American citizens that live in Florida have three options when it
comes to obtaining a new U.S. passport. They can apply at a local
passport application acceptance facility, a regional agency or a
professional expediting service. The location you choose will depend on a
few factors. Let's look closer at each option.
Florida Passport Offices
The first option, which takes the longest amount of time to process,
is to apply at a Florida passport application acceptance facility. These
facilities are most often located in local post offices but they can
sometimes be found in public libraries or county clerk's offices.
Residents of Florida will find at least one passport office in each
of the following counties: Alachua, Baker, Bay, Bradford, Brevard,
Broward, Calhoun, Charlotte, Citrus, Clay, Collier, Columbia, Dade, De
Soto, Dixie, Duval, Escambia, Flagler, Franklin, Gadsden, Gulf,
Hamilton, Hardee, Hendry, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Holmes,
Indian River, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lake, Lee, Leon, Levy,
Liberty, Madison, Manatee, Marion, Martin, Monroe, Nassau, Okaloosa,
Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pasco, Pinellas, Polk, Putnam,
Saint Johns, Saint Lucie, Santa Rosa, Sarasota, Seminole, Sumter,
Suwannee, Taylor, Volusia, Wakulla, Walton, Washington.
There are a few counties that do not have a passport application
acceptance facility. In this case, you need to look in neighboring
counties. Dade County has the largest number of passport offices with at
least forty-two. The state capital has three locations. Here is the
address of a couple of these.
Leon County Clerk of Circuit Court
313 S Calhoun Street Suite 101
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Tallahassee Main Post Office
2800 S Adams Street
Tallahassee, FL 32301
Routine processing takes four to six weeks. Expedited service will
get your application processed in two to three weeks. If you need to get
your passport faster, then you will have to choose an alternative
method.
Miami Passport Agency
Another location where Florida residents can apply for a new passport
is the Miami Passport Agency. This regional agency attends American
citizens who need to get their travel document in two weeks or less.
Regional agencies process same day passports. The address is given
below.
Omni Center
1501 Biscayne Boulevard
Suite 210
Miami, FL 3313
The first step to applying for expedited passport service at the
Miami agency is to set up an appointment. You do this by calling
1-877-487-2778. During peak travel seasons, the line can become
congested. It may take several attempts before you are able to schedule
your appointment.
The regional agency is open from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm, Monday through
Friday except for national holidays. They are not open on weekends.
You are encouraged to arrive a little early since you have to pass
through the security check. You will then be directed to the appropriate
room where you will take a number and wait to be called. When your
number is shown, you direct yourself to the appropriate desk and submit
the application form and supporting documents to the passport agent.
If all your documents are all accepted, you will be asked to return
later to receive your passport. This will very likely be the same day.
Problems with your documents can delay the process. To avoid this, it is
important that you verify all the requirements and follow them
carefully.
Professional Passport Expediting Services
Florida residents, who must get a passport quickly but cannot
personally visit the Miami agency, can still obtain a passport in a
hurry by applying through a professional expediter. Expediters are
registered with regional agencies for the purpose of submitting
applications for American citizens who cannot do it themselves.
While there are several expediting services that operate in Miami, it
is good to choose one that has offices in other locations as well. The
reason is that the regional passport agencies
limit the number of same day passports that each expediter can request
at each agency. Expediters that operate through several agencies can
submit a larger volume of same day passport applications.
Expediters have been around for decades and are a great resource when you are in a bind and run the risk of having to cancel your trip.
Author,
William
