroad for your own medical treatment also does not qualify — use a standard urgent appointment instead.
You need documentation before you can schedule. Acceptable documents include a death certificate, a statement from a mortuary, or a letter from a hospital on official letterhead signed by a physician explaining the medical condition. If the document is not in English, a professional translation is required.
Steps to get an emergency appointment:
- Gather documentation of the emergency and proof of travel (itinerary or ticket showing international departure within 2 weeks).
- Prepare your passport application (DS-11 for new passports; DS-82 for renewals), a passport photo, and a valid government-issued photo ID.
- If you have not yet applied for a passport, try scheduling online first at passportappointment.travel.state.gov.
- If you cannot get an appointment online or you have already submitted an application: call 1-877-487-2778, Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern. On weekends, federal holidays, and weekdays after 8 p.m. Eastern, call 1-202-647-4000 instead. Do not use the 202 number during weekday business hours.
Deaf or hard-of-hearing applicants can reach TDD/TTY teletype services at 1-888-874-7793.
Emergency appointments are not for missed connections, cruises departing the next day, or travel disruptions. Those situations require a standard urgent appointment booked within the 14-day window. If you call the emergency line for a non-qualifying situation, you will be directed to book a regular appointment.
Third-party passport expediting services
Private passport expediting companies submit applications on your behalf and, in some cases, hold appointments at regional agencies. Costs run roughly $100 to $400 above government fees, depending on the company and the urgency.
The State Department maintains a list of registered courier companies at travel.state.gov/en/passports/apply/get-fast/courier-company.html. Using a company not on that list carries real risk — the State Department explicitly warns that it may not honor appointments booked through unaffiliated third parties, and it does not charge any fee to make appointments itself. If someone asks you to pay for appointment access, treat it as fraudulent.
One thing third-party services cannot do: process your passport faster than the State Department allows. They work within the same system as everyone else. Their value, when real, is logistical — handling paperwork, managing delivery, and navigating the appointment system on your behalf during a stressful window. For most travelers who plan a few weeks ahead, the direct State Department process works without a middleman.