You’re sitting at home watching a documentary on China, and for some reason you feel the urge to see it for yourself. If you can wait to get your US passport in 4-6 weeks, the process is fairly easy. Oddly enough, the official State Department website that deals with this is very easy to read and navigate. Just go to the US State Department’s website and choose the option that best suits your needs.
However, if you want to go sooner than 6 weeks, you will need to go through an expedited service.

Documents

Before going through a passport expediting service, you need to have your documents ready. For most people, this is usually straight forward.

Government issued photo Identification

  • A prior US passport – Preferred (can be expired)
  • If you do not have a passport – A drivers license or other government issued photo ID

Birth Certificate

  • A birth certificate is required if you do not have your prior passport, or this is your first application.

This is the long form birth certificate. Do not hand in the birth certificate that looks like a college degree.

Passport photos

Passport photos have certain requirements which must be met. To ensure these requirements are met, I advise you go to CVS or Walgreen’s and ask for your passport photos. They will take your photo, process them per the requirements and hand them to you.
Finally you will need to fill out your passport application online and print it out.

For more complex issues such as being born outside the United States, name change, naturalized citizen or even sex changes, the State Department has listed out all the requirements pertaining to your specific needs.

I have my required documents ready. Now what?

You will need to expedite your passport application. There are a few main ways to do this.

  • Pay an extra expediting fee (2-3 weeks)

Going through the normal mail in process, you could spend a bit more to receive your passport in 2-3 weeks. You will need to mail your passport at an approved acceptance facility.

  • Go through an official State Department Passport Agency (8 Business days excluding federal holidays)

The State Department has several Passport Agencies scattered throughout major cities in the United States. You are required to make an appointment and show up in person. If you live close enough to one of the agencies, I recommend this option as it is much cheaper than going through a third party expediter.

  • Go through a third party expediter / courier service

If you do not live anywhere near a State Department Passport Agency but need a passport fast, a third party expediter / courier service is the way to go. Expediters are usually located in the same cities as the passport agencies. You mail them your packet, and they act on your behalf to deliver your packet to the agency and pick up your new passport for express mail delivery to your doorstep.

I have used third party couriers for myself and my daughter. I can say the fastest I ever received a passport from an expediter is 3 days from send off to receiving my new passport. However, it could be longer in your case. Also, the third party option can be significantly more expensive and the process more complex, but you’ll have your passport delivered to your home quickly.
Most expediters offer to assist you in getting your new visa. You cannot go on your awesome trip to China without having a Chinese visa in your passport. Essentially you could hit two birds with one stone.

  • Life or Death Emergency (72 hours)

If you need to leave the country within 24 hours, you will need to call the State Department to set this up. You will need to prove your emergency. This is typically related to medical issues or a family member abroad is behind bars in some dark corner of the globe.

There are many ways to get a passport expedited to your hands. Unless it is for business, I always discourage rushing to another country last minute. Take your time. Research the country and its culture. Buy your travel gear and prepare. By the time you are done with all of that, you new passport could be at your door in 3-6 weeks.
Changes are made in the passport system frequently. Please do your due diligence and visit the State Department’s passport website. Happy travels!