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.

In addition to providing a completed passport application, the individual must provide documentation substantiating citizenship. A certified birth certificate, naturalization certificate, or certificates of citizenship are acceptable documents. The certified birth certificate is issued by the city, county, or state of birth, has a registrar’s seal and signature, and lists the date that the certificate was filed with the registrar’s office.

The applicant also needs to provide documents that substantiate identity. A valid driver’s license may be used. Alternatively, an applicant may provide a secondary form of identification. A city, state, or federal government or military ID card or a professional license may be provided to meet this requirement. The company and government Web sites contain a list of other acceptable documents.

The passport application, required documentation, and passport photos must be submitted in one package to the processing company. The package should be mailed via a service that permits package tracking. Tracking service will allow the applicant to make sure that the package arrived safely at its destination. The package should be sent via overnight delivery if the passport is desired within 24 to 48 hours.

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 American passport service companies will urgent 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.