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Emergency & urgent passport answers

Emergency Passport FAQs

Clear answers for travelers who need a U.S. passport fast: same-day and 3-day passports, urgent trips, which passports can be rushed and what it costs, backed by official State Department sources.

Reviewed by Philip Diack, Founder¡ Updated October 22, 2026¡ 31 questions¡ Official sources linked

Your emergency passport: speed & price
+ $216.87 government fee for an adult passport (less for a child under 16)
Business days, from when we receive your documents
Start my emergency passport →
Since 1992500K+ travelers servedPrivate company, not a government agency
Emergency passport questions: quick answers
What is the fastest I can get a passport?
With us, as fast as 3-4 Days with our Emergency Expedited speed, from when we receive your application.
Full answer ↓
Can I get a passport the same day?
Same-day passports are issued only by the government, in person, for travelers who qualify, and openings are scarce.
Full answer ↓
I fly in a few days. What should I do first?
Order with our Emergency Expedited speed right away, or call us at 800-860-8610, and have your travel itinerary ready.
Full answer ↓
Which passports can you expedite in an emergency?
All of them: renewals, first passports, children’s passports, lost or stolen replacements, name changes and second passports.
Full answer ↓
What do I need for an emergency passport?
It depends on your passport type, plus a copy of your travel itinerary.
Full answer ↓
How does your emergency passport service work?
Order online in about 10 minutes, send us your application the same day, and we do the rest.
Full answer ↓
Do it yourself
Try to get one of the government’s scarce urgent-travel openings, or send your application in yourself and wait. Expedited government processing currently takes 2–3 weeks, plus shipping each way.
Let us handle it
We prepare and check your application, then courier it straight to a passport agency at our fastest speed, 3-4 Days from when we receive it, with no waiting for a government opening.

How fast can you get an emergency passport?

What is the fastest I can get a passport?

With us, as fast as 3-4 Days with our Emergency Expedited speed, from when we receive your application.

That’s counted in business days, then tracked overnight delivery back to you. Our speeds are Emergency 3-4 days, Rush 6 days, Priority 8 days, Essential 12 days. Doing it yourself, the State Department currently quotes 4–6 weeks routine or 2–3 weeks expedited, plus shipping time each way.

How do I get an emergency passport?

Order online, choose our Emergency Expedited speed, and send your application to us the same day.

We tell you exactly what to send for your passport type, check everything, and our courier takes it straight to a passport agency. Renewals need no in-person step; first, child and lost-passport applications are signed in person first, then sent to us.

Can I get a passport in 3 days?

Our fastest speed is 3-4 Days from when we receive your complete application, plus overnight delivery to you.

If you fly sooner than that, call us at 800-860-8610 before you order so we can tell you honestly what’s possible for your date.

How long does an emergency expedited passport take?

With us, 3-4 Days at our fastest speed; with the government’s own expedite option, about 2–3 weeks.

The difference is the route: we courier your application to a passport agency instead of sending it into the regular queue. Your passport comes back by tracked overnight delivery.

When does the clock start on an emergency passport?

When we receive your complete application.

Speeds are counted in business days from then, so send your documents the same day you order, using our prepaid overnight label. Incomplete documents are the main cause of delays, which is why we check everything first.

Flying soon? Our fastest speed gets your passport back in 3-4 Days.See emergency speeds →

Same-day and next-day passports

Can I get a passport the same day?

Same-day passports are issued only by the government, in person, for travelers who qualify, and openings are scarce.

For most people the fastest realistic route is our Emergency Expedited speed: 3-4 Days from when we receive your application, with no waiting for a government opening.

Where can I get a passport the same day?

Only at a government passport agency, for qualifying urgent travel; no private service can issue one.

Passports are only ever issued by the State Department. An expediting service like ours gets your application to a passport agency fast, as fast as 3-4 Days, without you having to secure a government opening.

Can I get a passport in 24 or 48 hours?

Not through any private service; our fastest speed is 3-4 Days.

Be wary of anyone promising a 24-hour passport: passports are issued by the government, not by services. Call us at 800-860-8610 and we’ll tell you honestly what your date allows.

What is a life-or-death emergency passport?

A government route for travelers with a serious illness, injury or death in their immediate family abroad, who must travel within days.

It’s handled by the State Department directly, with proof of the emergency. If your situation is urgent but doesn’t fit that route, our fastest speed is 3-4 Days; call us at 800-860-8610 and we’ll help you choose.

No government opening? Our fastest speed needs none: 3-4 Days.Start my emergency passport →

Urgent travel situations

I fly in a few days. What should I do first?

Order with our Emergency Expedited speed right away, or call us at 800-860-8610, and have your travel itinerary ready.

The clock starts when we receive your application, so the sooner it’s on its way to us, the sooner your passport is back.

I lost my passport and fly tomorrow. What can I do?

Call us at 800-860-8610 first. A next-day flight is usually too soon for a replacement.

A lost passport needs a new application signed in person plus a lost-passport report, so most travelers move their flight and choose our Emergency Expedited speed, 3-4 Days. We’ll tell you honestly what’s possible for your date.

My passport has less than 6 months left. Can I still travel?

It depends on where you’re going. Many countries refuse entry with less than 6 months of validity left.

Airlines check before you board. If you’re under 6 months and traveling soon, renew now: with us, as fast as 3-4 Days.

My passport expired. Can I still fly?

Not internationally. You can’t travel abroad on an expired passport.

If it was issued in the last 15 years when you were 16 or older, you can still renew it with no in-person step, and with us it’s as fast as 3-4 Days.

My baby needs a passport for a trip next week. Is that possible?

Often, yes, if the certified birth certificate and both parents’ consent are ready.

You sign in person with your baby present, send it to us, and our Emergency Expedited speed returns the passport in 3-4 Days from when we receive it.

Can I just walk into a post office and get a passport?

No. A post office only witnesses your signature and forwards the application; it doesn’t issue passports.

Its standard route takes weeks. If you need yours fast, sign there and send the application to us instead: our courier takes it straight to a passport agency.

Every hour counts. Start online now, or call us at 800-860-8610.Start my emergency passport →

Which passports can be expedited in an emergency?

Which passports can you expedite in an emergency?

All of them: renewals, first passports, children’s passports, lost or stolen replacements, name changes and second passports.

The same speeds apply to every type, and you choose your passport type on the order form.

Can you expedite a renewal in an emergency?

Yes, and it’s the quickest to start: a renewal needs no in-person step.

You send us your passport, a new photo and the signed form we prepare, using our prepaid overnight label, and we courier it to a passport agency, as fast as 3-4 Days.

Can you expedite a first passport in an emergency?

Yes. Sign your DS-11 in person in about 15 minutes, then send it to us the same day.

After that it moves at the same speeds as a renewal. Have your certified birth certificate and photo ID ready before you sign.

Can you expedite a child’s passport in an emergency?

Yes, as long as both parents’ consent is in place.

Both parents attend with the child, or one parent sends a notarized Form DS-3053. Consent problems are the main reason urgent child applications stall, so we check yours before you sign.

Can you help if I’m not a U.S. citizen?

Our emergency passport service is for U.S. passports, so it’s for U.S. citizens.

If you need another country’s passport urgently, its embassy or consulate handles it. We can still help with your trip: we handle visas for travelers of any nationality.

Renewal, first, child or lost: choose your type on the order form, same speeds.Start my emergency passport →

Emergency passport documents

What do I need for an emergency passport?

It depends on your passport type, plus a copy of your travel itinerary.

A renewal needs your current passport, a new photo and the signed form. A first, child or lost-passport application needs proof of citizenship, photo ID, photocopies and a photo, signed in person first. We tell you exactly what to send as soon as you order.

Do I need proof of my travel date?

Yes. Include a copy of your trip itinerary or booking confirmation.

It shows the urgency of your travel. Send it with your application, and keep a copy on your phone.

What if a document isn’t ready, like my birth certificate?

Order a certified copy from the vital records office in your birth state right away; many offer expedited copies.

Call us at 800-860-8610 with your travel date so we can plan the fastest order of steps around it.

Do I need a new photo for an emergency passport?

Yes. One 2x2 inch color photo, taken in the last 6 months, on a plain white or off-white background.

A rejected photo costs days you don’t have, so we check yours before anything is submitted.

A missing document costs days. We check everything before it’s submitted.Get my documents checked →

How our emergency passport service works

How does your emergency passport service work?

Order online in about 10 minutes, send us your application the same day, and we do the rest.

We prepare your forms and check every document and photo, then courier your application straight to a passport agency at the speed you choose. Your passport comes back by tracked overnight delivery.

How does my passport get back to me?

By tracked overnight delivery to the address you choose.

Your original documents come back too, sometimes in a separate envelope.

Can I track my emergency passport?

Yes. We keep you updated at each step, with a tracking number for the final delivery.

Questions in between? Chat with us or call 800-860-8610.

Do I have to go anywhere in person?

Not for a renewal. First, child and lost-passport applications need one 15-minute signing.

That signing is at an acceptance facility, such as a post office. Then you send the application to us, and our courier takes it from there.

We prepare, check and courier your application straight to a passport agency.Start my emergency passport →

Emergency passport cost

How much is an emergency passport?

Two parts: our service fee (Emergency $449, Rush $349, Priority $249, Essential $199) and the government fee.

The government fee with expedited service is $216.87 for an adult passport or $186.87 for a child under 16, plus a $35 acceptance fee where an in-person signature is needed. Our service fee is the same for every passport type. You see every fee before you pay.

What’s the difference between your speeds?

Only how fast your passport comes back: Emergency 3-4 days, Rush 6 days, Priority 8 days, Essential 12 days.

Every speed includes the same form preparation, document checks, courier submission and tracked return. If your trip is a few weeks out, a slower speed saves money.

Is it worth paying for emergency speed?

If you fly within days, yes: a missed trip costs far more than the service.

If your trip is a week or more away, a slower speed may get your passport back in time for less. Add your travel date on our emergency page and we’ll point you to the speed that fits.

Our fee and the government fee are shown separately before you pay.See emergency prices →
Need your emergency passport fast?
We prepare your application, check every document before it’s submitted, and courier it to a passport agency, as fast as 3–4 days.
Start my emergency passport →
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PassportsAndVisas.com is a private company and is not a government agency. Government fees are set by the U.S. Department of State and are shown separately from our service fee.