Paying the $60 expedite fee on a U.S. passport application currently gets you a two-to-three-week expedited passport processing time, measured from the day your paperwork arrives at the processing center.1U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports If you’re leaving the country in less than 14 days, you can skip the mail entirely and book an in-person appointment at a passport agency for same-day or next-day service. Which path fits depends on how soon you travel and whether you’re renewing or applying for the first time.
The Three Service Speeds
The State Department runs three tiers, and only two are actually fast.
- Routine service takes four to six weeks. This is the default if you don’t pay the expedite fee.
- Expedited service takes two to three weeks and costs $60 extra. It’s available on any mailed application or one submitted at an acceptance facility.
- An urgent-travel appointment at a passport agency provides same-day or next-day processing. You qualify if you have confirmed international travel within 14 calendar days, or need a foreign visa within 28 days.
All timelines start when the processing center receives your application, not when you drop it in the mail. Priority Mail Express to the center takes a few days, and return shipping adds a few more. Paying $22.05 for 1-3 day return delivery shortens the back end but not the front.1U.S. Department of State. Processing Times for U.S. Passports
A separate track exists for life-or-death emergencies. If an immediate family member has died, is in hospice, or has a life-threatening illness or injury and you need to travel abroad within two weeks, a passport agency will see you by appointment, often the same day. You’ll need documentation of the emergency (a death certificate, a mortuary statement, or a doctor’s letter on hospital letterhead) plus proof of international travel within two weeks.2U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport if you Have a Life-or-Death Emergency
What Expediting Actually Costs
The $60 expedite fee sits on top of the regular fees, and the total depends on who’s applying. Fees below are current as of February 2026.3U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Adult First-Time Applicant (Age 16+)
- Passport book fee: $130
- Acceptance facility fee: $35 (paid to the facility in person)
- Expedite fee: $60
- Optional 1-3 day return delivery: $22.05
Total for an expedited first-time adult passport book: $225, or $247.05 with faster return shipping.
Adult Renewal by Mail (Age 16+)
- Passport book fee: $130
- Expedite fee: $60
- Optional 1-3 day return delivery: $22.05
Renewals skip the $35 acceptance fee because they go by mail. An expedited adult renewal costs $190, or $212.05 with faster return shipping.
Child Under 16
- Passport book fee: $100
- Acceptance facility fee: $35
- Expedite fee: $60
Children always apply in person on Form DS-11, and both parents or legal guardians must appear with the child.4U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s Passport Under 16 An expedited child passport book runs $195 before return shipping.
State Department fees must be paid by personal check, certified check, cashier’s check, traveler’s check, or money order made out to “U.S. Department of State.” Credit and debit cards are not accepted for State Department fees. The separate $35 acceptance facility fee is paid directly to the facility, and some accept cards for that portion.
Expediting a Renewal by Mail
You can renew by mail on Form DS-82 if your most recent passport was issued when you were at least 16 years old, was issued within the last 15 years, is undamaged, has never been reported lost or stolen, and can be submitted with your application.5U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail If your name has changed, include a certified copy of the marriage certificate or court order.
Fill out DS-82 through the State Department’s online Form Filler, print it single-sided, and sign in ink. Include your current passport, a passport photo taken within the last six months stapled to the application, any name-change document, and a check or money order for the application fee plus the $60 expedite, plus $22.05 if you want 1-3 day return delivery.5U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
Write “EXPEDITE” in large letters on the outside of the mailing envelope. Send it to:
National Passport Processing Center
Post Office Box 90955
Philadelphia, PA 19190-0955
Use Priority Mail Express or another trackable overnight service so you know when the center has it in hand.5U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
Expediting a First-Time or DS-11 Application
If you’re applying for the first time, your previous passport was issued before age 16, your last passport expired more than 15 years ago, or your passport was lost, stolen, or significantly damaged, you must use Form DS-11 and apply in person at an acceptance facility. Acceptance facilities include post offices, clerks of court, public libraries, and other local government offices; the State Department’s online search tool locates the nearest one.6U.S. Department of State. Where to Apply for a U.S. Passport
Bring proof of U.S. citizenship (typically a birth certificate or naturalization certificate), a valid government-issued photo ID plus a photocopy of its front and back, your passport photo, and your payment. Tell the acceptance agent you want expedited service and include the $60 fee in your State Department payment. The agent notes the expedite request on your application, collects the $35 acceptance fee separately, witnesses your oath and signature, and forwards the sealed package to a processing center.
When Your Trip Is Within Two Weeks
Mail-based expediting won’t help if you’re leaving in ten days. For travel within 14 calendar days (or a foreign visa need within 28 days), you need an appointment at one of roughly two dozen passport agencies and centers around the country, in cities such as New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Miami, Atlanta, and Seattle.7U.S. Department of State. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or Center These agencies serve walk-in-eligible customers by appointment only.
Appointments are booked through the State Department’s online system and fill quickly in peak travel season. You may have to travel to a different city if your nearest agency is booked. Bring your completed application, proof of citizenship, valid photo ID, passport photo, payment, and proof of international travel such as a flight itinerary or ticket. Showing up without a confirmed appointment gets you turned away.
One warning worth taking seriously: the State Department does not charge to book an appointment. Any website asking you to pay for one is a scam.8U.S. Department of State. Using a Passport Courier Company
Online Renewal Cannot Be Expedited
The State Department’s online renewal option only offers routine service, four to six weeks. There is no way to pay the expedite fee through the online system.9U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport Online If your trip is inside six weeks, mail your DS-82 with the expedite fee, or book an agency appointment if you’re inside 14 days.
Refund If the Expedited Timeline Slips
The $60 expedite fee is refundable if the passport agency takes longer than 15 business days to process your application. Business days count Monday through Friday and exclude federal holidays, and the clock starts when the processing center receives your application, not when you mailed it.10U.S. Department of State. Refund of Expedite Passport Fee Submit the refund request through the State Department’s online form. The underlying application fee and the acceptance facility fee are never refundable, even if a passport is not issued.3U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
Tracking Your Expedited Application
Check status at passportstatus.state.gov using your last name, date of birth, and the last four digits of your Social Security number. Status can take up to two weeks after you apply to first appear as “In Process.”11U.S. Department of State. Checking Your Passport Application Status Later stages are Approved (being printed), Passport Mailed (with a tracking number sent by email only, one time), and Additional Information Needed.
If the status shows Additional Information Needed, the State Department has mailed or emailed you a letter explaining what’s missing. You have 90 days from the date on that letter to respond, after which the application may be closed. Once you reply, the status changes to “Information Received, In Process Again,” but total processing time will run longer than a clean expedited application because the clock paused while your file was on hold.