Passport agency appointment for urgent travel
When the trip is too close for mail, the State Department’s own agencies issue passports by appointment. The rules are strict and the appointment is free.
Checked by Radif Partners · Editorial policy · Method and sources
First passport, age 18+: what you pay
$225
Issued at the agency appointment
| Application fee · DS-11 | $130 |
|---|---|
| Expedited service | $60 |
| Execution (acceptance) fee | $35 |
| Paid by card at the passport agency | $225 |
| Last day to apply, routine, worst case | November 6, 2026 |
|---|---|
| Last day to apply, expedited, worst case | November 27, 2026 |
Issued at the agency, usually before your trip, if you get an appointment.
Official rule: routine service if you travel in 6 weeks or more.
How this was calculated
- Fees from the State Department chart “United States Passport Fees”, October 2026 edition, and 22 CFR 22.1 ($50 application + $80 security surcharge = $130 for an adult book).
- Times from the processing-time page updated October 5, 2026: routine 4 to 6 weeks, expedited 2 to 3 weeks, mail up to 2 weeks each way. The earliest date leaves mail out, the latest adds both legs.
- Not included: photos, the price of faster USPS mail to the State Department (set by the facility), and any private expediter fee.
Estimate from the State Department’s published fees and processing times. Mailing times vary and the Department decides each case. Independent site, not affiliated with the Department of State; we sell no expediting service. Method and sources
The State Department runs 26 passport agencies and centers across the country, from Boston to Honolulu and San Juan. They take appointments when you have international travel within 14 calendar days, or need a foreign visa within 28 days, and require proof of travel such as a ticket or hotel reservation. For a life-or-death emergency, the death, hospice care or life-threatening illness of an immediate family member abroad, there is a separate emergency appointment within 14 days. Appointments are free: the State Department says any request to pay for one should be considered fraudulent, and it may not honor appointments booked through third parties. At the agency, the $60 expedite fee is always charged and fees are paid by card: $225 for a first adult book including the $35 execution fee, $190 for a renewal. Book through the Online Passport Appointment System, up to seven people per household.
What to bring to the agency
The same documents as any application, plus proof of the trip. A first passport still means Form DS-11, citizenship evidence, a photo ID and a photo; a renewal means Form DS-82 and the old passport. Bring the confirmation details the system gives you: the agency checks them on the day, and an appointment cannot be transferred to someone else. The calculator above prices the visit with the expedite fee included, since agencies charge it in every case.
If you already applied
When an application is already in process and your plans become urgent, you do not book online; you call. The State Department checks whether the passport can be issued before your travel and, if not, makes the appointment itself. The first two digits of your nine-digit application locator number tell which agency or center holds your file.
Avoiding the agency
An appointment is the last resort, not a shortcut: slots may not be available right away. Using the apply-ahead calculator to file at least 10 weeks before a trip keeps you out of this situation, and expedited service covers most trips between three and six weeks away.