us passport
 

US Passport Agencies and Passport Centers
 

The Department of State, the US Government Office in charge of issuing US passports, has created two entities to serve the general public concerning passport issuance and passport related matters. There are thirteen (13) Passport Agencies and two (2) Passport Processing Centers.

Our research and experience has shown that the system is “useful” if your application is in perfect order and you are not in a hurry at all to receive your passport. Your application will be processed much like your tax refund, in other words when they get around to it! Keep in mind over 7 million passports were issued last year. Just over 20,000 a day including weekends! If you want your passport issued professionally and don’t mind paying a little for piece of mind we highly suggest you check our Passport Expeditor Reviews to find a company that suits your needs!

 
 

What’s the difference between a Passport Agency and a Passport Processing Center?
 
Passport Agencies are found in only 13 U.S. cities. If you need your passport urgently, generally in less than 2 weeks or you need a visa for your travel destination, you may contact one of the Passport Agencies. Most Passport Agencies accept applications only by appointment.

Passport Processing Centers are found in Charleston, South Carolina and in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. These centers are not open to the public. The centers were created to keep up with the demand for passport issuance. They are essentially passport factories. There were over 7 million passports issued last year alone. That’s about 20,000 per day including weekends! For those who apply by US mail this is where your passport application ends up. You cannot contact these centers directly. Instead you are asked to call 1-877-4USA-PPT (1-877-487-2778) leave your message and a representative from the call center will get back to you. You may also email them at npic@state.gov to check on the status of your application.

 
 

How do I make an appointment with a Passport Agency? What can I expect when doing so?
 
You must call in advance to make an appointment through the agency’s automated system. Making an appointment takes about 10 to 15 minutes. You are asked a series of questions, give your answer and then are asked to confirm your response to each question. The biggest problem with this system is that if you are traveling imminently there is a good chance you will not be able to get an appointment before your departure date. Yet another problem is the fact that there are only 13 agencies to serve the entire United States! If you do not live “near” an agency you are forced to mail your application to a Passport Processing Center.