Life is so unexpected that foreign travel plans may present themselves with little advance notice. Individuals traveling abroad must have a passport or they will need to get one prior to travel. Often the traveler does not have the amount of advance notice that falls within the standard eight-week or expedited four-week processing time required by the government. In cases of family emergency, there is often no time to waste so alternative options to obtain a rush passport must be considered.

Many online passport service companies offer shorter processing times, ranging from ten days down to 24 hours. Though it will cost the passport applicant more to use such a service, it may be necessary in cases of dire need. These private companies work with the relevant government agency to expedite the processing of passport applications. They are able to mail the new passport to the applicant within the desired time.

In order to use such a service, the applicant will need to follow the instructions on the company’s Web site. The standard government DS-11 passport application may be downloaded directly from the company’s or the government agency’s Web site. These sites also contain instructions for completing the application and they provide answers to relevant frequently asked questions.

Proper identification will also need to be provided to the online service agent in order to receive a rush passport. This begins with a copy of the applicant’s birth certificate and it must be a copy from the city, county or state of birth. Certified copies that do not carry the seal from one of these entities will not be accepted.

The applicant must also provide a document that proves identity. A naturalization certificate, valid driver’s license, current government identification (city, state, or federal), or current military identification will meet this requirement. If the applicant does not possess one of these forms of identification, there are secondary forms that are acceptable. These include a combination of signature documents such as a Social Security Card, credit card, employee ID, or a library card. As many of these documents should be provided as possible. An identifying witness may also complete an affidavit swearing to the applicant’s identity.

This documentation and the passport application should be packaged with the passport photos and sent to the processing company via overnight mail, in the case of rush processing. Send the package via UPS or FedEx so that it can be tracked in order to verify its safe arrival. Tracking provides peace of mind when sending items of such a confidential nature as this.

When using a private processing company, the passport applicant will need to send two separate payments. The first amount will be payable directly to the government for passport processing. The second amount will be payable to the service company for their rush processing charges. The acceptable forms of payment are personal check, certified check, or money order.

The online passport service companies will rush passport processing so the traveler with emergency needs may receive a new passport within the needed amount of time. These companies have relationships with the passport agency so they are able to expedite the process without causing any unnecessary effort on the part of the passport applicant. They provide a great service for those in a tight travel situation.