Anyone that has even had to get a passport knows that it can be a
bit trying even under the best of circumstances. When trying to a get a
24 hour passport, the difficulty meter goes up significantly.
However,
under the right circumstances, this difficult task can be accomplished,
for a fee of course.
Most people will not ever need to get a 24
hour passport, but unexpected situations may arise that cause for rush
processing. If an emergency situation happens for someone that has never
had a passport, they better get ready to do some running. It is best to
have everything together that is needed the moment that they walk into
the passport office.
In most cases, the State Department will only
offer 24 hour service to someone that is having a family emergency
overseas and it is necessary for them to travel right away. Things like
an immediate family member falling deathly ill, someone dying, an
accident or something of that nature. When this situation does arise,
they do have steps in place to try and accommodate people.
It is
also worthy to note that the local passport office is not the only place
to turn when this happens. There are also private agencies that can
help with these services as they are already tapped in for situations
just like this. Keep in mind that they will have significant fees over
and above what the government would charge, and they can be quite
expensive if rush service is needed.
Someone that is only getting a
passport renewal will probably have a much easier time with this
process. Since everything is already in place, they may actually be able
to do their application right over the Internet or online. However, if
they are in need of the 24 hour service, it is likely that they will
still need to go to either the local passport office or a private
agency.
The people that have to get a passport from scratch and
need it this fast are going to have their work cut out for them. The
problem in many cases is that they don't have all of the documents that
they need on hand. Without a drivers license, birth certificate or proof
of citizenship, they will not be able to get the passport.
Something
else to consider is that it is always best to make sure that an
appointment has been made or that the applicant is the first person in
line when the office opens. If they allow appointments, get one because
it will guarantee the place in line. It is never good to just hope to
show up and get right in. We all know how government waiting rooms can
be.
While trying to get a 24 hour passport
can be challenging, the task can be completed. Now having said that,
this is something that nobody should ever have to go through because of
the cost and time commitment, not to mentions stress. Play it safe and get a passport because anything can happen at any time and you just never know when an international trip is on the horizon.
