24 hour passport agencies

[Sister Fracas 5]

I've been helping a co-worker get passport info for her boss because he may need to fly to Paris in mid-late October. He's got it in his head to go to one of these places that advertises for 24 hour passport service guaranteed. I've pulled all of the pertinent info off of the State Dept website regarding expedited service, etc...but he doesn't want to wait the 2 weeks they say it will take to get an expedited passport. My opinion is that these 24 hour places are dodgy, especially since they charge a hefty fee over the regular passport fee AND expedited passport fee. The thing is, I can't seem to find any substantial info on the State Dept web site that says that any agency charging more than their approved offices (post offices, etc), is a rip-off, bogus scheme...

So, ARE these places legit? Does anyone have any experience with one of these places? Does anyone know of anyplace I can find written proof that says any place other than a official approved facility shouldn't be dealt with? (you'd think that providing a list of these official offices would be enough, but you have to know my co-worker's boss... ...but you know... he knows better... )

[Kez/JWolf 6]

I dont know about the 24 hour places but we just got my husband a passport for our trip to scotland this month... we paid the expidited service fee because we did not have 6 weeks to wait... we had his passport 6 days later...

Kezzie

[Sister Fracas 5]

I don't know why he just won't go that route... even if it took the full two weeks, it would still be a couple of weeks before the trip... my thinking is why waste all this money and not have the assurance that it's even legit. I mean really...how can they get a passport delivered in 24 hours when they aren't even a goverment office... things that make you go hmmmm....

Edited September 11, 2006 by Frances

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

I don't know why he just won't go that route... even if it took the full two weeks, it would still be a couple of weeks before the trip... my thinking is why waste all this money and not have the assurance that it's even legit.

If he won't listen to reason, let him give this agency a shot and if it turns out to be legit, post their contact info on VJ. Someone has to be the guinea pig.

[zyggy 9]

They're legit...

A passport agency is esentally a courier service. They take all the information that you woul dneed for a passport, make the appointment with the Passport Agency, submit your application and evidence, and pick up your passport.

You can do all of this yourself if you want to... all they do is make the trip to the passport agency if you can't. So.. you have to make the choice.. is the price they charge for the essentially courier service worth the cost of you going to the passport agency yourself...

That's a question only you can answer.

Edited September 11, 2006 by zyggy

[w¡n9Nµ7 §£@¥€r 123]

So if I were to go to the passport agency myself, I can get it done in a day?

I did not know that.

The New York Passport Agency only serves customers who are traveling, or submitting their passports for foreign visas, within 14 days. To apply at the Agency, you must schedule an appointment by calling toll-free at 1-877-487-2778, 24 hours/day. If you are not traveling, or needing to submit your passport for foreign visas within 14 days, you must apply at a Passport Application Acceptance Facility

THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR AN APPOINTMENT AT A PASSPORT AGENCY. CUSTOMERS SHOULD NOT PAY ANYONE OR ANY BUSINESS MAKING SUCH A CHARGE.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/age...encies_912.html

Other agencies listed here- http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/age...encies_913.html

[desert_fox 32]

doubtful seeing how I had to send my old passport off the Pittsburgh PA for renewal and it was issued by some passport center in NH. Think the last one I had was issued in San Francisco, but there is some kind of new technology and only the center in NH was capable of this. This was a few years back....dont know if its still the same or not.

[zyggy 9]

Yes.. you can get a passport in a day if you will be leaving the US within 14 days. And it is possible. The passport agencies are able to produce the passports.. just not in the volume that the National Passport Center in NH can...

Edited September 11, 2006 by zyggy

[Sister Fracas 5]

They're legit...

A passport agency is esentally a courier service. They take all the information that you woul dneed for a passport, make the appointment with the Passport Agency, submit your application and evidence, and pick up your passport.

You can do all of this yourself if you want to... all they do is make the trip to the passport agency if you can't. So.. you have to make the choice.. is the price they charge for the essentially courier service worth the cost of you going to the passport agency yourself...

That's a question only you can answer.

hmmm, I did see the information for the passport agencies (not the approved acceptance offices...ie, post offices) and it stated they will "serve customers who are traveling within 2weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. An appointment is required". Since he's not traveling within two weeks and doesn't even have a flight booked... I don't know if he could even go to a passport agency, to save the extra fee. I notice though they DO say... THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR AN APPOINTMENT AT A PASSPORT AGENCY. CUSTOMERS SHOULD NOT PAY ANYONE OR ANY BUSINESS MAKING SUCH A CHARGE. The agency he wants to use is quoting $179 in addition to the $97 passport fee AND $60 expediting fee.

Edited September 11, 2006 by Frances

[zyggy 9]

They're legit...

A passport agency is esentally a courier service. They take all the information that you woul dneed for a passport, make the appointment with the Passport Agency, submit your application and evidence, and pick up your passport.

You can do all of this yourself if you want to... all they do is make the trip to the passport agency if you can't. So.. you have to make the choice.. is the price they charge for the essentially courier service worth the cost of you going to the passport agency yourself...

That's a question only you can answer.

hmmm, I did see the information for the passport agencies (not the approved acceptance offices...ie, post offices) and it stated they will "serve customers who are traveling within 2weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. An appointment is required". Since he's not traveling within two weeks and doesn't even have a flight booked... I don't know if he could even go to a passport agency, to save the extra fee. I notice though they DO say... THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR AN APPOINTMENT AT A PASSPORT AGENCY. CUSTOMERS SHOULD NOT PAY ANYONE OR ANY BUSINESS MAKING SUCH A CHARGE.

IF he is not travelling within two weeks, you can apply for a passport at a regular acceptance facility and pay the additional fee for expidited handling and courier service. If you do this, you should get a passport back in a week or so.

While they do not charge for an appointment.. there is a fee for the courier service.. a human being actually has to take the passport there, wait for the clerk, give them the info, and then wait a few hours to come back and pick up the passport... as the say time is money and a hefty price at that...

[Sister Fracas 5]

They're legit...

A passport agency is esentally a courier service. They take all the information that you woul dneed for a passport, make the appointment with the Passport Agency, submit your application and evidence, and pick up your passport.

You can do all of this yourself if you want to... all they do is make the trip to the passport agency if you can't. So.. you have to make the choice.. is the price they charge for the essentially courier service worth the cost of you going to the passport agency yourself...

That's a question only you can answer.

hmmm, I did see the information for the passport agencies (not the approved acceptance offices...ie, post offices) and it stated they will "serve customers who are traveling within 2weeks (14 days), or who need foreign visas for travel. An appointment is required". Since he's not traveling within two weeks and doesn't even have a flight booked... I don't know if he could even go to a passport agency, to save the extra fee. I notice though they DO say... THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR AN APPOINTMENT AT A PASSPORT AGENCY. CUSTOMERS SHOULD NOT PAY ANYONE OR ANY BUSINESS MAKING SUCH A CHARGE.

IF he is not travelling within two weeks, you can apply for a passport at a regular acceptance facility and pay the additional fee for expidited handling and courier service. If you do this, you should get a passport back in a week or so.

While they do not charge for an appointment.. there is a fee for the courier service.. a human being actually has to take the passport there, wait for the clerk, give them the info, and then wait a few hours to come back and pick up the passport... as the say time is money and a hefty price at that...

That's the thing.... he just doesn't want to wait... for some reason he thinks he needs it within 24 hours... aaack.

The killer is, this 24 hour place is less than a block away from the Passport Agency....

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I'm pretty sure some 24 hour places are legit. Which ones though.

[William33 110]

I don't know why he just won't go that route... even if it took the full two weeks, it would still be a couple of weeks before the trip... my thinking is why waste all this money and not have the assurance that it's even legit.

If he won't listen to reason, let him give this agency a shot and if it turns out to be legit, post their contact info on VJ. Someone has to be the guinea pig.

Edited September 11, 2006 by William33

[chri'stina 190]

So if I were to go to the passport agency myself, I can get it done in a day?

I did not know that.

The New York Passport Agency only serves customers who are traveling, or submitting their passports for foreign visas, within 14 days. To apply at the Agency, you must schedule an appointment by calling toll-free at 1-877-487-2778, 24 hours/day. If you are not traveling, or needing to submit your passport for foreign visas within 14 days, you must apply at a Passport Application Acceptance Facility

THERE IS NO CHARGE FOR AN APPOINTMENT AT A PASSPORT AGENCY. CUSTOMERS SHOULD NOT PAY ANYONE OR ANY BUSINESS MAKING SUCH A CHARGE.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/age...encies_912.html

Other agencies listed here- http://travel.state.gov/passport/about/age...encies_913.html

My parents went to Bogota, Colombia(for a church trip to an orphanage) in the early 90's, and my mom was going at the last minute and didn't have a passport. They drove to Miami and got it in one day. If you can get to one of the passport agencies, you can get it the same day. The hassle is if you don't live close to one. (Miami is a 6 hour drive from here, but it was worth it so she could go on the trip) I don't know if there were 24 hour options back then through independant co's, maybe.

Yes.. you can get a passport in a day if you will be leaving the US within 14 days. And it is possible. The passport agencies are able to produce the passports.. just not in the volume that the National Passport Center in NH can...