Passports are only issued by the U.S. State Department.  Processing takes 6-9 weeks so give yourself plenty of time.

For an extra fee, the US Postal Service will also rush your passport application to the U.S. State Department by priority mail.  The majority of passports expedited by the Postal Service  are returned within two weeks. See http://travel.state.gov/ppt_time.html

If getting your passport back in time is important, The Photo Express can expedite your passport application with hand delivery to the Passport Agency in Washington, D.C. for processing in as little as one business day.

A passport is required for international travel for all but a few countries.

Passports are issued by the State Department, an agency of the U.S. Government. Last year 7.3 million passports were issued - an average of 29,000 each business day.

Expedited through normal channels, if there are no problems, most citizens receive their passports within 2 weeks. If there is a problem with your application, the passport agency will mail you a form letter.  There is a 900 number for questions. Resolving problems by mail can take weeks.

With the help of Instant Passport and Visa Expediters we secure your passport as quickly as you need it -- whether it is one day or ten business days.  

Have your photograph taken and pick up the application forms at The Photo Express, Cleverly Hidden in Kirkwood Mall.  

Fed-Ex your application for next-day delivery (Fed Ex will tracking it every step of the way).  Instant Passport's office will call or email you after opening your package and checking to see that everything is in order. This lets you know that your documents have been received.

Your application is delivered in person to the passport agency in downtown Washington, D.C., one block from the office. If there is a problem with your application, Instant Passport will call you immediately and tell you exactly what additional information or documents are needed. 

You send us the additional documents or information needed, and we promptly deliver it to the passport agency. There is no extra charge for this service, no matter how many times we must go to the passport agency in your behalf.

When your new passport is issued, we call or email you and give you the tracking number of the return package that you will be receiving the next day.

Yes, all this extra service costs more than just mailing the application in to the State Department.  However, when international travel plans are on the line, customers find the added speed, security, tracking and guaranteed service an excellent value.

Check out the details and download the forms you need for free at www.instantpassport.com or just stop by The Photo Express in Kirkwood Mall.

Certain countries require a visa, which is a permission granted to enter their country. For example, you must have a visa to enter China, Brazil, India, Russia, Vietnam, and many others. Visas are not required for England, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Scandinavia, Japan, and many others.

Each country has its own rules for issuing a visa to visit the country. Each has its own fees, applications and other requirements. Visas to the country are granted by the embassy or consulate of the respective country here in the U.S. For example, if you want to travel to China, you must secure a visa from the Embassy or Consulate of China located in the U.S. The U.S. government has nothing to do with the issuance of visas to visit foreign countries.

Before applying for a visa, you must have a passport.

International travelers use our services because if anything happens at the embassy to which you are applying for a visa - lost mail, lost passports, improperly completed applications, incorrect fees or photos - the process can take many weeks.

If you are dealing with the Embassy of Ukraine, for example (or any other embassy), and there is a problem, you have no recourse or appeal: they are exempt from the laws of the United States. Applicants are at their mercy, literally. If they say they did not receive your passport and application, you have no choice but to reapply for a new passport and then reapply for a visa.

Thousands of visa applicants use our service because we deliver visa applications in person to each embassy, and when the visa is issued, we pick it up in person. If there is a problem, the staff of the embassy tells us face to face or via a phone call, and we then call you immediately and tell you what is needed.

Many travelers use us because they must secure a new passport and then a visa. In these cases, the travelers send us their passport application and their visa application. We first secure a new passport and then submit it to the embassy to secure the visa. When we return your new passport, the visa(s) is attached to the new passport.

We deal regularly with all the embassies in Washington, DC and know their rules and their peculiarities. In genuine emergencies we sometimes can secure a visa more quickly than the normal turnaround time.

Each country is unique.  Each country has its own rules and procedures.  You can learn the requirements for each country and download the forms at www.abriggs.com .