We're planning on an international trip in late September and I just realized that our kids' passports are expired. I know we have to wait until we're within 2 weeks of the trip and show proof of travel to get an in-person appointment for an urgent passport renewal. My question is how easy are these appointments to get and is the passport issued right there on the spot? We're in Austin so we'd have to make an appointment in Houston or Dallas.

Thanks

Our kid's passport was going to expire in about 8 months, so we decided to go ahead and get a new one just in case it took forever. We made an appointment at our local Houston library, did not get it expedited, and the new one arrived a little over a week later. I was shocked we got it so fast. This was about a month ago. I know it's hard to gamble with that, though.

Several years ago, we didn't realize one of our kids had an expired passport until 2 days before our trip. My wife and I went down to the Houston passport office and waited in the line without an appointment. It opened at 8. We arrived about 6am and there were probably 100 people already ahead of us. It was a long day, but we walked out of there with a new passport late that afternoon. I'm not sure if they still take walk-ins at all, though.

Appointment only per their website.

Your experience sounds stressful!

I made a passport thread recently. My son's passport took just 18 days to arrive. No expedited service on it.

If you have to go to an office, you have three options (at least this is the way it was a few years ago):
1. Make an appointment
2. Show up and wait (could take all day)
3. Hire an agency to help (expensive)

Edit: the one time I went to a passport office, my trip was 3-4 days later. They had me come back the next day to pick it up (sucked but oh well). Other people there who were scheduled to travel that day or the next day were getting them at the appointment.

I would just go to a passport place now and do expedited. I would NOT bank on the appointments within 2 weeks. If you go now you are likely to have it in 3ish weeks.

Looks like tu has a passport office like A&M. A&M is a breeze.

https://global.utexas.edu/passport

Just make sure BOTH parents go for the passport appointment.

Thanks. I may go the UT office and try to do it there.

Does anyone know if you apply for the 2-3 week expedited route and need to switch to the urgent route where you go in person, is that easy to do?

Agreed. I'd risk it and just do expedited. I am convinced that renewals for adults and "new" passports for children with existing passports are much quicker than if someone has no passport at all. It's like there are two separate buckets they go into and the renewal bucket seems so much faster! That's my theory at least.

We did my son's passport (his was expiring) at the end of June and received it back 11 days from the date of the appointment. NOT expedited. We have a trip mid-October.

Assuming you can get the in-person appointment asap, you've still got 5-6 weeks. Should be plenty of time for expedited service.

ReloadAg said:

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Thanks. I may go the UT office and try to do it there.

Does anyone know if you apply for the 2-3 week expedited route and need to switch to the urgent route where you go in person, is that easy to do?

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I would think so, but I don't know for sure. But I think your chances of getting it are far better if you go to UT and try to get that taken care of ASAP.

We have an appt booked at the UT office tomorrow. Thanks for the suggestion! We'll go the normal 2-3 week expedited route and I'll pay for the expedited shipping on both ends of the transaction.

I like your style.

Yea this is a great idea.

We ended up canceling the expedited appt at UT when my oldest daughter freaked out about having to miss school that day. We started looking around at some domestic destinations but I'm starting to circle back around to Vancouver again and I really like the idea of booking an earlier, refundable flight to get the urgent passport stuff taken care of earlier than within the real 2 week window of the trip. Good suggestion.

We got a birth certificate one day, next day same day passport (with only one parent present, with notarized documents since other parent was working abroad), the following day international travel. We were living abroad and anxious to finally be together at home as a family. It can happen!! Good luck!

piggy backing on this thread about kids passport. Both my kids have current valid passports that both expire next spring, and we have two international trips planned, so wanting to renew now since I have 4-5 months until first trip.

I'm following this;
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/under-16.html

The requirements include evidence of child's US citizenship.. either birth cert, or a valid or expired passport. Ok.. so passport seems easiest since they have one... except;

next requirement is proof of relationship to child.. it says "if you are not submitting a US birth cert which shows your relationship, you need a document that shows it". examples are random crap that we don't have.

So this seems weird.. I'm assuming a passport does not prove relationship to child, so if you use a passport for citizenship, you'd still need a birth cert for parental proof.. but a birth cert does both of those things...

So, I thought passport would be easiest, but maybe not? Why is that even an option?

62strat said:

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piggy backing on this thread about kids passport. Both my kids have current valid passports that both expire next spring, and we have two international trips planned, so wanting to renew now since I have 4-5 months until first trip.

I'm following this;
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/under-16.html

The requirements include evidence of child's US citizenship.. either birth cert, or a valid or expired passport. Ok.. so passport seems easiest since they have one... except;

next requirement is proof of relationship to child.. it says "if you are not submitting a US birth cert which shows your relationship, you need a document that shows it". examples are random crap that we don't have.

So this seems weird.. I'm assuming a passport does not prove relationship to child, so if you use a passport for citizenship, you'd still need a birth cert for parental proof.. but a birth cert does both of those things...

So, I thought passport would be easiest, but maybe not? Why is that even an option?

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They give you multiple options that allow you to meet the requirements with what you have. It's not surprising that you're overthinking it and falling short.

I Am A Critic said:

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62strat said:

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piggy backing on this thread about kids passport. Both my kids have current valid passports that both expire next spring, and we have two international trips planned, so wanting to renew now since I have 4-5 months until first trip.

I'm following this;
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/under-16.html

The requirements include evidence of child's US citizenship.. either birth cert, or a valid or expired passport. Ok.. so passport seems easiest since they have one... except;

next requirement is proof of relationship to child.. it says "if you are not submitting a US birth cert which shows your relationship, you need a document that shows it". examples are random crap that we don't have.

So this seems weird.. I'm assuming a passport does not prove relationship to child, so if you use a passport for citizenship, you'd still need a birth cert for parental proof.. but a birth cert does both of those things...

So, I thought passport would be easiest, but maybe not? Why is that even an option?

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They give you multiple options that allow you to meet the requirements with what you have. It's not surprising that you're overthinking it and falling short.

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I just don't like pulling original BCs out of the safe if I don't have to.. so was thinking since they already have a passport I wouldn't have to. Especially since for this renewal, we're doing it in another city that we're flying to. (otherwise we have to both take off work and take kids out of school which is a pain)

But maybe I'm wrong and a passport satisfies both of these categories? It seems stupid to give passport as an option for one verification if you still need a BC to satisfy another?

62strat said:

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I Am A Critic said:

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62strat said:

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piggy backing on this thread about kids passport. Both my kids have current valid passports that both expire next spring, and we have two international trips planned, so wanting to renew now since I have 4-5 months until first trip.

I'm following this;
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/under-16.html

The requirements include evidence of child's US citizenship.. either birth cert, or a valid or expired passport. Ok.. so passport seems easiest since they have one... except;

next requirement is proof of relationship to child.. it says "if you are not submitting a US birth cert which shows your relationship, you need a document that shows it". examples are random crap that we don't have.

So this seems weird.. I'm assuming a passport does not prove relationship to child, so if you use a passport for citizenship, you'd still need a birth cert for parental proof.. but a birth cert does both of those things...

So, I thought passport would be easiest, but maybe not? Why is that even an option?

---

They give you multiple options that allow you to meet the requirements with what you have. It's not surprising that you're overthinking it and falling short.

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I just don't like pulling original BCs out of the safe if I don't have to.. so was thinking since they already have a passport I wouldn't have to. Especially since for this renewal, we're doing it in another city that we're flying to. (otherwise we have to both take off work and take kids out of school which is a pain)

But maybe I'm wrong and a passport satisfies both of these categories? It seems stupid to give passport as an option for one verification if you still need a BC to satisfy another?

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There are two different requirements, citizenship and familial relationship. A passport does not satisfy both as it does not list the parents. That's why they give you a list of options. Hopefully your wife can figure it out.

We dropped the ball big time two years ago and discovered my son's passport had expired literally two days before we were to go to Mex. I was able to get an in person emergency appointment at the closest available passport location which happened to be in El Paso (we live in Katy). I got the original birth certificate, expired passport, proof of travel and we jumped on a southwest flight that night, went to the appointment at 8AM and had the passport in our hand by 2:30. Everyone was super friendly and accommodating. Plus I was a hero for a few hours to the wife. There's almost always a work around or through with a little creativity.

Key was: We had all original documents EXACTLY as they required ready to go. I was very kind and patient with them and thanked them for what they do. Got everything back with the new passport.

MCMXCVII said:

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We dropped the ball big time two years ago and discovered my son's passport had expired literally two days before we were to go to Mex. I was able to get an in person emergency appointment at the closest available passport location which happened to be in El Paso (we live in Katy). I got the original birth certificate, expired passport, proof of travel and we jumped on a southwest flight that night, went to the appointment at 8AM and had the passport in our hand by 2:30. Everyone was super friendly and accommodating. Plus I was a hero for a few hours to the wife. There's almost always a work around or through with a little creativity.

Key was: We had all original documents EXACTLY as they required ready to go. I was very kind and patient with them and thanked them for what they do. Got everything back with the new passport.

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doesn't Houston have a passport agency?

Denver has one; I needed to go Calgary one time with 24 hours notice for work, flight was the next day. I got my passport that next morning a handful of hours before flight, walk in. There are like a dozen or so passport agencies in the US; most big cities have a location.

62strat said:

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I Am A Critic said:

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62strat said:

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piggy backing on this thread about kids passport. Both my kids have current valid passports that both expire next spring, and we have two international trips planned, so wanting to renew now since I have 4-5 months until first trip.

I'm following this;
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/need-passport/under-16.html

The requirements include evidence of child's US citizenship.. either birth cert, or a valid or expired passport. Ok.. so passport seems easiest since they have one... except;

next requirement is proof of relationship to child.. it says "if you are not submitting a US birth cert which shows your relationship, you need a document that shows it". examples are random crap that we don't have.

So this seems weird.. I'm assuming a passport does not prove relationship to child, so if you use a passport for citizenship, you'd still need a birth cert for parental proof.. but a birth cert does both of those things...

So, I thought passport would be easiest, but maybe not? Why is that even an option?

---

They give you multiple options that allow you to meet the requirements with what you have. It's not surprising that you're overthinking it and falling short.

---

I just don't like pulling original BCs out of the safe if I don't have to.. so was thinking since they already have a passport I wouldn't have to. Especially since for this renewal, we're doing it in another city that we're flying to. (otherwise we have to both take off work and take kids out of school which is a pain)

But maybe I'm wrong and a passport satisfies both of these categories? It seems stupid to give passport as an option for one verification if you still need a BC to satisfy another?

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You can order additional legitimate birth certificate copies from the source (think - Obama's birth certificate).

We've done that for our kids when we couldn't find the originals.

And of course in my unique case as a Puerto Rican, I had to order a new birth certificate after Puerto Rico invalidated all birth certificates issued prior to July 2010.
https://2009-2017.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/10/150173.htm

62strat said:

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MCMXCVII said:

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We dropped the ball big time two years ago and discovered my son's passport had expired literally two days before we were to go to Mex. I was able to get an in person emergency appointment at the closest available passport location which happened to be in El Paso (we live in Katy). I got the original birth certificate, expired passport, proof of travel and we jumped on a southwest flight that night, went to the appointment at 8AM and had the passport in our hand by 2:30. Everyone was super friendly and accommodating. Plus I was a hero for a few hours to the wife. There's almost always a work around or through with a little creativity.

Key was: We had all original documents EXACTLY as they required ready to go. I was very kind and patient with them and thanked them for what they do. Got everything back with the new passport.

---

doesn't Houston have a passport agency?

Denver has one; I needed to go Calgary one time with 24 hours notice for work, flight was the next day. I got my passport that next morning a handful of hours before flight, walk in. There are like a dozen or so passport agencies in the US; most big cities have a location.

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Houston has one but appointment availability can be an issue.

When we had to get passports last minute for a trip to Singapore because our kids had valid passports but Singapore requires six months validity after you depart Singapore and their passports weren't due to expire for another 3-4 months.

When we looked into getting an appointment at the US Consulate in Sydney, they were booked out for weeks. We considered traveling to Perth where they had plenty of appointments available.

Somehow we figured out the loophole to get a walk-in appointment and got the kids passports back in like 2 days. Major amounts of stress on that operation.

HollywoodBQ said:

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62strat said:

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MCMXCVII said:

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We dropped the ball big time two years ago and discovered my son's passport had expired literally two days before we were to go to Mex. I was able to get an in person emergency appointment at the closest available passport location which happened to be in El Paso (we live in Katy). I got the original birth certificate, expired passport, proof of travel and we jumped on a southwest flight that night, went to the appointment at 8AM and had the passport in our hand by 2:30. Everyone was super friendly and accommodating. Plus I was a hero for a few hours to the wife. There's almost always a work around or through with a little creativity.

Key was: We had all original documents EXACTLY as they required ready to go. I was very kind and patient with them and thanked them for what they do. Got everything back with the new passport.

---

doesn't Houston have a passport agency?

Denver has one; I needed to go Calgary one time with 24 hours notice for work, flight was the next day. I got my passport that next morning a handful of hours before flight, walk in. There are like a dozen or so passport agencies in the US; most big cities have a location.

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Houston has one but appointment availability can be an issue.

When we had to get passports last minute for a trip to Singapore because our kids had valid passports but Singapore requires six months validity after you depart Singapore and their passports weren't due to expire for another 3-4 months.

When we looked into getting an appointment at the US Consulate in Sydney, they were booked out for weeks. We considered traveling to Perth where they had plenty of appointments available.

Somehow we figured out the loophole to get a walk-in appointment and got the kids passports back in like 2 days. Major amounts of stress on that operation.

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This.

If Houston would have had an available appointment I would have obviously gone there. Heck...I would have gone anywhere that had an opening, as my wife was a wreck over the situation. Turns out El Paso was it...