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With recent changes in US laws, passports are now needed for travel anywhere outside the country. In fact, more people than ever before are applying for US passports.
Obtaining a passport through traditional government methods can take up to six weeks. However, passport services can deliver you a new passport in as little as 24 hours. TopConsumerReviews.com reviews and ranks the best Passport services available today.
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Ever since the US Government passed new laws requiring passports for all travel out of the country, passport applications have been at an all-time high. This is especially true for those travelers visiting Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean. Receiving a passport through the US passport agency can take as long as 4-6 weeks to process - sometimes even longer. And making use of the government's "rush"
service still provides you no guarantee of getting your passport for weeks.
Passport expediting services exist to fill this gap. By paying a service fee (which varies, according to how fast you need your passport), you can receive your new or renewed passport in as little as 24 hours. This is an invaluable service for those people who have a vacation or trip planned in the near future, and therefore can't afford to take a chance that their passport will be delayed or that they
won't receive their passport in time for their trip.
Of course, not all passport services are created equal. There are a number of features to consider when looking for a passport expediting service. Some of these include:
• Turnaround time. You want to make sure the passport service can deliver your passport in time for your trip.
• Cost. There is a wide variety of costs depending on when you need your passport. Make sure you don't overpay for faster service than you really need.
• Customer Service. Is the staff knowledgeable? Do they offer helpful information to explain the passport application process?
We hope you find this information valuable in getting your passport as quickly as possible!
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Cost:
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$30 - $199 depending on service needed
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Passport Visas Express is a professional expediting company that is registered with the US Passport Agency. They offer applications for first-time passports, renewal passports, children's passports, passport name changes, lost or stolen passports, adding pages to existing passports, and more. They can even provide delivery in as little as 24 hours.
We liked the fact that Passport Visas Express provides clear and simple directions for you to follow. Depending on your type of passport needs, you simply click on the appropriate link and follow the step-by-step instructions. For new passports, Passport Visas Express offers a variety of options based upon when you need to have your passport:
• Saver service - Costs $30, and your passport is issued in 14 to 21 days.
• Express service - Costs $45, and your passport is issued in 9 to 13 days.
• Rush service - Costs $99, and your passport is issued in 6 to 8 days.
• Urgent service - Costs $145, and your passport is issued in 3 to 5 days.
• Emergency service - Costs $199, and should be used if your departure date is within 5 days, OR within 14 days and you require a Visa. With this service you can also receive 24-hour turnaround time.
We found the staff at Passport Visas Express very knowledgeable and helpful with our questions. By providing the variety of service level options, they try to make sure you don't pay more than you need to for your particular travel needs.
Passport Visas Express offers a professional website and top quality customer service. Their costs for expediting passports are among the lowest in our reviews. If you're short on time and need to obtain your passport quickly, Passport Visas Express is our top choice.
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Cost:
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$44.95 - $199.95 depending on service needed
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VisaHQ offers passport services to help clients obtain new passports, passport renewals, add passport pages, lost or stolen passports, passport name change, and second passports. You can navigate easily to the passport application process, and proceed to complete the application online or via the traditional paper form.
VisaHQ excels at providing excellent step-by-step procedures on how to complete their process, and they clearly list all required documentation. For the sake of saving time and money, this is a very important aspect.
VisaHQ provides four levels of passport services at a fair price:
• Level 1 - Costs $44.95, and requires 8-14 business days to process the new passport request
• Level 2 - Costs $99.95, and requires 5-7 business days to process
• Level 3 - Costs $149.95, and requires 3-4 business days to process
• Level 4 - Costs $199.95 for 1-2 business days processing
VisaHQ offers live help and a call center during normal business hours, as well as email assistance for any questions you may have. The customer service team at VisaHQ is both friendly and knowledgeable.
We like that VisaHQ offers an online, real time status update that allows you to track the progress of your application. They also provide tracking updates via email if you prefer. Both of these are great features to reduce stress when you are approaching an important travel date or are short on time.
VisaHQ is a full-service expedited passport provider with a well-functioning application process, friendly customer service, and fair prices. They are a quality passport provider.
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Cost:
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$39 - $299 depending on service needed
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Travel Visa Pro offers quick turnaround on visa and passport services. The offer a variety of passport services, including new passport, passport renewal, additional passport pages, lost or stolen passports, passport name changes, second passports, and passports for children.
Travel Visa Pro offers three service levels for your passport expediting needs, based upon your travel needs:
• Budget level - Costs $39, and you can expect delivery of your passport in 2-3 weeks.
• Rush level - Costs $79, and you can expect delivery of your passport in about 4 days.
• Urgent level - Costs $169, and you can expect delivery of your passport in 2 days.
• Emergency level - Costs $299, and you can expect delivery of your passport in just 8 hours.
Travel Visa Pro offers a unique service guarantee stating that if you are not satisfied they will return all services fees. This is a good option to provide, although we don't think it necessarily justifies the increase in costs as compared to the other services reviewed. They do offer help via the US Passport information line, where you can call with questions.
Travel Visa Pro is easy enough to navigate but we were not overly impressed with the website. Their service is legitimate, they have over seven years of experience expediting passports, and they provide customer testimonials backing up their work.
Travel Visa Pro provides a good quality service with a unique and consumer-friendly guarantee. They are worth checking out when shopping for your passport.
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Cost:
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$65 - $245 depending on turnaround needed
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ABriggs offers US Passport and Visa services available online, over the phone, or in person. They have been in business since 1987 and offer passport services for new US passports, renewal US passports, children's passports, replacing lost or stolen passports, passport name changes, and more.
ABriggs offers a variety of service plans based upon your departure needs.
• Level 1 - Costs $65 and takes 8-14 business days to process
• Level 2 - Costs $135 and takes 5-7 business days to process
• Level 3 - Costs $185 and takes 3-4 business days to process
• Level 4 - Costs $245 and takes 1-2 business days to process
Please note, the ABriggs processing times are in business days, not calendar days. You need to keep this in mind when selecting one of their plans.
Another important point to keep in mind is that ABriggs fills their orders based on departure date. For example, someone leaving in 10 days that selects the 3-4 day service may not receive their passport for up to 6 days. We found this to be somewhat misleading, or at best, confusing. You need to be sure to understand the service level that you need, before placing your
order.
ABriggs offers an online status check to track the processing of your passport application, testimonials from prior customers, and even online chat support. They also offer the ability to contact any one of their office locations with questions, comments, or complaints about the service.
ABriggs offers a simple passport application process and provides helpful information. While their website may not be as easy to use as some of the others, they still receive good marks for their service.
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Cost:
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$99 - $199 depending on service needed
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Travisa has been helping individuals expedite their passport needs since 1981. They support a wide range of passport application and renewal needs, and like our top-rated services, they work directly with the US Department of State Passport Agencies to expedite passport requests.
The process for obtaining passport services through Travisa is fairly simple. Identify the service that you need provided, click on the appropriate link, and follow the application instructions. For a new passport you have to wade through a series of steps, but all are explained in detail.
Travisa offers three types of service fees to their clients for passport processing:
• Standard service - Costs $99, and requires 3-10 business days to process the new passport request
• Rush service - Costs $179, and requires 48 hours to process
• Emergency service - Costs $199, with same day/next day processing
Travisa offers a small number of client testimonials as well as a frequently asked questions page to help potential clients make an educated decision. Once you have applied through Travisa, you can check the status of your passport application online.
Although Travisa offers a sound expediting service, their delivery options give you less flexibility than other agencies, and cost comparatively more. Moreover, we found the website to be outdated and challenging to navigate. When the buttons and hot keys worked they often sent us to bad links and unavailable web pages. For more inexpensive options tailored to your needs, as well
as a well-functioning website, we recommend one of our top-rated services.
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Passports in the News
Pet Passports Easier and Cheaper - Yahoo Finance
Easier and cheaper rules on pet passports have been welcomed by owners keen to travel with their cats and dogs. Currently pets need an anti-rabies jab six months before they travel, plus a blood test to check the vaccination has worked.
Publ.Date : 2012-01-31T11:53:51Z
Legislation introduced to cut passport fees - SooToday.com
There are many reasons for this, but one is the added cost of mandatory passports.” Hyer noted that 80 percent of tourist visitors to Canada still come from the United States, yet only about a third of Americans hold passports. It can cost up to $135 to ...
Publ.Date : 2012-02-03T16:08:00Z
US citizenship is worth $450; passports more costly - Arizona Daily Star
WASHINGTON - U.S. citizenship is priceless to some, worthless to others. But now the State Department has a dollar figure: U.S. citizenship is worth $450. At least that's what it will cost you to renounce it. Under new consular fees published Thursday in ...
Publ.Date : 2012-02-03T07:03:58Z
Record Number Of Americans Now Hold Passports - Forbes
When I was a college kid backpacking through Europe, my European fellow travelers were aghast that so few Americans held a passport, while passports were virtually de rigueur for citizens across the pond. “What are Americans afraid of?”
Publ.Date : 2012-01-29T23:59:13Z
50 Million Indians Have Passports - Silicon India
New Delhi: There are 50 million passport holders in the country and the Ministry of External Affairs expect the number to reach up to 100 million in next 10 years. With simplified process and increasing number of passport offices and Passport Seva Kendras ...
Publ.Date : 2012-02-02T06:50:50Z
5 caught with fake passports - The Hindu
Five Indians who flew from Riyadh into Rajiv Gandhi International Airport in Shamshabad here allegedly with fabricated passports were caught by the immigration authorities on Friday. The passengers Rizwan Ahmed (30) of Lucknow in Uttar Pradesh, Shaik ...
Publ.Date : 2012-02-04T06:48:28Z
Two fly out with dud passports - Times of India
KOCHI: Two people who have no valid identification records got passports from the regional passport office in Kochi and went abroad before the state police or intelligence agencies could nab them. The incident came to light during the police ...
Publ.Date : 2012-02-03T02:17:38Z
Pak airline crew member jailed in UK for fake passports - NDTV
London: A Pakistani national employed as a crew member with the Pakistan International Airlines has been jailed for 32 months for trying to smuggle dozens of counterfeit passports and fake passport materials into the UK. Asif Haroon, 41, from ...
Publ.Date : 2012-02-02T11:44:19Z
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