Residents of New York state can now choose between two different emergency passport offices: One in New York City and a new office in Buffalo, New York. State officials held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday, October 18th, 2010 to mark the occasion. The new passport office is located at 111 Genesee Street, in Suite 101 of the Genesee Gateway building.
The new office is a Regional Passport Agency office, which means it can issue emergency passports or passport cards, usually within 24 hours. Previously, to get an emergency passport, Buffalo residents would have to make a trip to New York City to visit the passport office there. Demand for passports is up since they became a requirement for travel to Canada in 2009 as part of the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative.
Regional Passport Agency offices are meant for travelers who need emergency assistance only, so you do have to meet certain qualifications to get an appointment. Basically, you are eligible to use these offices if you need a passport to travel within 2 weeks and you have already booked your tickets. However, you can also use a passport agency office if you are traveling within the next 4 weeks to a country that requires you to apply in advance for a travel visa.
The office operates by appointment only, and walk-ins are not permitted. To make an appointment, call 1-800-209-4565.
You will need to bring a copy of your itinerary to the appointment.
You’ll also need to bring all of the documents necessary to issue your emergency passport, including proof of identity, proof of citizenship and photos.See How to Submit a Passport Application for details. Check when you make an appointment to make sure that your documents are acceptable and that you know what kind of payment options are available at the facility.
Alison Kroulek is a freelance writer and blogger with a focus on the travel industry.
