A Guide To Acquiring A 24 Hour Passport
Typically speaking, acquiring a
passport is a time consuming process. First time applicants are
generally advised to give themselves around two months to get a
passport. Expedited passports are available at an additional fee, but
even a rush passport can take several weeks to process. Many people do
not know this, but it is possible to get a 24 hour passport in dire
circumstances.
First, it is important to discuss when it is appropriate to try to
obtain a passport in 24 hours, and also, whether or not it is
practically possible. While it is theoretically possible to obtain a
passport in 24 hours, there are a lot of variables that make this feat
exceedingly difficult. Again, this type of request should be limited to
extremely dire circumstances.
The U.S. Department of State specifies that a 24 hour passport
should only be given to someone who has suffered a death, serious
injury, or serious illness overseas to someone in their immediate
family. In the case of injury or illness, the family member must be
hospitalized. In the event of such an emergency, applicants are
encouraged to call the State Department Passport hotline.
Many external agencies promise to help customers obtain passports
as quickly as possible. While these agencies are often very helpful, it
is quite difficult to make any promises regarding passports. Getting a
passport in one day is difficult for a variety of reasons.
Obviously, it is much easier to obtain a passport renewal in
twenty-four hours than it is to obtain a new passport. Sometimes
passport renewals can be done electronically, or temporary emergency
renewals may be granted via the Internet. Emergency applicants that
only need a passport renewal often stand a very good chance of having
their request granted in a timely fashion.
New applicants face a much tougher challenge. An authorized
witness must personally witness the signing of the passport and must
personally approve new passports. This can be very difficult for people
who do not live near a major metropolitan city. Those applicants that
live close to a major city with an official regional passport agency
stand a much better chance at obtaining a rush passport because these
people will be able to go to the agency in person.
Even though most agencies require an appointment, they will make
exceptions for emergency situations. Still, it is important to show up
as early as possible. The earlier an applicant shows up, the more
likely it is that he or she will get the passport that day. Or those
that do not live near an agency, many private passport-expediting
services offer 24 hour passport service. It is best to stick with
well-established providers to ensure results.
It is very difficult to get a
passport in 24 hours, but not impossible. Often times, success comes
down to luck and circumstance. Hopefully you will never be in a
situation that would warrant a 24 hour passport, but if the unthinkable
happens, the above advice should be able to point you in the right
direction.
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