Christian Little

Travel is a great thing, but there are plenty of things that can take an anticipated trip and turn it into an absolute nightmare. While many of these things are beyond our control, something like an expired passport can be avoided. If the expiration date on the passport is before the trip that is scheduled in a few weeks, expedited U S passport renewal is there to help save the day.

Picture this scenario: the dream trip is all set up, the tickets have been purchased, the hotels have been booked, and vacation times have been scheduled at work. Everything is planned perfectly, right down to the last detail, until you read the fine print on your passport. Unfortunately, it is set to expire in a few weeks and the trip is right around the corner. Although the obvious first move in this situation is to panic, panic is not necessary.

This is a perfect example of a situation that warrants expedited passport renewal. Passports are only valid for ten years. After ten years, an expired pasport must be renewed. Just like new passport applications, renewal applications may be expedited at an additional fee.

The good news in all of this is that there is no need to have to wait in any lines again. Renewals services are done via the mail. All the applicant has to do is go on the Internet and download form DS-82 from the State Department website, fill it out, put in the required documents and fees and send it on its way.

Since the old passport and copies of the current ID documents will be included in the package, it is best to take some extra measures to make sure that everything gets to its destination safely. First, it is recommended by the State Department that Tyvek packing is used for the contents. In addition to that, we recommend that overnight shipping is used with delivery confirmation for an added level of security.

When a passport is needed quicker than the standard order (about two months), it is recommended that expedited service is used. For anyone that is jammed up for time, the $60 fee is more than worth it. In addition to the extra service fee, there will also be the costs of expedited shipping.

The current turnaround time for an expedited passport is about three weeks. This can fluctuate with travel schedules. If a popular overseas travel time is coming up, it is very likely that more people are using this service and the passport may not come back in the three week span. However, there are other services that can be utilized to get it back even quicker.

There are travel disasters that we can prevent and there are ones that there was simply no way to know that it would happen. Having an expired pasport is our own fault, but expedited pasport renewal can still allow us to save face and enjoy our vacation. It will cost a few more dollars, but the alternative of flushing the entire cost of the trip down the drain will surely make writing out a check for $60 a little easier to take.