Choose the Right Way to Get Your U.S. Passport
What you need and when you travel determine which passport route fits.
Choosing the wrong service or waiting too long can lead to delays.
Use the Passport Plan Finder below to compare timing, costs, and next steps, then choose the route that fits your deadline.
Build Your Passport Plan
Your best path
What you need to do
Destination and entry requirements
What you need
Fees and payment
Important things to know
U.S. Passport Service Guide in the Media
Compare Passport Processing Options
Your travel date usually determines which processing option makes sense. Compare timing, cost, and what you'll need to do for each route.
Routine Government Service
4–6 weeksplus mailing time
- Best for
- No urgent travel deadline
- Cost
- Lowest
- Your part
- Prepare and submit the application yourself
Application steps
Expedited Government Service
2–3 weeksplus mailing time
- Best for
- Travel is several weeks away
- Cost
- Government fees + expedite fee
- Your part
- Request expedited processing when you apply
Application steps
Regional Passport Agency
By appointmentfor qualifying urgent travel
- Best for
- Qualifying urgent international travel
- Cost
- Government fees + travel costs, if any
- Your part
- Get an appointment and go to the agency in person
Registered Passport Courier
Variesdepends on courier and agency availability
- Best for
- Urgent travel when going to an agency yourself is not practical
- Cost
- Government fees + courier fee
- Your part
- Prepare the documents; the courier reviews them and handles eligible submission logistics
Processing times are estimates. Only the U.S. Department of State can approve and issue a passport. A courier cannot guarantee approval or a specific issuance date.
Trusted U.S. Passport Help for Over 24 Years
U.S. Passport Service Guide is an independent, non-government resource. We explain direct government options first and identify private services separately when they may be useful.
Private Passport Help May Be Useful for This Deadline
Your Passport Path Finder result shows that your deadline may make an urgent passport agency appointment or private courier assistance relevant.
If you can get an appointment and travel to a regional passport agency yourself, applying directly through the U.S. Department of State will usually cost less. If that is not practical, a private courier may help with document review and eligible application logistics.
If you want to compare private help, our current recommended service is Rush My Passport. Check your eligibility and review the service before paying for courier assistance.
A private courier cannot issue a passport, guarantee approval or issuance by a specific date, or override Department of State requirements.
Passport Questions Before You Apply
Quick answers about official government routes, private couriers, and how this site works.
Is U.S. Passport Service Guide a government website?
No. U.S. Passport Service Guide is an independent, non-government resource. The U.S. Department of State issues U.S. passports. We explain the official application routes and, when relevant, private service options.
Can I apply directly through the U.S. government?
Yes. You never have to use a private passport courier. Depending on your application type, you may apply through an acceptance facility, renew by mail or online if eligible, or make an appointment at a regional passport agency for qualifying urgent travel. Government passport fees still apply, but the State Department does not charge a fee to fill out a passport form or make an appointment.
What is the difference between routine, expedited, and urgent passport service?
Routine service currently takes 4–6 weeks of government processing. Expedited service currently takes 2–3 weeks and adds a $60 government expedite fee. Mailing time is separate. Urgent travel generally requires an appointment at a passport agency when you are within 14 calendar days of international travel, or within 28 days if you also need a foreign visa.
When should I consider a private passport courier?
A courier may be worth considering when your trip is urgent and traveling to a regional passport agency yourself is not practical. Couriers charge additional fees and do not make the Department of State process a passport faster than applying at an agency yourself. For travelers with enough time, a direct government route is usually the simpler and less expensive choice.
Can a courier guarantee that my passport will be issued?
No. A courier can help review documents and handle eligible submission logistics, but the U.S. Department of State decides whether to issue the passport and when it is completed. A private company cannot waive passport requirements or guarantee approval or delivery by a specific date.
How does the Passport Path Finder decide what to recommend?
The Path Finder uses the answers you provide—including your application type, travel date, passport situation, and whether you have already applied—to identify the government route that fits first. Private help appears only when the timing and circumstances make it relevant.
Does U.S. Passport Service Guide charge me to use this information?
No. There is no charge to use our guides or Passport Path Finder. We may earn a commission if you choose to purchase through certain sponsored private-service links. Any courier or travel-document provider charges its own service fees separately.
Check Visa and Entry Requirements Before You Travel
A U.S. passport may not be the only document you need. Some destinations also require a visa, eVisa, ETA, arrival card, or other entry document. Check the requirements for your destination before you travel.
Want help applying? Get visa application help from iVisa →
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Still Not Sure Which Passport Option Fits Your Deadline?
Answer a few questions about your passport and travel date. We’ll show you the government route that fits first and any other options that may be relevant.