Solving Last Second Travel Emergencies With Expedited Passport Renewal
When it comes to travel, there are plenty of things that can go wrong. The perfect trip can be ruined by a late flight, lost bag or a missed connection. However, while there is very little that can be done for those situations, making sure that the passport has been renewed is something that can be controlled. If it has somehow slipped through the cracks, expedited passport renewal can solve the problem.
We have all heard the set up before: someone has booked a trip and when it comes time to check their passport, they realize that it has expired and their whole trip is now in jeopardy. Believe it or not, there is no need to panic, even if the trip is right around the corner. There are ways to get a passport in just a few short weeks or even the blink of an eye if necessary.
This is an example of something that happens to people almost every day. Either they didn't realize that they needed a passport or they haven't used one in so long that they didn't realize that it had expired. Passports are only good for ten years, so if the old blue book has some dust on it, it may be time to check the expiration date.
The beauty of passport renewal is that there is no need to have to wait in line. The whole process can be handled through the mail with little to no worries. The DS-82 form can be picked up at most post offices or downloaded right off the Internet. It will have to be filled out and then put in an envelope with the old passport and a new one will be on its way in about two months (sooner if the expedited service is paid for).
Since the contents of this package are obviously very sensitive in nature, it is important to make sure that the packing is secure. The State Department has on their website that it is best to use Tyke packaging. The applicant can take it one step further and ship it via overnight mail and pay for the proof of delivery. It will add a little reassurance that the old passport and documents were received safely.
When a passport is needed quicker than the standard order (about two months), it is recommended that expedited service is used. For anyone that is jammed up for time, the $60 fee is more than worth it. In addition to the extra service fee, there will also be the costs of expedited shipping.
The current turnaround time for an expedited passport is about three weeks. This can fluctuate with travel schedules. If a popular overseas travel time is coming up, it is very likely that more people are using this service and the passport may not come back in the three week span. However, there are other services that can be utilized to get it back even quicker.
There are travel disasters that we can prevent and there are ones that there was simply no way to know that it would happen. Having an expired passport is our own fault, but expedited passport renewal can still allow us to save face and enjoy our vacation. It will cost a few more dollars, but the alternative of flushing the entire cost of the trip down the drain will surely make writing out a check for $60 a little easier to take.
- Article Word Count: 486
- |
- Total Views: 102
- |
- permalink