BY: Nick Fulton
Published 31 minutes ago
Whether you are meeting college friends in the Caribbean or taking a solo trip to Spain, checking off your travel bucket list is just a few easy steps away. For first-time passport applications, there are several options, and deciding the best path for you starts with how soon you plan to travel.
First things first, let’s talk about timing.
There are several options for first-time passport applicants, including timelines as short as a single day or as long as six weeks. The most common application format, and the lengthiest, involves submitting your application materials at a passport acceptance facility, most commonly post offices or libraries. This route will cost you $130 from start to finish and put a passport in your hand within four to six weeks.
This is not your only option, especially if that longer wait doesn’t mesh with your summer vacation plans. In addition to the $130 application fee, you can expedite your documents for an additional $60. That new charge cuts the wait time in half, and your expedited passport should be ready within two to three weeks.
For normal travel, that is the fastest process available. However, sometimes even that two-week wait is too much, especially in the case of emergencies or when you have previously booked international travel. By submitting your passport application materials at a passport agency, you could walk away with your shiny new passport within a few hours. This is not a recommended option as agencies only make appointments for life or death emergencies or urgent international travel within 14 days. If you find yourself in either of these positions, the first step is locating a passport agency, which may involve a little road trip since there are only 27 locations across the country. Once you make an appointment at your closest location, arriving with all your necessary identifying documents is essential, or your urgent travel could be delayed.
Passport couriers, are they worth it?
If this all feels overwhelming and you are a more hands-off traveler, you may be interested in a passport courier service. These third-party companies manage some of the logistics of the application process and submit your application materials on your behalf. These couriers take some of the stress out of the process, but generally, they don’t come with many plus sides. These services incur additional costs, and passport couriers don’t have access to faster turnaround times. So while couriers may allow you to breathe easier, they aren’t going to get you on a plane any faster.
No matter what you decide, having all of your required forms and documents in order is the first step to any passport application process. You can find more specifics on how and where to apply for your passport here.
With your new passport in hand, planning your first global adventure just became a reality. Now all you’ve got to worry about is how soon you can get booked and abroad.
