You can get a same-day passport by booking an in-person appointment at a regional U.S. passport agency, but only if you have qualifying urgent international travel or a life-or-death family emergency. The State Department reserves these appointments for travelers leaving the country within 14 calendar days, or within 28 days if the delay is for a foreign visa. Agencies can print and hand you the finished passport book during your visit, though some applicants are asked to return the next business day for pickup.
Who Qualifies for a Same-Day Appointment
Two situations open the door to an agency appointment, and you’ll need proof for either one.
Urgent International Travel
If you don’t have a valid passport and are traveling internationally within 14 calendar days, you qualify. If you already hold a valid passport but need a foreign visa stamped in it, the window stretches to 28 calendar days.1U.S. Department of State. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or Center Bring hard-copy proof: a printed flight itinerary, cruise reservation, or hotel confirmation showing a departure date inside that window. Without it, the agency won’t process your application.
Life-or-Death Emergencies
You also qualify if you need to travel abroad within two weeks because an immediate family member outside the United States has died, is dying and in hospice care, or has a life-threatening illness or injury. The State Department defines immediate family as a parent or legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, or grandparent. Aunts, uncles, and cousins do not count.2U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport if you Have a Life-or-Death Emergency Be ready to show a death certificate, a signed statement from a medical professional, or a funeral home notice. Foreign-language documents are fine; bring them and be prepared to explain.
How to Book the Appointment
If you have not yet submitted an application, use the State Department’s Online Passport Appointment System. You’ll enter your travel details to confirm you qualify, verify your identity through an email code and a text message, and then choose a time slot. The system holds your appointment for 15 minutes while you confirm; miss that and you start over.1U.S. Department of State. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or Center
If you already mailed in an application and your trip is now closing in faster than processing time allows, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778. Phone lines run Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern Time, and weekends from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.1U.S. Department of State. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or Center The agent gives you a confirmation number the agency will verify on arrival. Appointments cannot be transferred to another person.3U.S. Department of State. Contact U.S. Passports
Slots aren’t guaranteed. The State Department operates about two dozen agencies and centers across the country, and popular locations like New York, Los Angeles, and Miami fill quickly during peak travel season.1U.S. Department of State. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or Center
What to Bring to the Appointment
Show up without the right paperwork and you lose the slot. Everything must be a physical document, not a photo on your phone.
- Application form. First-time applicants, anyone whose previous passport was lost or stolen, and anyone who can’t renew by mail use Form DS-11. Adults eligible for renewal use Form DS-82. Use the State Department’s online Form Filler and print single-sided. Do not sign the form until a passport agent tells you to.4U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Renewal Application for Eligible Individuals5U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Adult Passport
- Proof of U.S. citizenship. An original or certified copy of your U.S. birth certificate, a Certificate of Naturalization, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad, or a previously issued undamaged U.S. passport. A birth certificate must carry the issuing authority’s seal or stamp and show both parents’ full names.5U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Adult Passport
- Photo ID. A valid driver’s license is the usual choice. If your ID was issued in a different state from where you’re applying, bring a second form of photo ID.5U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Adult Passport
- Photocopies. A single-sided copy of your citizenship evidence and a copy of the front and back of your photo ID, on standard 8.5-by-11-inch paper.5U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Adult Passport
- Passport photo. One photo taken within the last six months, 2 by 2 inches, with a white or off-white background. Remove eyeglasses before it’s taken. If you can’t remove them for medical reasons, include a signed doctor’s note.6U.S. Department of State. U.S. Passport Photos
- Proof of travel. A printed itinerary or booking confirmation showing your international departure date falls inside the qualifying window.
What It Costs
Fees below are current as of February 2026.7U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
- Passport book application fee: $130 for adults 16 and older, $100 for children under 16.
- Execution fee: $35, required for all first-time applicants and anyone using Form DS-11. You don’t pay this when renewing by mail with Form DS-82.
- Expedite fee: $60, mandatory for agency appointments.
- 1-to-3-day delivery: $22.05, if the agency mails your passport instead of handing it to you at pickup.
A first-time adult passport book processed at an agency totals $225 before delivery charges. A renewal-eligible adult pays $190. Fees are nonrefundable even if the passport isn’t issued.7U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Agencies accept credit cards, debit cards, and contactless payment such as Apple Pay, Google Pay, or Samsung Pay. No checks, money orders, or cash.9U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
What Happens at the Agency
Passport agencies feel more like federal courthouses than post offices. Expect a security screening at the door, with restrictions on weapons and large bags. Inside, you present your documents at a service window where an officer reviews everything, verifies your identity, and confirms your travel qualifies.
If your application is approved for same-day issuance, the agency typically asks you to leave and return later that afternoon to pick up the printed book. That wait gives staff time to run final background checks and produce the passport. How long the gap lasts depends on the location and the day’s volume.
Sometimes the passport won’t be ready until the next business day, especially if your appointment is late in the afternoon or the agency is busy. If you can’t return for pickup, the agency can mail it for the $22.05 fee. Build some flexibility into your schedule rather than assuming you’ll walk out the same day with the book in hand.
If your trip is more than two weeks out, an agency appointment isn’t the only fast option. Expedited processing by mail runs 2 to 3 weeks and costs the same $60 expedite fee, with optional 1-to-3-day delivery on top; routine mail service runs 4 to 6 weeks.8U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports Once you’re inside 14 days, mail can’t help, and the agency is the only realistic path.
Applying for a Child’s Passport at an Agency
Children under 16 cannot renew by mail. They always need a new application on Form DS-11, and the parental consent rules trip people up at the worst moment.
Both parents or guardians must appear in person with the child.10U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16 If one parent can’t attend, that parent must sign a notarized Statement of Consent on Form DS-3053 and provide a photocopy of the ID shown to the notary.11U.S. Department of State. Statement of Consent – U.S. Passport Issuance to a Child The consent form expires 90 days after the notary signs it.
If you have sole legal custody, you can apply alone by bringing a court order granting sole custody, a certified birth certificate listing only you as the parent, or a certified death certificate of the other parent.10U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16 If you cannot locate the other parent, file a Statement of Special Family Circumstances on Form DS-5525; you may also need to provide evidence such as a custody or restraining order.
A child’s passport book application at an agency totals $195: the $100 application fee, the $35 execution fee, and the $60 expedite fee.7U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees Notarizing the consent paperwork adds both cost and time, so start on it immediately if there’s any chance one parent won’t be at the appointment.
Why Courier Services Are Not Faster
Private “passport expeditor” companies advertise fast turnaround and charge hundreds of dollars on top of government fees. The State Department is blunt: these companies are not affiliated with the government, and using one will not get your passport faster than applying through official channels yourself.12U.S. Department of State. Courier and Expeditor Companies A courier submits your application for you. They don’t have special access or priority processing.
If your travel is inside the 14-day window, book the agency appointment directly. If it’s further out, pay the $60 expedite fee and use 1-to-3-day delivery. Either way, you’re using the same system the courier would use, without the markup.