Waiting 7-10 weeks to renew your U.S. passport? Ain’t nobody got time for that…especially if you are nomading around the world. But what if I told you there is a third option?

Bookmark this article for when your passport comes up for renewal.

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• Flight Price Projections: A new American Express travel report predicts that flight prices will either remain flat or fall further in 2024.

Can’t Wait for U.S. Passport Approval/Renewal? Follow These 5 Steps.

Need to renew or apply for your U.S. passport, but don’t have time to wait? Well, you subscribed to the right newsletter! (Author’s note: I just went through this process myself during the summer.)

The U.S. State Department operates 26 regional passport offices around the country where you can renew/apply in person. Visitation is by appointment only (no walk-ins) and you are only eligible only specific circumstances:

• Life or death: A family member abroad has either died or is in critical medical condition.

•  Urgent travel: You have international travel booked within the next two weeks.

For the purposes of this guide, we’ll most focus on “urgent travel.”

Step 1: Make an appointment

You can schedule can appointment by calling the State Department’s travel center at 1-877-487-2778. You will be asked for your travel date and location preference for the passport center. At the end of the call, you will be provided with a confirmation code that you must bring on the day of your appointment.

Step 2: Fill out renewal form

Sign and date your passport application or renewal form. You can use the passport form wizard to identify and fill out the correct form for your situation.

Step 3: Take your passport photo

The State Department maintains strict requirements for passport photos, which must be printed on a 2” x 2” square. You can have your photo taken at a passport acceptance center (library, post office, etc.) or a pharmacy such as CVS or Walgreens. Expect to pay $15-$20 for printed photos.

Step 4: Obtain proof of your travel plans

To be eligible for fast renewal, you must have proof of international travel booked within the next two weeks. You will need to show a flight receipt with a confirmation number (or a hotel reservation/cruise ship tickets in the event of travel by car or ship).

You can obtain temporary proof by booking a refundable flight, or by using an onward ticket service to “rent” a ticket for a specified period of time.

@nomaddeals

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Step 5: Arrive at your appointment and pay

Don’t forget your confirmation number. Be sure to print all required documents for your appointment, including the form, photos, and travel proof. The fee will include the normal $130 for passport renewal, plus an additional $60 for the expedited service and $19.53 for 1-2 day delivery (total of $209.53).