Passport Acquisition and all you need to know about it

Traveling across borders requires that one has a valid passport among other travel documents. For domestic flights, a passport may not be necessary but for international ones, one should ensure that they have it on them. Acquiring a passport takes a lot of time for individuals and may hinder travel plans that come in last minute. The services of a passport agency will come in handy in instances where quick arrangements need to be made. If one is not conversant with what they are required to bring along, the wide web may provide guidance or a passport agency can be sought and consulted to advice on the way forward.

Passport agencies expedited service, which means that they follow through the acquisition process for an individual. This type of service helps one save on resources that they would use to acquire their passport. There are various types of passport expedited services that one should have knowledge of if they intend to go this route. They are;

• Expedited service for passport acquisition at the post office – The request for a passport or renewal of the same is sent one but one has to mark expedited to get the service at a cost of sixty dollars. Time taken to process this type of expedited serviceis between two and three weeks. The sixty dollars is paid to the Department of State alongside the normal application charges.
• Passport agency accelerated service – There are about twenty-six passport agencies across the US that will help one acquire their passport faster. A copy of the itinerary should be submitted together with the required paperwork and supporting documents. The type used to process the passport is anywhere from a few hours after the application has been made to eight days.
• Private expediting companies – Documents can be forwarded to private firms that have specialized in this trade but it only works for renewals. People applying to get their passport for the first time are still required to visit the post office or anywhere else where first time applications are accepted before initiating contact with a private company dealing with expediting.

Ordinarily if one chose to process their passport with no rush to get somewhere it will take between four to six weeks. Expedited services cost more but when hidden costs of physically getting to an agency are considered as well as the time and other resources that will be input, the extra cost is worth it.

Emergency applications can be made to the State Department if the matter at hand is of utmost urgency but no guarantees are made that application will be processed faster than the rest. Emergency cases are considered on a case by case basis and therefore if the urgency of the matter does not stand out chances are the application will take normal processing time. If this happens, individuals who have travel arrangement already laid out should consider opting for expedited services or push their travel dates to accommodate the processing time of their passport.

Although one is assured that their passport will be out within two to three weeks when using expedited services, this is not always the case. Certain factors may result in the delay of one’s travel permit and it is essential for one to be aware of this fact. Some of the elements that lead to a delay include;

• Erroneous paperwork – This factor makes it vital for one to counter check the documents to be submitted beforehand. Cross-checking makes it easier for one to eliminate incorrect paperwork as the cause of the delay of their passport. Asking experts in the field to go through one’s document is also advisable to get rid of errors.
• Photo issues – One should ensure that the passport photos they submit to the State Department meet the requirements stipulated. Consultation can be done for one to make an informed decision on the same.
• Improper documentation – It is critical for one to submit all the necessary documents as directed by the Department of State. Failure to adhere to this may result in a delay of one’s passport.
• Too many applications – Even when using expedited services, the volume of applications received at the department may cause a delay.

Intensive consultation and research should be done by anyone looking to acquire a passport to ensure that minimal to no errors are done on the application.