Life is what happens when one is making other plans and sometimes these plans require an unexpected trip abroad. Those who travel often generally have a valid up-to-date passport and for them, this is not a problem. However, for others without a passport, it may not feasible to wait the common processing time of four to six weeks. Here are the steps that are involved in receiving an expedited passport as a U.S. citizen.

First it is helpful to realize that the Department of State processes this paperwork each and every day and it is necessary to take one’s place in line so to speak. In the fiscal year 2009, nearly 13.5 million passports were completed. What is considered fast in government documentation is not necessarily the same as the overnight delivery options that are available when it comes to online shopping. Currently a rush document from the Department of State takes two to three weeks to receive.

The two to three week period is considered door-to-door, meaning that it accounts for time in the mail in each direction. There are some ways to short-cut this a bit, such as taking the document directly to a designated passport center, generally the local post office. In some cases, persons apply for a passport in the traditional manner but then request expedition due to a change in travel plans. In this case, it will take about five to seven days to track online the document’s process after asking for a rush on it.

The whole system is powered by fees, fees and more fees. A regular passport will cost $75 and $25 added for the standard processing. If a passport card is added, tack on another $20 to the order. The government offers a small break in the pricing for minors, but all processing fees remain the same. Renewals services are slightly less expensive.

When rush services are requested, there is yet another fee of $60 added to the kitty. Because these documents are mailed out, it is generally recommended that overnight mail be used. This is suggested because of the guaranteed delivery date and ability to track the package. This is piece of mind for a very small investment.

Overnight delivery is not part of the fee structure and will cost another $15 or so. We know, the fees really start to add up, but the overnight shipping is a must for security reasons. Allowing this kind of documentation to travel through regular mail is insane. It is just too important and too sensitive to risk losing.

The form to fill out for expedited service is the DS-82. Yes, the government has a form for everything, so be prepared to write. If this is not the first passport being applied for and expedited services are requested, write the word “expedite” boldly and in plain sight on the outside of the envelope. This will ensure that it gets to the right department upon delivery.

The process for receiving an expedited passport is little different than the regular requirements. The key is to use overnight delivery services and to make certain if one opts for regular mail, for goodness sake, use a certified or registered process. This is the only way that it will be possible to track the American passport in the event of a snafu. One final tip is to be certain to use good packaging materials like a Tyvek mailing envelope to protect critical identification documents.