Getting a passport in a hurry is always a bit stressful, but in the years post-COVID, the process was slower than ever. In 2022, there were plenty of reports of passport issuances and renewals taking up to 18 weeks, or 4.5 months. By December 2023, the US State Department announced that processing times were coming down, citing an average wait time of six to eight weeks for processing.
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Need a Passport in a Hurry? A Series of New Passport 'Fairs' Could Help.
While that’s better, it’s still a bit slow, especially when you take into consideration the time it takes to mail your application to the agency and get your passport printed and returned to you, which the government estimates could take an additional month. Fortunately, the government just announced a slew of new “Passport Acceptance Fairs” — events where you can complete and submit your passport application on site. While it may not speed up the processing times, it will cut down on the mailing time. And the fact that the government is hosting so many is also probably a good sign that it’s trying to make it easier to get a passport in a hurry for US citizens.
Passport Acceptance Fairs were held in June, July, and August across the US, mostly at municipal buildings like libraries and post offices, and some dates were added for September and October. Some require appointments, while at others, you can just walk in. The Passport Acceptance Fairs are only for new applications, so if you need to renew your passport, you still need to do it by mail. (You used to be able to do it online, but no word if or when that program will return).
Attending a Passport Application Fair won’t save any money on application and passport fees (which total $165 for first-time adults and $135 for children, plus $60 to rush the process), but it’ll at least save you the cost of postage. And you won’t need to worry about your application getting lost in the mail.
What to bring to a Passport Acceptance Fair
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You’ll want to come as prepared as possible to a fair. Employees will be available to answer questions and help with forms, but the government is quite strict about what documents you need. That includes:
- Proof of citizenship (usually a birth certificate)
- Proof of identity (like a drivers license or military ID)
- A second photocopy of said proof of identity, front and back
- A two-inch passport photo that meets strict requirements. You can have them taken at pharmacies like CVS and Rite-Aid.
You can also speed up the process by filling out the passport application form in advance. Remember that if you’re applying for a passport for a minor, you’ll need to meet additional strict requirements, including dual parent consent.
Late Summer and Fall 2024 Passport Acceptance Fair dates
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- August 24: Wallisville, TX; Atlanta, GA; Dublin, CA; Santa Cruz, CA
- August 26: Cincinnati, OH
- August 27: West Milford, NJ
- August 28: Bridgewater, NJ; Hawthorne, NJ
- August 31: Clarkston, GA
- September 4: Bridgewater, NJ
- September 5: Stockton, CA; Totowa, NJ
- September 7: El Paso, TX; Honolulu, HI; Houston, TX; New Orleans, LA; Paterson, NJ; Haskell, NJ
- September 10: Verona, NJ; Hawthorne, NJ
- September 11: West Caldwell, NJ; Hillsborough, NJ; Amherst, NY
- September 12: Little Falls, NJ
- September 14: Minneapolis, MN
- September 18: Manville, NJ; Haledon, NJ
- September 19: Livingston, NJ; Bloomingdale, NJ
- September 21: Okeechobee, FL; West Orange, NJ; Fayette, GA; Fostoria, OH; West Jordan, UT
- September 24: Cedar Grove, NJ; North Haledon, NJ
- September 25: Skillman, NJ; West Milford, NJ
More passport fairs are scheduled for September and October so check out the official events page if you think you may be in need of a passport in a hurry — or better yet, just do the application now before you plan that international getaway. 