How to connect & schedule PP Appointment at agency during COVID

[Timona 3,940]

Mods, pin this. @millefleur @TBoneTX

 

To future readers

There are 3 ways of obtaining PP.

1. Apply via PO or PP agents
2. Apply at your local ASC - American embassy at your country
3. Apply at one of the 26 regional PP Agencies in the US

 

I am only gonna touch on 2 & 3 as apparently, there is a sudden rush for international travel. 

 

For 2.

For this, you can leave the US anytime without US PP.  However, before you leave, go to your local embassy website and check if they require appointment to visit them. If they do, secure one and make sure your travel plans/ timeframe falls within your ASC's processing times. You can then leave US. Just make sure the ASC appointment falls within their processing times. I cannot stress this enough. I do not want someone to leave and say @Timona said I could leave anytime. All that being said, you will still have to provide your ACS with itinerary that shows you will be departing within 72 hours of obtaining the PP.

 

Example: I secured an ASC appointment. I come back on the 21st of September. I managed to get an appointment at my ASC for the 7th of September as my local ASC takes 2 week to process. 

 

For 3

Urgent Travel Service: Some agencies and centers are also offering extremely limited appointments for customers who have urgent international travel in the next 72 hours (3 business days) for reasons other than a life-or-death emergency. You may schedule an appointment if you are traveling within 2 weeks or need a foreign visa within 4 weeks; however, the appointment cannot occur more than 3 business days before your date of travel, or 10 days if you require a visa. Call 1-877-487-2778 or 1-888-874-7793 TDD/TTY from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET, Mondays through Fridays. Our appointment line for Urgent Travel Service is closed on weekends and federal holidays. 

 

To explain the red part with an example: Today is August 11th. So available appointments are from now till August 24th. So you can call today and get an appointment anywhere between now and August 24th. However the likelihood of you getting an appointment within the first 9 out the 13 days is unlikely as they might have been filled long ago. That is why I would suggest calling early and booking anywhere from 10 to 13 days out. Booked date has to be within 72 hours (3 business days) of travel. So if I call today and make an appointment for 24th, I need to be travelling by 27th. Weekends do not count as business hours/ days. 

 

Now that we have explained rule, how do we get appointment under 3?

 

Dial 877-487-2778  and quickly punch in 11224 then press 4 again if it starts talking, regardless of what option you are looking for. This is just to get you past the annoying automated system. If you get a hanging tone afterwards, that means you will not be connected. Hang up and try later. However, if after punching the 1122....you hear " This call will be monitored & recorded for blaa blaa blaa" bingo, you are going to be connected. Just wait. Average hold times is around 1 - 1.5 hours. DO NOT HANG up even if after 1 hour it tells you that you have another 1.5 hours to go. Surprisingly, it will later re-adjust and the next update will say you have 30 mins. Thereafter, the hold times will keep decreasing. 

 

DOS hold times are pretty accurate though. I give them props for that. It is not the normal bait and switch that we are used to when we call ATT.

 

I have found out the best time to connect is by calling around 7:30am CST or 2:15pm CST.

 

I got an appointment for this for Houston for next week. If I get PP, I will cancel my ASC appointment. It was easier to get ASC upto 2 weeks ago as getting US appointment was difficult due to bots which would snatch all online  appointments and sell for profit. DOS has now since changed that such that the only way to get an appointment at one of the local PPA is by calling. 

[Lola Lolo 34]

Hello everyone… I just wanted to share my experience in DPA, after my first post. I already had my passport and I am outside the country now…
What I did to get my appointment online was I waited in the middle of the night 12am exactly because in a short minute that time slot will disappear and that’s what happened to me. I missed the appointment on that day but I check back around 4:45am just checking if there is slot open and yes 9am open so I jump to bed and try to make an appointment again after I miss that 12 mn. Then I try to click next but it says sorry not available but I refresh for the second time it’s they same, not available, and the 3rd time booom I am successfully in but on step 4 so I fill out the info and then wait for the code to be sent in my email then click the next to step 5 and then I finally have had my confirmation number. Thank you lord. We all need to be patient  to deal with this appointment and make it quick also or else you miss it.. I hope guys this will help.. Good luck to everyone…
Oh before I forget they don’t allow applicant without confirmation number base on my experience that day on my appointment and my passport I pick up after 2 days the day before my flight because I still have time and I got my Naturalization Certificate too..The lady who assisted me was nice and friendly..

 

 

This is my first post..⬇️⬇️⬇️

 

How to get an appointment online in Dallas Passport Agency? I even called their numbers but no luck. What is the best time to make an appointment or call. Its very urgent to get my passport first time. My flight is 2 weeks from now. I hope anyone here can give me an answer.  Thanks.

[Timona 3,940]

@Lola Lolo just wanted to point out that online appointment method is long gone as of 3 weeks ago due to infiltration of bots. I am happy it is gone. In my first 3 weeks, I could not find an appointment in Houston using the online method because of bots. I ended up getting Houston appointments through the new calling system. 

 

Glad you got your PP sorted. 

Edited August 11, 2021 by Timona

[El Escocés 217]

4 hours ago, Timona said:

Glad you got your PP sorted

There’s nothing so wrong with my PP that a shot of antibiotics couldn’t cure 😜

[Lola Lolo 34]

On 8/11/2021 at 9:20 PM, Timona said:

@Lola Lolo just wanted to point out that online appointment method is long gone as of 3 weeks ago due to infiltration of bots. I am happy it is gone. In my first 3 weeks, I could not find an appointment in Houston using the online method because of bots. I ended up getting Houston appointments through the new calling system. 

 

Glad you got your PP sorted. 

Really no more online appointment ? So how can you apply now your PP.. I read somewhere they don’t accept third party as the queue was backlog. I hope to anyone in need their PP they will get it. Good luck to you.

[NEW CITIZEN 151]

2 hours ago, Lola Lolo said:

Really no more online appointment ? So how can you apply now your PP.. I read somewhere they don’t accept third party as the queue was backlog. I hope to anyone in need their PP they will get it. Good luck to you.

If you are not in an emergency, do it the old fashioned way, go to a Post Office, and apply.

[Timona 3,940]

4 hours ago, Lola Lolo said:

Really no more online appointment ? So how can you apply now your PP.. I read somewhere they don’t accept third party as the queue was backlog. I hope to anyone in need their PP they will get it. Good luck to you.

 

If emergency call the 877 number. If not, go the old fashioned way as already mentioned. 

[Lola Lolo 34]

On 8/15/2021 at 1:01 PM, NEW CITIZEN said:

If you are not in an emergency, do it the old fashioned way, go to a Post Office, and apply.

I already had mine. I’m talking about other people. At first I make an appointment to a USPS but I cancelled because I got another appointment online. And thanks god I just came back from overseas. 

On 8/15/2021 at 2:55 PM, Timona said:

 

If emergency call the 877 number. If not, go the old fashioned way as already mentioned. 

I already had my PP. I’m talking about other people. At first I make an appointment to a USPS but I cancelled because I got another appointment online. And thanks god I just came back from overseas. 

[EternalForeigner 57]

One person tried this today with the following edits and corrections:

 

Quote

 

1. 14 days before your trip, you need to schedule an appointment in a travel agency with the passport agency.
2. Appointments are not easy to get, but there is tricks.
3. Wake up at 7:45 eastern time
4. @7:55 am call the passport number 877-487-2778 (This have to be exactly 14 days before your plane ticket or less. If less, it will get harder to find an appointment)
5. Click 1 (For English), then 1 (New Passport), then 2 (To continue). That is 112
6. Listen for the options, and notice that it say click 4 3 to repeat this menu
7. Click 4 3 to repeat, and keep doing this while watching your watch
8. When your watch hits exactly 8 :00 am, then hit 2 1 (for travelling within 14 days option)
9. Now you will be waiting for an agent. If you are very lucky, you will be waiting few minutes or maybe as long as 15-20 minutes.
10. If you did not hit the 2 1 option exactly at 8 am, you may have to wait for more than an hour and half

Edited to add: When calling, be sure to have your complete travel info, including flight information and booking confirmation number because they will ask for it.

 

 

[Rose_3001 23]

On 9/27/2021 at 6:21 PM, EternalForeigner said:

One person tried this today with the following edits and corrections:

 

 

  

Updating this based on my experience today:

 

There is no longer an option to press 3 to repeat options. If you call and do not press a button, it will repeat the options ONCE only and then hang up.

 

The best best is to call at 7:59, as it takes about a minute to go through the options and repeat.

 

Despite the official guidance saying you could call 2 weeks before you travel - and my travel date being exactly 2 weeks from today - when I rang they said I had to call within 13 days and so ring back tomorrow.

 

Hope this helps someone else in the same situation.

[Jojje 0]

On 8/11/2021 at 1:13 PM, Timona said:

Mods, pin this. @millefleur @TBoneTX

 

To future readers

There are 3 ways of obtaining PP.

1. Apply via PO or PP agents
2. Apply at your local ASC - American embassy at your country
3. Apply at one of the 26 regional PP Agencies in the US

 

I am only gonna touch on 2 & 3 as apparently, there is a sudden rush for international travel. 

 

For 2.

For this, you can leave the US anytime without US PP.  However, before you leave, go to your local embassy website and check if they require appointment to visit them. If they do, secure one and make sure your travel plans/ timeframe falls within your ASC's processing times. You can then leave US. Just make sure the ASC appointment falls within their processing times. I cannot stress this enough. I do not want someone to leave and say @Timona said I could leave anytime. All that being said, you will still have to provide your ACS with itinerary that shows you will be departing within 72 hours of obtaining the PP.

 

Example: I secured an ASC appointment. I come back on the 21st of September. I managed to get an appointment at my ASC for the 7th of September as my local ASC takes 2 week to process. 

 

For 3

Urgent Travel Service: Some agencies and centers are also offering extremely limited appointments for customers who have urgent international travel in the next 72 hours (3 business days) for reasons other than a life-or-death emergency. You may schedule an appointment if you are traveling within 2 weeks or need a foreign visa within 4 weeks; however, the appointment cannot occur more than 3 business days before your date of travel, or 10 days if you require a visa. Call 1-877-487-2778 or 1-888-874-7793 TDD/TTY from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. ET, Mondays through Fridays. Our appointment line for Urgent Travel Service is closed on weekends and federal holidays. 

 

To explain the red part with an example: Today is August 11th. So available appointments are from now till August 24th. So you can call today and get an appointment anywhere between now and August 24th. However the likelihood of you getting an appointment within the first 9 out the 13 days is unlikely as they might have been filled long ago. That is why I would suggest calling early and booking anywhere from 10 to 13 days out. Booked date has to be within 72 hours (3 business days) of travel. So if I call today and make an appointment for 24th, I need to be travelling by 27th. Weekends do not count as business hours/ days. 

 

Now that we have explained rule, how do we get appointment under 3?

 

Dial 877-487-2778  and quickly punch in 11224 then press 4 again if it starts talking, regardless of what option you are looking for. This is just to get you past the annoying automated system. If you get a hanging tone afterwards, that means you will not be connected. Hang up and try later. However, if after punching the 1122....you hear " This call will be monitored & recorded for blaa blaa blaa" bingo, you are going to be connected. Just wait. Average hold times is around 1 - 1.5 hours. DO NOT HANG up even if after 1 hour it tells you that you have another 1.5 hours to go. Surprisingly, it will later re-adjust and the next update will say you have 30 mins. Thereafter, the hold times will keep decreasing. 

 

DOS hold times are pretty accurate though. I give them props for that. It is not the normal bait and switch that we are used to when we call ATT.

 

I have found out the best time to connect is by calling around 7:30am CST or 2:15pm CST.

 

I got an appointment for this for Houston for next week. If I get PP, I will cancel my ASC appointment. It was easier to get ASC upto 2 weeks ago as getting US appointment was difficult due to bots which would snatch all online  appointments and sell for profit. DOS has now since changed that such that the only way to get an appointment at one of the local PPA is by calling. 

Is it still correct that you can call them 14+3=17 days before your trip to book an appointment? I only see 14 days mentioned online and it says in the automated system on the phone that you have to travel within 14 days.

[PedroDaGr8 245]

Just want to say thanks for your guide!
 

My wife got her citizenship yesterday afternoon and we travel internationally at the end of this month. She will need a visa, so she falls under then 28 days criteria. She called yesterday evening after we got home and was able to schedule an appointment for tomorrow morning at the Seattle Passport Agency. 

 

For others in this scenario, while the phone tree states "travel within 14 days", if you qualify via the 28 day criteria, then this is the option you choose.

 

Also, I want to reiterate about staying on the line when it says that wait times are >60 min. When she called, it stated wait times were >60 min but then IMMEDIATELY after saying that connected us to an agent, we were quite surprised. She did have to specifically mention to the agent that she fell under the visa-related 28 day criteria, when she told him the travel date was >14 days away. Once she mentioned that, the agent immediately understood the situation and found her the aforementioned date. 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 11, 2022 by PedroDaGr8

[Amy and Michael 21]

I want to say Thank you for this information and just want to update for my experience currently (Feb 2022)

 

My husband successfully passed his interview in January and had his oath yesterday February 9th.  We've been hoping to travel to Wales, UK at the end of February and up until this week were just hoping to pay for an expedited passport through a Passport Acceptance Facility and cross our fingers that we got it in 2 weeks versus the previously quoted 3-5 for Expedited Passports.  Now, Expedited means 5-7 weeks (from what I can tell the timeframe changed recently - Late Jan/Early Feb).  So, we realized the chances of us getting in 2 were practically 0.

 

So, we have an appointment using the "Urgent Travel" request 

 

As stated above - you must have travel planned for the next 14 days.  If you call on a Thur - your travel must be for 13 days from that day - so practically 2 weeks ahead but no later than the Wed.  Example - when I called on his oath day Thur February 9th - travel must be no later than Wed Feb 22.  They will look for and schedule you for an Urgent Travel appointment at one of the 26 appointment facilities.

 

Big note - it does not seem nearly as hard to get through as it was above for Original Poster.  I called 4 times - once a day before the Oath (at approx 2:00 p.m.?) to test out the phone options, etc and I got through right away.  I asked about making an appointment and was given clear information about the two week time frame, etc.   I called twice yesterday (at approx 10:20, 10:25 a.m.)  and we ended up scheduling an appointment in Dallas as there were none in Chicago (and we can fly direct from our local airport to Dallas on American Airlines), and called back today (at exactly 7 a.m.) and got an appointment in Chicago on Wed Feb 22.

 

I do know that I had to press 1 for English, 1 for new passport, and 2 for Urgent Passport (and was not able to do a 112 right away to avoid listening to the menus).

 

Will let you know if he gets his passport the same day as his appointment.  I've read some people have to go back the next day and I'm really really hoping this isn't the case, but we will figure it out with travelling to Chicago to get it before our flight to LHR.

 

Thanks again @Timona for this great post and information.

[PM&MM 7]

Thank you for the instructions in this thread. I and my wife got naturalized on 5/10, and need to go to Canada for a day tomorrow (5/13). I used information in this thread to get a passport appointment on 5/11, and had brand new passports in hand a day after naturalization.

 

They don't print the passport card at the regional centers. That will come separately, later. I guess for this trip the booklet will have to do.

 

Thanks again to @Timona for the wonderful information in this thread. It really helped us.