New York Passport Renewal

New York residents can get a passport renewal by mail if they do not require expedited services within two weeks and meet the criteria established by the U.S. Department of State Consular Services. What are the requirements for getting a passport renewed?

First of all, you must be in possession of your most recently issued passport and it cannot be damaged. Travelers who have lost their passports or whose passports have been damaged cannot apply by mail. Also, the passport had to be issued no more than 15 years ago and you had to be age 16 or older when you received it.

Anyone who meets the criteria listed above can submit the passport renewal application form DS-82 along with their most recent passport, two passport photos and payment of fees to the address on the application by mail.

Unless you request expedited service, your application will take 4 to 6 weeks to process. Expediting a passport renewal by mail can get your travel document delivered to you in 2 to 3 weeks. Need to get it faster?

New York residents can obtain emergency passport renewals as quickly as the same day if they can submit proof of urgent travel plans. This can be accomplished in one of two ways. Either you set up an appointment and visit the New York Passport Agency or submit the application through a reliable expediting service provider.

Both routes have a cost. The DIY route will cost you quite a bit of time - calling to set up an appointment (usually it takes numerous attempts), traveling to the regional agency, parking (if you drive), waiting in line, food (it may take a while) and did I mention waiting. The agency is not open on weekends or late in the evening which might mean you have to miss a day of work so factor that in, too.

Expediters' fees run from about $65 for getting your passport in 10 business days to $299 for same day service. There are other options available. Only you can decide if it is worth it or not. Calculate your expenses for doing it yourself. Don't forget to determine a value for your time. It is worth something, right? Then compare with what an expediting service charges. This will give you a more accurate idea of which is the better deal.

If you opt for a professional expediting service, I recommend It's Easy Passport. They are located in New York and are the only service I know of that has had zero complaints registered with the Better Business Bureau.

For more information about emergency passport renewals, visit It's Easy Passport.

New York Passport Expediting

New York passport expediting services can be obtained a few different ways. You can request expedited service at an application acceptance facility when applying for a new passport or by mail when submitting an application for a renewal, name change, replacement or added visa pages.

There is an additional fee of $60 for expedited service that should be sent with your application and supporting document. You should inform the agent at the New York passport office where you apply to expedite the process when applying for a new passport. All requests by mail should be sent to a special address for expedited applications that can be found on the form. It is recommended that you write the word "expedite" on the envelope.

Expediting a passport application by this method takes 2-3 weeks. American citizens who need their travel document more quickly, can use one of the following methods.

The New York Passport Agency expedites same day passports for U.S. citizens who are required to travel within two weeks. Those who also need to obtain a travel visa can apply at the regional agency four weeks prior to their scheduled departure. Submitting a passport application at the New York agency requires you first set up an appointment by calling the toll-free appointment system at 1-877-487-2778. The agency is located at 376 Hudson Street in New York City.

It is important when applying at the New York passport agency that you arrive a few minutes early in order to pass through the security check. Also, you should verify that you have all the required forms and documents so that you do not have to re-schedule your appointment. Your appointment confirmation number or Social Security card is needed in order to be permitted entrance.

If you do not have the time to schedule an appointment, travel to the agency and wait in line, you can submit the application through a professional passport expediter. Expediters have daily access to the New York passport agency and can get your application processed as fast as the same day. A well-established expediting service in New York is It's Easy Passport.

International travelers who find themselves in need of express passport service can be certain that they can get their travel documents quickly by choosing any of the above New York passport expediting services.