Insta-passport and agencies
 

Anybody ever have to get a passport in a hurry and use an agency to do it? I have an opportunity to go to China for free on a business trip, fairly high on the hog, but only if I can get my passport ready in about 7 to 10 days.

There's a place I found through a google search that says they can do it in 24 hours, with the usual turn-around times for mailing and receipt. Effectively about 4 days. That service is $169. For 20 bucks less, you can get it in 4 to 6 business days.

I feel alternately completely paranoid and stupidly gullible, and am reluctant to try it. But...sheesh, free trip to China ...

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

There's a place in Glendale I use for my clients all the time and have had great results. It's called Omega Visa Service and their phone # is 800-545-0000. Yes, that's really their phone number.

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

Blarg,

I and a few other people I know have used this and everything was delivered as promised: http://www.americanpassport.com/

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

diablo - was this before or after 9/11?

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

Where do you live? I know you can go to certain cities to get them. I think Washington DC, Houston, and Chicago have ways to do it in person and only pay the expedited US charge.

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

[ QUOTE ]
Where do you live? I know you can go to certain cities to get them. I think Washington DC, Houston, and Chicago have ways to do it in person and only pay the expedited US charge.

[/ QUOTE ]

I am pretty sure this is true and done through legit agencies. Two of my dad's business partners had to fly to houston to get Passports on short term. May have been pre 9/11 though.

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

I live in Newport Beach, California.

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

Boris: Both

TC: Yes, that is correct. Here is the list of offices to get passports in less than 2 weeks without the expeditor surcharges: http://travel.state.gov/passport/abo...ncies_913.html

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

I've used Travisa for expedited passport and China visa more than once. You do have to call them to be sure that expedited service is available.

Although, the last time I had my passport renewed they did make the mistake of giving me a sex change operation. [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] No time to fix it so I traveled on it, got stopped at the China border for being the opposite sex of my passport, but eventually they let me through.

I'm sure the error was made at the passport agency, but Travisa should have caught it too.

I really hate to have to say anything negative about them because they've been stellar before this.

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

[ QUOTE ]
Boris: Both

TC: Yes, that is correct. Here is the list of offices to get passports in less than 2 weeks without the expeditor surcharges: http://travel.state.gov/passport/abo...ncies_913.html

[/ QUOTE ]

this is the best bet.

make sure to get proof of your travel planes.

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

[ QUOTE ]
TC: Yes, that is correct. Here is the list of offices to get passports in less than 2 weeks without the expeditor surcharges: http://travel.state.gov/passport/abo...ncies_913.html


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i did this in dc. worked perfectly. had passport in 3 days.

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

Homeland security is easing the passport rules because of the backlog:

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/08/us...ssport.html?hp

I used the service El Diablo recommended and it worked great. Sent it out by FedEx on May 29 and will be receiving the passport today. (Trip is on June 13).

I don't get the last couple mentioned in the article mentioned above:
[ QUOTE ]
Some people said they had seen scant flexibility. Tonya Elliott, of Orlando, Fla., said when she and her twin, Seana Mincy, tried to apply for a passport in April for Ms. Mincy’s 3-year-old, Brendan, for a trip to Canada on June 19, a federal court clerk told them that they would not have it in time and to wait until June 5 to call for an appointment.

They could not get through on the phone, Ms. Elliott said, and drove four hours on Thursday to the Miami agency, where, after a day in line, they were offered an appointment after their scheduled departure. When they protested, she said, they were threatened with arrest, adding, “We were treated horribly.”

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While I obviously don't think that being threatened with arrest is proper--why drive 4 hours when you can just use an expediting service? There's a passport office in San Francisco, but appointments there were too far off. But American Passport does all that stuff for you. Just apply for the passport at the post office, then FedEx everything to American Passport. They'll FedEx your passport back in the time that you paid for.

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

I am going throught the passport headache right now myself. Going to Aruba at end of the month. Sent in passport apps first of April and they are not back yet.

Currently got a connection with the local House of Represantive trying to pull some strings to make sure they are here on time.

Wish I had just used one of these services to start with.

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

US announces new passport rules. It would seem they're a tad swamped. Not sure if the new rules affect you.

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

[ QUOTE ]
US announces new passport rules. It would seem they're a tad swamped. Not sure if the new rules affect you.

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I linked to a similar article two posts above.

Anyway, it makes sense for anyone even thinking of leaving the US within the next year to apply for one ASAP. And with the delays I've been reading about, if you're leaving within 5 months, use an expediting service. It's only $89 extra for 14 day service.

I got a passport 3 years ago just so I could have one. Now I'm glad I did. (I used the expediting service for my daughter's passport).

Re: Insta-passport and agencies
 

the all-might american consumer dollar "wins" again.

i guess they are not that worried about security.

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I went to the Los Angeles passport agency yesterday for my trip on Tuesday. They said they will have my passport ready on Monday, the whole thing cost $157 ($97 + $60 speedy fee).

I had to wait about an hour, and other people had to wait much much longer, but if you live in a big city just go to one of the passport agencies. One person was traveling saturday and they were getting her passport done by tomorrow. And the great thing is since it is the official agency you dont have to pay an extra fees.