Getting a passport has not been so easy since “unprecedented” times began in earlier 2020. For a few months following the initial lockdown, all passport processing services were halted. Not only that but pending applications were placed on hold, meaning everyone who did apply for a passport before lockdown was forced to wait until after lockdown to finalize the process. The stoppage on passport processing also affected private couriers, meaning that for a good while there was no way to apply for passport service.
Fast forward to now, travel restrictions have been widely lifted, and Americans are eager to venture abroad once again. Naturally, stopping people from applying for passports did not decrease the amount of potential applicants, it just forced them to wait. Now with the doors open for passport applicants again everyone is applying, and being short staffed the federal government is unable to take this sudden rush of applications. The United States Department of State’s backlog goes so far back that applications are taking 8-11 weeks to process. But don’t worry, if you need a passport back a little faster you can always get it back in a brisk 5-7 weeks instead.
Current Passport Services Offered in Broward
As it stands, the current passport services being offered in Broward county encompass the typical fair. You can currently apply for a new passport at any participating post office, municipal, or court house. Not all of these location types offer passport services, you may find a full list of locations in Broward County here. Once you’ve located a place to apply and determined whether an appointment is required, you can visit them and apply for one of two services. You can either opt for the standard processing speed of 8-11 weeks or the slightly faster expedited service which takes about 5-7 weeks. Neither of these service times include shipping times or any time required to resolve errors with an application. Not a very good option for impromptu travelers, or those trying to plan a trip around when they will receive their passport.
Alternatively, if you are traveling within 14 days, you have the option of contacting the US Department of State. They, however, do not have an office located in Broward. Their only Florida based location is in Miami, and even if you are within 14 days of travel there’s no guarantee that an appointment will be available in the Miami location. This might mean you’ll have to travel out of state to get your passport rushed! The brightside is that if you do get an appointment your passport will be completed on the day of your appointment.
Getting an appointment is easier said than done. While the US Department of State used to allow customers to book an appointment online, that was changed during the height of the pandemic. Scalpers were using bots to book all of the State Department’s appointments and then turning around and selling them to desperate travelers. This wasn’t okay, so to combat this, the State Department now only books appointments to those who call them and provide confirmation of their travel plans.
Broward Passport Service is Getting Better!
The worst part is, those government services are not guaranteed to be available, and a variety of factors play into whether your application gets processed in a timely manner. However, what is guaranteed are the services provided by us, The Passport Office. As a third party passport expeditor, we can guarantee the delivery of your passport in as little as 5 business days. What’s more is that we’ll offer you concierge services, guiding you through the process so your application goes through without a hitch.
For the longest time our only office in South Florida was located in Miami. This meant that to use our services, you’d either need to come see us in-person (and make the long drive to Miami) or apply online, which might unnerve the more wary type. Luckily for those in the greater South Florida area, we’ll be opening up a brand new office in Hollywood within the next few weeks, right in time for the Summer travel season. That means our passport service expertise will be easily accessible to those in Broward county!
We make applying for a passport easy. Applications might leave you asking questions about what information you should or shouldn’t include, but when you work with us we take the uncertainty out of the equation. We’ll fill out your passport applications for you! Not only that but we provide passport photos as well.
Expedited Passport Requirements
To be eligible to apply for our expedited passport service, you’ll need to be traveling within 14 days of the day you apply. That means you’ll either need to have a flight ticket, cruise itinerary, or business letter that clearly states your name and date of departure. Proof of travel is required to ensure that those who are applying for rush service meet the federal requirements of what constitutes an ‘emergency’. If you have any questions about your specific situation, or if you need to apply for a visa to a foreign country, we ask that you inquire by contacting us by phone during normal business hours.
Beyond those requirements, you’ll also need to have the normal passport requirements for whatever your process is. For renewals, you’ll just need your previous passport as well as passport photos and the DS-82 passport renewal application. New passport applicants will have to provide proof of citizenship, ID, passport photos, and the DS-11 passport application. Child applicants have the same requirements as new passport applicants, but both of their parents must be present and be able to provide a valid ID.
