Need Advice Expediting passport renewal

Traveling to Mexico in 3 weeks, just noticed the kids' passports expired. This Saturday and next Saturday are the only days all four of us could appear together in person. I see that we'd have to wait a week to be in the 14-day window to make an appointment at the US Passport Agency downtown, which seems risky. Ashburn P.O. can't see us till next Saturday, which will then be less than two weeks from our departure date. Any suggestions?

 

Try the post office in Cascades. I seem to recall that their hours for passports were better than the Ashburn location.

 

I am sure you tried their hotline and that's where you got the 14-day emergency limit?

http://travel.state.gov/passport/processing/processing_1740.html

If it's any comfort, two of my friends both noticed their kids' passport had expired the day before they were supposed to fly out of the country and used this hotline and the office in D.C to get it renewed the same day... worked great both times and the passport didn't leave your hands

HTH

 

USPS in Chantilly. They don't require an appt and without expediting, I had my passports (6 for my family) within 2.5 weeks.

 

No appointment necessary here, either.

 

I had this same situation about 4 months ago. going on a weekend without an appt is extremely painful and a huge waste of time. Maybe you will get lucky and maybe you won't but I tried twice and ended up leaving after about an 1 1/2 hours each time (I was waiting with 6 and 3 year old). It says you need both parents to apply but if you fill out a form then one parent can take the children during the week and get it done when it isn't crazy. In fact I had to update my passport as well and since I had a very sick uncle I had mine expedited and my children just the regular submissions and they were all back within a week of submitting them. The expedited one a day before the regular submissions.

Parent consent form....needs to be notarized ...had my husband fill it out and he had someone at work notarized it but any of the shipping places have notaryies........so much easier......and you can get appt during the week

http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds3053/ds3053_846.html

Just my thoughts

 

At work we use CIBT in DC, they will get your passport done very quickly - of course you will pay for it.... drop me a PM if you decide to use them

 

Did mine in the Leesburg PO., no appointment and no waiting. Had them both expedited and they were back in my hands within one week.

 

Thanks for all your advice! Since I had a one-afternoon window where both kids were home and both parents available, I ended up going to the one P.O. that stayed open late enough for us to get there, and that was...Merrifield! It's open till 4pm on Saturdays, no appointments. If you get there before 3 they say you should be able to get through before they close. We arrived about 1 and were out in an hour. They even take the photos onsite and have a copy machine for those copies you forgot to make.

 

Is this the post office by the Dulles Expo Center?

 

No, the one off Westfields Blvd in the shopping center that used to have Safeway and a Blue Water Grill (it's a Popeye's now). Head South on 28, head west on Westfield Blvd exit (after Willard Rd). After the light make a left into the shopping plaza. It's on the left hand side.

 

Thanks! I'm glad I saw your post the other day b/c we just realized yesterday that one of us has an expired passport and there may be a potential international trip in late August. Hopefully this will work! If not...........next time.

 

BTW, Steve up at Postal Masters near Safeway takes Passport photos.

 

I had Steve take my pics, too. Sent it Priority Mail on June 30 and just got it back today (non-expedited). You can track the status online - which I thought was pretty cool.

 

You could have got the passports renewed the same day if you showed flight ticket/itinerary details:

http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/agencies/agencies_913.html

If you go to Passport agency in DC, show you have a booked international flight ticket, they usually give the passport the same day or in few cases next day.