Passports

[David Nelson1]

I need to renew my passport and noticed that it can be done online. None of the sites look official so I suppose @ best it like a DMV express contractor.

Anyone used one of these services?

[Larry Browning]

I would be pretty Leary of such sites. I would call your local US post office and ask them the proper procedure for renewing a passport.

[Scott Shepherd]

I needed one of those in a hurry and went to the post office and they couldn't do it. I used one of those services and it got done in about 48 hours. I thought they were all a scam too, but in doing some quick online research, there are those that do a great job of it. They actually hand carry stuff to the right people in DC if I understood them correctly.

[Larry Frank]

I would suggest that you do it online with the online website. You can search for "renew passport" and get the website which is travel.state.gov. If you follow the instructions, it works out pretty easy. My wife just did it with no problems.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

I needed a renewal in less than a week this past summer and used VisaHQ. Cost extra for quick service but the government passport office couldn't guarantee it within when I needed it. They're not a scam, they are services licensed by the state department. With there license they have a number of open slots with a passport examiner in each city in which they operate. They make sure your application will pass muster and then schedule priorities with their appointments so they get it to you within the time you pay for. I don't think the state department wanted to deal with senators calling up to get a rush job for a constituent. Most of them expedite visas with other countries also. Unfortunately if you haven't renewed a passport lately, the procedures get longer every year. In my case I would have had to schedule an interview with a passport examiner in El Paso, a 4 or 5 hour drive each way. Paying for the service was relatively painless in comparison!

[Curt Harms]

If it's not urgent, some - not all - post offices offer that service. There are Dept. of State offices where you can walk in with 2 photos and walk out with a new passport but they're only in major cities.

http://travel.state.gov/passport/npic/agencies/agencies_913.html

David, I don't know where you are in S. Maryland but here's an example of a post office that offers passport services:

https://tools.usps.com/go/POLocatorDetailsAction!input.action?address=lexing ton%20park%2C%20md&locationID=1380403&locationName=SAINT%20MARYS%20CITY&locationType=po&radius=20&address2=&address1=16855%20POINT%20LOOKOUT%20RD&city=SAINT%20MARYS%20CITY&state=MD&zip5=20686&zip4=9998&latitude=38.18696013400046&longitude=-76.43233091299965&distance=2.4&phone=301-862-2665&fax=301-862-9406&tollFree=800-ASK-USPS%26reg%3B%26nbsp%3B%28800-275-8777%29&extendedSearchPerformed=false&entireRadiusListSearched=false&errorMsg=&parking=STREET

[Larry Whitlow]

Last renewal we went to one of the local post offices that has passport services. I don't recall exactly, but it seems it took a month or longer for the new passports to come back by mail. There are services similar to the ones you mention that also handle visas, if you are going to a country that requires one.

[David Nelson1]

Thanks for all the replies folks. Seems my passport has been expired longer than allowed ( 15 years since issued ) so I need to redo everything. So its off to the post office this afternoon.

[Dan Hintz]

The "local" post office is about 10 miles from me. Got my first passport from them and it arrived in just under 2 weeks.

[Larry Whitlow]

Even though our current passports don't expire for another 3 years, wife and I will run out of visa pages by the end of June. Kind of a bummer that we will have to pay $80 each to add some extra pages. Next time we renew, we will make sure to check the box for the passport that has more pages.