Same day passport turn around time

[read2learn]

Has anyone recdently obtained a same day passport from the DC office. I have an 8 a.m.appt and need to book flight home after getting the passport but not sure if it will take all day or maybe 4 hrs. Thanks!!!

[bEwAbG]

Check out Reddit.  Lots of reports there from all over.

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/Passports/

[Ex-Airbalancer]

Which country ? 

[read2learn]

21 minutes ago, Ex-Airbalancer said:

Which country ? 

US

[new_cruiser]

Not the DC office, but I'll have experience with in person renewal at the San Francisco office soon. I have an appointment for tomorrow. A trip with came up just as I was about to renew my passport for a trip this fall so now I need to use the Urgent process for the first trip.

[read2learn]

17 hours ago, new_cruiser said:

Not the DC office, but I'll have experience with in person renewal at the San Francisco office soon. I have an appointment for tomorrow. A trip with came up just as I was about to renew my passport for a trip this fall so now I need to use the Urgent process for the first trip.

Please let me know how it went. I am also wondering if there are restrictions on what can be brought into the govt bldgs. I will be camped there for several hours (if alllowed). while I wait. The things we do to take a cruise!  🙂 

[new_cruiser]

Following the link on my appointment confirmation email for "Building Entry Requirements" and expanding the topic "arrive early for your appointment" includes:

"We suggest you arrive 15 minutes early to go through security screening. You must show valid government ID to enter the building. Weapons (including knives of any size and pepper spray), food, and drinks (except water in a sealable bottle) are not allowed. Anticipate a line at the building entrance."

 

That's a page for the San Francisco office, but it's probably similar for other offices. 

 

My appointment was for 11:30. I wanted to be on time and traffic makes the travel time to downtown San Francisco highly variable, I ended up arriving at the building a little after 9. It was 9:30 by the time I got through the security screening line and passport office entry line (where they check that you have am appointment before letting you in). The guard said come back at 10 (presumably to control occupancy of the office). He suggested going to the cafeteria in the building to wait.

 

When I came back at 10, there was no line outside the office. I checked in giving them my form, old passport and proof of travel. They gave me a number and I sat down until called. I was called, paid by credit card. They said that, because my home is more than 100 miles away, they will have my passport ready the same day. They gave me a paper to bring back at 3 PM to get my passport.

[new_cruiser]

I forgot to say above that I was out of the passport office shortly before 11:30. Most of that was the check-in line and waiting to be called. Time at the windows was pretty brief.

 

I treated myself to a belated Mother's Day sushi lunch nearby and then spent a couple of hours at the Asian Art Museum because it was just a couple of blocks away. 

 

When I returned at 3 PM, everyone there was doing passport pickup. The line was pretty long. Apparently, passport appointments are all in the morning (and maybe early afternoon). I asked whether appointment time determines pickup time and the said everyone is told to come back at either 2 or 3 PM. 

 

When you check-on for passport pickup, they give it to you if it's ready. If it's not ready, they give you a number and wait for it to be called. There were around 100 people waiting for their number to be called. Mine was called at shortly before 4 PM. Once you are called, it's pretty quick - you sign for it, go off to the side to check the info page and leave.

[new_cruiser]

If all the offices follow the same protocol, your same day passport probably will be ready some time between 2 and 5 PM regardless of  your appointment time. (I expect they close at 5 and plan to get all passports ready by then.)

 

They won't want you to camp in the passport office. They told people to leave and not return until the pickup time. The office was pretty full most of the time so they don't want extra bodies hanging around. If there is a cafeteria in the building, you might be able to hang out there.

 

Or you could plan on taking the Metro to one of the Smithsonian museums for a few hours to while away the time or, if you want to work, going to an internet cafe that will let you hang out with your laptop for the price of a coffee or two and maybe lunch.

[bonsai3s]

1 hour ago, new_cruiser said:

I forgot to say above that I was out of the passport office shortly before 11:30. Most of that was the check-in line and waiting to be called. Time at the windows was pretty brief.

 

I treated myself to a belated Mother's Day sushi lunch nearby and then spent a couple of hours at the Asian Art Museum because it was just a couple of blocks away. 

 

When I returned at 3 PM, everyone there was doing passport pickup. The line was pretty long. Apparently, passport appointments are all in the morning (and maybe early afternoon). I asked whether appointment time determines pickup time and the said everyone is told to come back at either 2 or 3 PM. 

 

When you check-on for passport pickup, they give it to you if it's ready. If it's not ready, they give you a number and wait for it to be called. There were around 100 people waiting for their number to be called. Mine was called at shortly before 4 PM. Once you are called, it's pretty quick - you sign for it, go off to the side to check the info page and leave.

Thank you for this information. I will be trying to do the same thing and renew my passport in San Francisco next month.

 

1. Did you call exactly 14 days of your pending international travel? Did you get an appointment on your first call?

 

2. What is the address in San Francisco? We are a bit confused...we go to a passport office...but inside the Dept. of State building.

 

3. Are there parking available nearby?

 

4. Lastly, sushi sounds good...where did you go? Thank you! 

 

*OP...sorry, not intending to hijack your thread.

 

 

[new_cruiser]

1. I first called what I considered 14 days before - e.g. calling on the May 1 for travel on May 15. It turns out that the Passport office interpretation of "must be scheduled within 14 calendar days " is that the day you call counts as one of the 14. So I had to call back the next day. They gave me an appointment for 2 days before my departure. Shortly after I hung up, I realized I had an unmovable obligation already on that day. So I rescheduled the flight and called again 13 days before the flight. They again gave me an appointment for 2 days before departure and cancelled the first appointment. Meanwhile, a relative discovered she mislaid her passport, also called and got an appointment for 2 days before departure. We never had any trouble reaching the call center or getting an appointment despite the difficulty I've read others having. Possibly it is more of an issue for those who discover a problem closer to the travel date or at other offices.

 

2 The address in the confirmation email: 450 Golden Gate Ave. I put that in Google Maps and it took me right there. Issuing passports is a function of the Department of State. The SF Passport Office is on part of the 3rd floor of the Phillip Burton Federal Building.

 

3. Yes there is parking nearby. I parked at a garage at 376 Larkin Street which is probably the closest garage to the office. There is also a parking under Civic Center Plaza. The garage where I was is $8 per hour but maxes out at $32. I think Civic Center Plaza might be a few bucks cheaper. I was ready to be out of the car by then and parked at this one because it was convenient. 

 

4. Ike's Japanese Kitchen, 800 Van Ness (about 3 blocks from the passport office). It's fairly upscale, I'm sure there are some nice more budget choices around, but this was really nice. I enjoyed my sushi there a lot. BTW, if you want some place to hang out between your appointment and passport pickup rather then going to a museum or shopping, the Public Library is on the block next to the Asian Art Museum. 

[bonsai3s]

1 hour ago, new_cruiser said:

1. I first called what I considered 14 days before - e.g. calling on the May 1 for travel on May 15. It turns out that the Passport office interpretation of "must be scheduled within 14 calendar days " is that the day you call counts as one of the 14. So I had to call back the next day. They gave me an appointment for 2 days before my departure. Shortly after I hung up, I realized I had an unmovable obligation already on that day. So I rescheduled the flight and called again 13 days before the flight. They again gave me an appointment for 2 days before departure and cancelled the first appointment. Meanwhile, a relative discovered she mislaid her passport, also called and got an appointment for 2 days before departure. We never had any trouble reaching the call center or getting an appointment despite the difficulty I've read others having. Possibly it is more of an issue for those who discover a problem closer to the travel date or at other offices.

 

2 The address in the confirmation email: 450 Golden Gate Ave. I put that in Google Maps and it took me right there. Issuing passports is a function of the Department of State. The SF Passport Office is on part of the 3rd floor of the Phillip Burton Federal Building.

 

3. Yes there is parking nearby. I parked at a garage at 376 Larkin Street which is probably the closest garage to the office. There is also a parking under Civic Center Plaza. The garage where I was is $8 per hour but maxes out at $32. I think Civic Center Plaza might be a few bucks cheaper. I was ready to be out of the car by then and parked at this one because it was convenient. 

 

4. Ike's Japanese Kitchen, 800 Van Ness (about 3 blocks from the passport office). It's fairly upscale, I'm sure there are some nice more budget choices around, but this was really nice. I enjoyed my sushi there a lot. BTW, if you want some place to hang out between your appointment and passport pickup rather then going to a museum or shopping, the Public Library is on the block next to the Asian Art Museum. 

Thank you!...you are the best.