There are ways to order an expedited child passport. This can be
done either through a regional government passport agency or through
special online passport companies. First it is important to know that
U.S. Passports are required for all children that intend to travel
internationally. An application must be completed for the child
including all of the required documents and passport photographs.
If
you are going to apply for an expedited passport through a government
agency, there are several places you can go. You can apply for a
passport at the post office, certain courthouses and of course the
passport agency. If you do not know the location of the nearest agency
in your area, you can perform a search on the U.S. Passport website.
They have listings of the over 70,000 agencies located throughout the
United States.
When applying for a new passport there are certain
documents you must provide on the child's behalf. The application will
provide you will all of the information and supporting documents that
must be included. If you have any additional questions, there is staff
that is available to assist you. But the process is pretty straight
forward as long as you follow all of the instruction. Failure to
properly complete the application will result in a delay in your
passport.
When applying for a passport through the normal routes,
it takes between a month and a month and a half to receive your new
passport. Government agencies do however provide expedited service for
an additional fee. This expedited service cannot guarantee your passport
by a specific time. Expedited service is typically three weeks shorter
than the normal service.
It is important to note that children
cannot renew their passport. Once it expires, they must apply for a new
one. A child's passport expires after five years. But it is possible to
apply for a child's passport online which is a much quicker and more
convenient option. And for urgent requests, there is the option to pay
for expedited service.
Many online companies offer services where
they can get you a passport very quickly. Some offer services that will
get you a new passport in less than 24 hours. There are extra fees
associated with these expedited services. And before you decide to go
with one of these companies it is important to check their credentials.
It
is important to make sure that the passport company is affiliated with
the Unites States Department of State. The company is also required to
be affiliated with the United States Passport Agency. If they are not,
do not do business with them. You do not want to send sensitive
information to companies that are not legitimate.
If you decide to
use an online passport issuing company, for faster service, you will
still need to send the same documents you would to a government agency.
Applicants must send the child's proof of citizenship, and identifying
information as well as standard passport photos. The application must be
fully completed and it will be reviewed by the issuing agency.
Many of these online expedited child passport
companies will provide additional assistance for travelers. Their
customer service may include experts that will go over the documents
with you to make sure everything was completed correctly. They may also
have staff that can answer other questions regarding other travel
documents needed to enter a particular country. There is a substantial
added cost to using these services, but when you are in a crunch and do
not have time to apply for a passport through normal routes, they can be a real life saver.
