Same day US passport experience

Same day passport experience

How to get same day passport in hand.

I just did this two days ago in SF office.

Go online here: https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast/passport-agencies.html

From state dept site:

Follow these steps to make an appointment:

Go to our Online Passport Appointment System.

Enter information about your travel plans to see if you qualify for an appointment. You may make an appointment for up to seven members of your household.

Enter your email address. We will email you a code which you must enter to continue making an appointment. Check your junk or spam folder if you do not see the code in your inbox.

Enter your mobile phone number. We will send you a text message with another code you must enter to continue making an appointment.

Complete the process of scheduling your appointment.

Check your email for a message confirming the details of your appointment. The system will hold your appointment for 15 minutes. If you do not confirm your appointment within 15 minutes, you will need to start over.

If you need to cancel or change the appointment, click the link in the confirmation email to get information about your appointment.

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Steps I took:

1. Made an appt online at the us state dept passport office (link above) nearest passport office near me WITHIN 14 days of my international travel date. (It will be in a federal building requiring you to go through metal detector and show your license, take off shoes, similar to TSA.)

Here is exactly what I did to prepare for, and brought, to my appt, per the state dept policies and instruction:

2. Printed out copy of passport application FORM DS-11 from state dept site, filled it out in black pen, and brought to my appt. DO NOT SIGN IT. You can also fill out online and print completed form. I was using a public printer and did not want to email a completed application to print, so opted to print it blank and fill out in black pen as instructed.

3. Bring your expired passport with you if you have one.

I lost my expired passport and had to explain that on the application form.

4. Printed out the email appointment confirmation and brought with me. You will need your confirmation number.

5. Printed out international flight confirmation/receipt and brought with me. Evidenced my travel within 14 days from appt.

6. Made a black and white copy (8.5 x 10) of my certified birth certificate and brought with me.

7. Brought my original certified birth certificate.

8. Made a black and white copy (8.5x10) of the FRONT and BACK of my driver's license and brought with me.

9. Brought my original driver's license with me.

10. Got 2 passport pics and brought with me. Do not show teeth and have ears showing. Get done by passport photo place.

11. Payment - here is where it got weird. Online everywhere it says to being a check, cashier's check, or money order to pay state dept fees. I went to 4 places to get a money order for $255 of fees (included the expedite fee of $60/$130 passport fee/$35 facility fee/$30 !passport card fee). WHEN IT WAS TIME TO PAY, THEY ONLY ACCEPTED CONTACTLESS PAYMENT. NO CHECKS OR MONEY ORDERS OR CASHIER'S CHECK - TAP PAY AND CREDIT OR DEBIT WAS ONLY ACCEPTED. NOT SURE IT IT IS A SF OFFICE THING, OR LIKE THAT AT ALL LOCATIONS.

12. REMEMBER YOU NEED ORIGINALS AND COPIES OF BIRTH CERTIFICATE AND GOVERNMENT PHOTO ID (LIKE DR LICENSE).

13. One person I saw (not me) had a hard time because her certified birth certificate was from a state that did not show parents' places of birth and was issued by a county clerk. There was lots of going back and forth about this. It had to go up 2 levels of escalation and then got approved. If you don't have your parents' places of birth listed on your birth certificate, you might want to bring your parents' birth certificates with you if possible - or be prepared to explain and be patient getting across your situation. In that case, the birth certificate had a registration/file number and a date and the office recognized the city issues the certificates. It took some doing. The state dept website does list what's required and acceptable info on birth certificates, and the dept of state made the wrong assumption twice before a supervisor approved it. Just an fyi.

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What I went through:

1. Gave confirmation number to be admitted to passport agency line.

2. First line is to look at copies, take originals and photos, review application, and clip them all together. They gave me a number. I sat and waited for number to be called.

3. Number was called. This person reviewed everything, read travel itinerary, questioned me about application, made me swear an oath and that is when I signed the application.

4. Was told by second window person that I needed to pay at the next window AND to return at 3pm to pick up my passport book. My passport card would be sent by mail. He have me a receipt for payment and passport book pick up.

5. I paid the fees by debit card at a different window.

6. Returned at 3pm. Waited in line. Showed receipt. Was given a number to sit and wait to be called.

7. My number was called, I got my passport book. All was good. It was during this wait time that I saw the woman having an issue picking up her passport over her birth certificate issues in #13, above. Ultimately, she got it. But just know there may be questions at time of pick up or a deficiency called out preventing them from issuing your passport. If that happens, look up actual requirements on the state dept site and calmly assert how your items fit the requirements if they do - escalate it - that lady did it 3 times after being told no and ultimately got her passport book given to her.

My experience was that if they can help you and issue you your passport, they will go out of their way to do so, at least at the SF office.

Good luck