Posts Tagged ‘emergency passport’
March 4th, 2010
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Unfortunately, tragic events often unfold when people are least prepared for them, and this is especially true when it comes to a life threatening accident, illness or even death of a family member. When this takes place abroad, an already difficult situation may seem almost insurmountable as the family struggles to rushed travel arrangements. In today’s world, a valid passport is a travel necessity and not everyone has one. The comforting news is that it is possible to get an emergency American passport in a couple of different ways.
When an emergency situation arises, the other family members can contact the Department of State Passport Information Center and they will get guidance on exactly what to do in order to get their passport pushed through. As long as the situation meets their criteria for emergency care, they will usually have a passport in hand in less than 48 hours.
The National Passport Information Center can be accessed via the phone 24/7 and an appointment can be made. If the appointments that are available do not work for the family that needs the emergency services, they can also reach a live person from 6am to midnight EST during weekdays. This operator will be able to answer any and all questions that the person might have.
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.
Naturally, the cost of using a private agency is going to be more than simply going the government route alone, but it is true that time is money. The comfort of leaving the details to someone else can be worth its weight in gold. A two to three day turn around will cost the applicant about $200. Bear in mind that the government fees will also be assessed on top of the agency’s fees, so figure that everything will cost about $300 or more.
While nobody ever wants to pay the fees that are associated with rush service, sometimes there is no other choice but to use emergency new passport services. It is for this very reason that everyone should always have a valid passport on hand. However, it is nice to know that should we neglect to get our passport in time, there are American passport expediting services out there that can make this happen and allow us to get with our loved ones in an emergency.
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February 10th, 2010
Anyone traveling outside of the United States today must have either a passport book or passport card. This law went into effect June 1, 2009. In order to re-enter the U. S., even from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean, or Bermuda, persons must have this documentation. This applies to persons traveling by land, air or sea, so if you have family living outside of the U. S. you will need to make preparation for emergency situations. This can prevent need of having to apply for an emergency passport.
You should always have a plan for emergencies when family lives outside of the U. S. The best plan if you have family living out of the United States is to have a valid passport at all times. This will allow you to avoid having to apply for the emergency passport.
In order to obtain that passport, you will need to follow the rules that the State Department has established. These rules, as well as the applicable forms, can be found on the website for the U. S. Department of State. The application will need to be returned to a passport processing center. There is at least one in most cities of any size. Currently, the return time is four to six weeks.
If you plan to travel in less than fourteen days you can pay an additional fee of sixty dollars for an expedited passport. You can also pay for overnight delivery of the materials to and from the passport agency. You will also need proof of transportation such as a plane ticket for the travel.
Turn around for an expedited passport is approximately two weeks. You will want to pay the extra fee for a passport book. The passport book can be shipped overnight, however the card is only shipped by US mail.
Should you be dealing with a critical situation, you may not have two to three weeks, so you will want to apply for the emergency passport. To make this application, you need to take all the paperwork to a regional processing center. You must call first to schedule the appointment. While appointments are often available within twenty-four hours, the centers are closed weekends and federal holidays. In addition to all other documentation, you will also need proof of your travel plans.
If travel to the passport center is not possible for you, then you can also hire an agent to make the application on your behalf. You will need to include time to send your documentation to the agent and for the agent to send your passport to you using overnight delivery. Many agents are able to process your passport within twenty four hours.
Employing a US passport agent may increase the price you pay for a passport. In addition to the $135 government fee, you will need to pay for the agent’s services and for shipping costs. While this can increase the cost of the emergency passport application, it is often less expensive than having to travel to the regional center by yourself.
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February 9th, 2010
In cases where you need to leave the country soon, the routine passport application is simply not an option. That’s because routine passport applications currently take around four to six weeks to complete, and if you’re really in a hurry, then that’s too long a wait.
In family emergencies, you wouldn’t be able to wait that long for your passport to arrive. This applies to family emergencies where you’ll need to travel out of the country as soon as possible. Good thing there’s an option for you to get a passport faster than is regularly allowed. For family emergencies, you’ll need an emergency passport.
Emergency passports are issued to US citizens who have family emergencies outside the country and have to leave within the next 48 hours. So, if you need a passport quickly, an emergency passport is what you need. Applying for one ensures that you’ll be able to leave the country immediately.
But what do you need to apply for an emergency passport? First of all, you need to contact the National Passport Information Agency (NPIA). This is the agency tasked with handling all your emergency passport needs at any time of the day. Simply give them a call, and they will help you set a schedule with the nearest passport agency. The passport agency will then be the one to help you obtain an emergency passport.
However, there are instances where you might be unable to set a schedule with a passport agency. In cases like this, just hang in the line and your call will be forwarded to a customer service representative (CSR). From there, the CSR will provide you with other options to get your emergency passport.
There are instances where you need to leave, yet aren’t faced with a very urgent situation that would require an emergency passport. If this situation applies to you, then you can just get your passport application expedited. Expedited passports are sought out by travelers who don’t need to travel within 48 hours, yet have to leave within the next four weeks.
The expedited passport option is a kind of a value-added service. And because of this, your passport application will be given priority over the routine passport applications. Thus expedited passports are a lot faster to process. And as a value-added service, you can expect an expedited passport to have an extra fee added to the regular passport application fees you need to pay. This is a non-issue, of course, if you need to get your passport quickly and don’t want to break a sweat doing it.
If you need to be with your family in family emergencies outside the country, you have the option of getting an emergency passport. Having an emergency pass port will enable you to leave the country in as little as 48 hours or less. However, if you can wait for at least 2 weeks, you have the choice of having your US passport application expedited instead. This comes with an additional fee, but you get speed and a quick response in return.
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