What happens if passport doesnt arrive

One writer is still waiting six weeks later. Her three day mailing took 2 full weeks to get there. The good news? The wait can vary wildly as offices in different regions have people out sick or receive lots of applications at once. Our takeaway? If you think you may travel in the next few months, apply now. Having passport numbers in hand will make every step of planning easier. Pack easier with our Ultimate Packing list. Take a deep breath, then check online to see where your application is in the process.

If you expedited your passport application and mailed it through your local post office, then check the Online Passport Status System or call 1 or 1 Note: It takes 7 to 10 business days for your passport application to be trackable. If you used a third-party service to expedite your passport, contact that company for assistance first.

Find out more details. In October , I renewed my passport. First, I filled out the DS U. Passport Renewal Application form online and printed it out. Then I got new photos and sent it all in with my old passport.

Of course, that was before Covid Times for expedited passports now can run weeks. When my husband replaced a stolen passport five years ago, he got a replacement the same day. First he collected the required information. Then he secured an appointment at a passport agency in the neighboring state. This chart will help you determine your own situation and address it properly. Read more about each situation below the chart. These passports are issued only if your immediate family member has a serious illness, injury or died and you are required travel internationally within 72 hours.

One of our TravelingMom writers had to get an emergency passport for her newborn baby after a family member fell ill in Europe. As of Processing Time October 29, 35 days September 28, 20 days March 19, Suspended December 1, 8 days November 1, 5 days December 1, 8 days October 26, 5 days January 1, 8 days November 1, 5 days February 26, 8 days June 26, 5 days.

You are about to leave travel. Department of State. Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel.

Cancel GO. Skip to main content. Gov Travel. Passports International Travel U. Stay Connected. Law Enforcement. Passport Fast. How to Get my U. Y Z All. Passport Agencies Life-or-Death Emergencies. Refund of Expedite Passport Fee. Service Commitment Our expedited service commitment is to process your passport application within 35 business days Mondays-Fridays, excludes federal holidays from the date we receive your application at a passport agency or center or from the date you request an upgrade from routine to expedited service.

There they will find information about passport requirements, where to apply, how to download an application, and more. You should also add a link to travel. See our Travel Agents Homepage for more information. Your photo must have been taken within 6 months of submitting your application and reflect your current appearance. You must directly face the camera.

Profile shots will not be accepted. Your expression should be neutral with both eyes open and directly facing the camera. Photos with exaggerated expressions and squinting will not be accepted. If you cannot remove your glasses for medical reasons, you'll need to obtain and submit a signed statement from your doctor with your passport application. You may wear a hat or head covering, but you must submit a signed statement that verifies that the hat or head covering is part of recognized, traditional religious attire that is customarily or required to be worn continuously in public or a signed doctor's statement verifying the item is used daily for medical purposes.

Your full face must be visible and your hat or head covering cannot obscure your hairline or cast shadows on your face. No, the child must be the only person in the photo. Nothing used to support the child should be in the camera's frame, including the arms or hands of a parent holding the child. Uniforms, clothing that looks like a uniform, and camouflage attire cannot be worn in the photo except in the case of religious attire that is worn daily. It is acceptable if an infant's eyes, particularly a newborn's, are not, or are not entirely, open.

All other children must have their eyes open and looking straight ahead towards the camera. When taking a photo of your baby or toddler, no other person should be in the photo, and your child should be looking at the camera with his or her eyes open. Lay your baby on his or her back on a plain white or off-white sheet. This will ensure your baby's head is supported and provide a plain background for the photo.

Make certain there are no shadows on your baby's face, especially if you take a picture from above with the baby lying down. Cover a car seat with a plain white or off-white sheet and take a picture of your child in the car seat.

Yes, you can use a digital camera. However, most webcams and mobile phones cannot provide images of sufficient quality. No, you can not digitally alter a photo to remove red eye. You will have to submit a new photo without red eye. Copied or digitally scanned photos of official documents will not be accepted. In addition, photos must not be digitally enhanced or altered to change your appearance in any way. Snapshots, magazine photos, low-resolution vending machine photos, mobile device photos, or full-length photographs are not acceptable.

New photos are only required if your appearance has significantly changed from what is in your photo. Growing a beard or coloring your hair would not constitute a significant change. If you can still be identified from the photo in your current passport, you do not need to apply for a new passport.

You may have to apply for a new passport if you have:. If the appearance of your child under the age of 16 has changed due to the normal aging process, you do not need to apply for a new passport for him or her. Yes, you can wear jewelry and piercings and show your tattoos. Jewelry and piercings should not block large portions of your face. Permanent tattoos are fine for your photo as well and don't need to be covered. Learn more about this change to make it easier for you to make an appointment.

Subscribe to get up-to-date safety and security information and help us reach you in an emergency abroad. You are about to leave travel. Department of State. Links to external websites are provided as a convenience and should not be construed as an endorsement by the U. Department of State of the views or products contained therein. If you wish to remain on travel. Cancel GO. Skip to main content. Gov Travel. Passports International Travel U.

Stay Connected. Law Enforcement. Y Z All. We have 8 categories of FAQs below for your use. What is the current status of passport operations? Our processing times begin the day we receive your application at a passport agency or center , not the day you mail your application or apply for a passport at a local acceptance facility. We are no longer using door-to-door timeframes to describe routine and expedited service. Mail times vary across the country. Plan ahead and apply early.

These services provide the fastest turnaround and protect your important documents Use Self-Service Tools Online : Get your questions answered immediately by using one of the self-service tools available on our site. What services are available online? What should I expect when applying at an acceptance facility?

What should I expect when applying by mail? There is no need to be physically present at an acceptance facility, passport agency, or passport center for any of the following services: Renew your U. What should I expect if I need to apply at a passport agency or center? Why did you temporarily disable the online appointment system? Why are you making this change? Calling us will improve your ability to make an appointment in the following ways : Our call center representatives will provide you unique confirmation information that our staff will verify on the day of your appointment.

If you are not the true appointment holder, you will be turned away on the day of your appointment. The unique confirmation information will allow us to verify your appointment is legitimate, and ensure you are not being scammed. The new process will ensure third-party services cannot book appointments. If you need to cancel or change your appointment, please call us.

Your appointment will be assigned to a new customer calling to make an appointment. While you will need to wait to speak with a customer service representative to book an appointment, we have added staff to handle the increased call volume, and updated our phone menus to help streamline the experience and reduce wait times. How do I cancel my appointment? We appreciate your patience as we ensure appointments go to the applicants who truly need them.

Are you making progress on pending U. I have a pending application. Can I upgrade it for expedited service? Are passport agencies and centers still reopening? When will you return to your normal service times? Can I request a refund? Is it safe to travel internationally? What about customers overseas who need a passport?

General Questions. How do I get the status of my application? I need my passport sooner than I thought. What can I do? I got a letter in the mail or an email about my application.

What should I do? I have a life or death emergency in a foreign country and need a passport. My passport has already been issued and mailed to me, but I have not received it.

What do I do? How will you send my passport and supporting documents? I'm renewing my passport. Do I get the old one back? Will I get a new passport number? My address has changed. Do I need to update my passport? My passport has been damaged. Can I continue to use this passport? I am traveling very soon. How do I get a passport quickly? How long does it take to get a passport?

How much does a U. How do I make an appointment at a passport agency or center? Is there a fee to make an appointment at a Passport Agency or Center?

Where are the instructions for filling out the passport forms? How long is a passport valid and is it true that it needs to have at least 6 months of validity remaining? Who should have a valid U. Those with family living or traveling abroad Those thinking about a vacation abroad, or Those with a job that could require international travel. How many blank visa pages do I need to travel?

I live in Canada. Are there special procedures for applying for and renewing my U. I am recently married or divorced. How do I change my name on my passport? Why is there an execution fee for the passport and passport card? How do I order applications in bulk? Bulk quantities of passport forms are now available from the U. Government Publishing Office. Form DS : Application for a U.

Passport for all first-time applicants, children under 16, and applicants not eligible to use the DS form Stock Number: Form DS : U.

I found someone's lost passport. What should I do with it? My gender marker has changed since my last passport. Can I pay online? Should I turn it in to be canceled? Please submit the valid passport, a certified copy of the death certificate, and a letter requesting the cancelation and return or destruction of the passport to: U.

Can I get a second passport book? Can I get extra visa pages for my passport? Can I use a passport to fly domestically? Can I list Jerusalem as my place of birth? What is International Megan's Law and how does it affect U. I am preparing for official travel. How do I get a special issuance passport? Can I return to the United States on an expired passport? You qualify for this exception if all the following are true: You are a U. You are currently abroad seeking direct return to the United States.

Your expired passport was originally valid for 10 years. Or, if you were 15 years of age or younger when the passport was issued, your expired passport was valid for 5 years. Your expired passport is undamaged. Your expired passport is unaltered. Your expired passport is in your possession. You do not qualify for this exception if: You wish to depart from the United States to an international destination.

You are currently abroad seeking to travel to a foreign country for any length of stay longer than an airport connection en route to the United States or to a United States territory. Your expired passport was limited in validity. Your expired passport is a special issuance passport such as a diplomatic, official, service, or no-fee regular passport. Your expired passport is damaged.

Your expired passport is altered. Your expired passport is not in your possession. What is an electronic passport? The chip securely stores: The same information visually displayed on the photo page of the passport; A biometric identifier in the form of a digital image of the passport photograph, which facilitates the use of facial recognition technology at ports-of-entry; The unique chip identification number; A digital signature to protect the stored data from alteration.

What is the difference between the Next Generation Passport and the ePassport? Children Under What do I do if my child is too young to sign his or her passport book?