It's cool when they do it- so I did it too. How I got my Passport in 5 days.

While those who know me, know I am PASSPORT ready, I know plenty of people who do not have theirs yet. Don't worry you aren't alone. Do not let the reoccurrence of footage from Jamaica, DR, Cancun, Ghana fool you; MOST people still do not have a passport.

But don't worry I got you. I started this blog to help and I will.

The first step is the application, and that process is cut and dry. The application process is the same for either the passport book or card, even if you want both at the same time. For the best tips go to the source- https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/how-apply.html

NOW here is where I can help. This is a last minute option if you are a procrastinator, or you did the proper thing and they are taking too long and your trip is close. If you still have months until your trip or if your trip falls a few weeks outside of your processing time, I say wait. BE ADVISED-THIS IS NOT GUARANTEED TO WORK AND YOU MUST ALREADY HAVE AN APPLICATION NUMBER.

Contacting my Senator was not planned at first, but after searching all my travel groups for tips on how to get my passport faster. I remembered- my Senator is supposed to help me. They all have a section that says it on their website, and since you said you could help- I am asking. We elect them, they are supposed to work for the people. Well I am the people, and I needed my passport.

So I did what every good American citizen should do, I reached out to my Senator. I paid for expedited processing as my trip was 8 weeks away. It took them 2 weeks to process my app, which means it cut into the time I had before I needed my passport. By the end of January I had no updates and one thing about it Patience is a virtue, but I am not virtuos. I wanted my Passport, and I found a way to get. 1 phone call, 3 emails and 2 days later- I had my passport.

If you do not know who your Congress person is (you shouldn't be talking politics- but that's not a blog for this site). Google it and locate their info. Once you figure out who they are, I suggest calling and leaving a voicemail that lists your name, your issue and your email. Be detailed but not too much. Something along the lines of:

"Hi Senator/Congressman/woman ______, my name is __________ and I am reaching out you your office to see if you can assist with my passport issues. I currently live in (list the city and state (if its a Senator), city, district or county (if it's a Congressional member), and I have an open application with the passport office. I have a trip planned within the next few weeks, and although I went through the proper steps and paid for an expedited process, it appears that my passport will not be here in time.(THIS IS WHERE YOU LAY IT ON THICK.) I know that your line of work requires you to deal with multiple people all day, and I do not want to add more your plate. However, I truly understand your commitment to your constituents, and your assistance in helping me with this process means so much to me. If you are able to assist in any way, I can be reached at (list number and email). Once again, this is _________, I thank you for your time"

Once they respond, it will be with a few forms that you need to fill out, potentially including the details of your previous passport, the date that you applied for the current one, and your mailing address where the new one can be sent. From there the wheels of the system, start to work and you'll be notified about your passport. I can not stress how this is not guaranteed to work, but there is a good chance that it will.

Don't believe me check the dates: