Processing a passport through conventional methods can take up to six months. At the very minimum it will take six weeks. There is an extra fee charged that can speed the process up, but even then you are looking at three to four weeks. If you need to travel unexpectedly, then you may need a 24 hour US passport.

This is definitely not the standard processing time for a passport, but a 24 hour passport may be possible. You may want to consider carefully if you really need it in 24 hours. Keep in mind that it could cost you over$150 from a 24 hour passport through an expeditor service, however, when there is a genuine need this is truly inconsequential.

There are services that are in business of expediting a passport. These services can be located via the Internet and are a possible alternative to traditional methods of processing a passport. There are several different time frames that these services will offer. Some services will offer two days, or three to four days, and they may also offer up to two weeks.

What you need to ask yourself is how much are you willing to spend and how badly do you need it? Naturally the faster it is processed, the more it costs. For this reason, you should have a definite idea of how soon you need it and how much it is worth to you to get it quickly.

A 24 hour passport may not available to you at all. There are some conditions that will determine how fast you can get a passport. These services provide the ability to process renewal applications for passports. New passports require a process that includes an authorized signature. This authorization has to come from a passport processing agent.

If you are renewing a passport, the process you have to go through is much simpler. Renewed passports do not require an authorized application and can be sent into the passport processing office through the mail. In order for a passport to be processed through the mail, all the information must be accurate. The passport cannot be damaged if you want to renew it in the mail, if it is damaged it needs to be replaced.

Where you are located can also affect the processing speed of a passport. The closer you live to a major city, the better your chances of getting a rapid return on your passport. Major metropolitan areas have regional processing centers. While the headquarters for the passport processing office is in Philadelphia, there are regional offices in Dallas, San Francisco, New York, and other major cities.

Living near a regional processing center can help you get a 24 hour passport. There may also be a passport processing center in your city that is deals with passports for emergencies. These offices prefer an appointment, but understand that this is not always possible.

If you are not in the area of a processing center, you may still be able to get a 24 hour U.S. passport. The new passport expediting services that were mentioned earlier offer a 24 hour service.  There will be fees associated with this, but if it is a dire emergency it will be well worth it. In order to process a passport with one of these services you can overnight the application to them and they will have it processed in 24 hours. It is even possible to have your 24 hour passport delivered to you when you get to the airport.