Post Office or Passport Agency?

[Paatay Khan 16]

Hello there fellow VJers,

 

I recently had my oath ceremony and now, I want to go ahead and apply for my passport. I also want to get it expedited to the 2-3 weeks processing time. What is the safest and most convenient way to go about it? Either through a post office or a passport agency? Are there any differences in fees between the two? I checked with my area post office and the clerk told me I would also need an original and copy of my birth certificate but the travel.state website does not mention anything like that. It only mentions to submit naturalization certificate and its copy and my state ID/DL and its copy along with DS-11 with one passport size photo and a money order payable to the Dept. of State. 

 

Would appreciate your expert advice. Thanks

[Loren Y 2,755]

Post office will probably be the cheapest as they can only charge you the actual fees. Passport agencies have a tendency to mark up prices quite a bit. Also I believe you need 2 photos, and I never added a copy of my driver's license. Most post offices can do photos and money order, and everything on site, so it will be the easiest also.

[Going through 5,671]

Since you're in NY, I would really recommend taking a trip down to Madison Square Station main post office located at 49 East 23rd Street between Lexington Avenue and Third Avenue.

 

Apart from being inside a beautifully historic building, they have a dedicated Passport Service Center near the back of the building (across from all the PO Boxes) where the agents are strictly there for passport services only, and really know their stuff w hen it comes to what's required, what isn't required, how to handle your documents for submission, etc.  I've used them for my own US passport application, my daughter's first passport when she was an infant, (and then a later renewal when she was older) and also for renewing my husband's, etc.  I had absolutely no qualms about dealing with them nor did I have any "uhm, do they really know what they are doing?" moments.  They can also take your passport photos immediately if the ones you bring aren't up to standards/you don't have photos.

 

The line moves really quickly, and they are actually pretty nice too (which isn't something you can commonly say for NYC post offices).

 

Edited to add:  I requested Regular Service (non-expedite), and received my passport back in 13 days.  So you may want to try Regular Service if you're not traveling soon---you may get lucky and save yourself some money (unless you need it for upcoming travel plans).

 

 

Edited July 19, 2019 by Going through

[Paatay Khan 16]

11 hours ago, Going through said:

I requested Regular Service (non-expedite), and received my passport back in 13 days.  So you may want to try Regular Service if you're not traveling soon---you may get lucky and save yourself some money (unless you need it for upcoming travel plans).

Well I don't have any immediate travel plans. I'm just excited to posses it fast. You got lucky because now a days normal processing time is 6 to 8 weeks. You think I should risk it? I really don't want to wait more than 21 days, max. 

I live in LI, so driving to Manhattan is going to pretty much take up my whole day which I'm not mentally prepared for, I'm thinking to submit the app at my area post office since agencies tend to charge more. But I deeply appreciate your suggestion.

[Going through 5,671]

34 minutes ago, Sam Mirza said:

You got lucky because now a days normal processing time is 6 to 8 weeks. You think I should risk it? I really don't want to wait more than 21 days, max.

 

It was listed as 6-8 weeks when I applied, as well.  Even the post office lady told me it'd take at least 6 weeks to get it back---I was surprised to get it that quickly, myself.  If you're not in any rush to get your passport, then why pay for expedited processing, is my opinion?  

 

34 minutes ago, Sam Mirza said:

I live in LI, so driving to Manhattan is going to pretty much take up my whole day which I'm not mentally prepared for, I'm thinking to submit the app at my area post office since agencies tend to charge more. But I deeply appreciate your suggestion.

I gotcha---I assumed you were in the NYC area when I suggested the Madison Post Office.

Edited July 20, 2019 by Going through

[Paatay Khan 16]

4 hours ago, Going through said:

If you're not in any rush to get your passport, then why pay for expedited processing, is my opinion?  

 

 

5 hours ago, Sam Mirza said:

I don't have any immediate travel plans. I'm just excited to possess it fast. 

 

[LightDisplay 6]

On 7/19/2019 at 6:59 PM, Going through said:

Since you're in NY, I would really recommend taking a trip down to Madison Square Station main post office located at 49 East 23rd Street between Lexington Avenue and Third Avenue.

 

Apart from being inside a beautifully historic building, they have a dedicated Passport Service Center near the back of the building (across from all the PO Boxes) where the agents are strictly there for passport services only, and really know their stuff w hen it comes to what's required, what isn't required, how to handle your documents for submission, etc.  I've used them for my own US passport application, my daughter's first passport when she was an infant, (and then a later renewal when she was older) and also for renewing my husband's, etc.  I had absolutely no qualms about dealing with them nor did I have any "uhm, do they really know what they are doing?" moments.  They can also take your passport photos immediately if the ones you bring aren't up to standards/you don't have photos.

 

The line moves really quickly, and they are actually pretty nice too (which isn't something you can commonly say for NYC post offices).

 

Edited to add:  I requested Regular Service (non-expedite), and received my passport back in 13 days.  So you may want to try Regular Service if you're not traveling soon---you may get lucky and save yourself some money (unless you need it for upcoming travel plans).

 

 

Do they totally destroy the Naturalization certificate during the passport process (Mailing to and Mailing back process) ? Or do they handle it with care and not bend it?

[Going through 5,671]

11 minutes ago, LightDisplay said:

Do they totally destroy the Naturalization certificate during the passport process (Mailing to and Mailing back process) ? Or do they handle it with care and not bend it?

With mine, when I went to get my passport done...I submitted the certificate in one of those plastic page protectors---and asked the agent to staple the corner of the page protector instead of stapling THROUGH the actual certificate itself...personal preference, I didn't want any staple holes in it.  They were fine with that.  The agent just stapled the certificate to the application, then stapled all of the other ID copies, etc. with it and placed my package ontop of the stack of all of the other passport applications.  She did tell me that they all get shipped together in one huge envelope at the end of the day, when I asked her when it would be sent out.

 

I was nervous how it would be handled when mailed back to me.  It arrived in a plain brown large envelope, unfolded, shipped via regular USPS mailing---to my surprise NO cardboard backing at all---but luckily in pristine condition without any creases/damage.  The envelope was stamped "Do Not Bend - Document"...but we all know that "do not bend" also depends on USPS personnel and whether they even care at that point.  There was nothing on the outside of the  envelope itself to signify where the package was mailed from (this is actually a good thing).

 

They never returned my page protector though 😛 

Edited August 12, 2019 by Going through

[LightDisplay 6]

17 hours ago, Going through said:

With mine, when I went to get my passport done...I submitted the certificate in one of those plastic page protectors---and asked the agent to staple the corner of the page protector instead of stapling THROUGH the actual certificate itself...personal preference, I didn't want any staple holes in it.  They were fine with that.  The agent just stapled the certificate to the application, then stapled all of the other ID copies, etc. with it and placed my package ontop of the stack of all of the other passport applications.  She did tell me that they all get shipped together in one huge envelope at the end of the day, when I asked her when it would be sent out.

 

I was nervous how it would be handled when mailed back to me.  It arrived in a plain brown large envelope, unfolded, shipped via regular USPS mailing---to my surprise NO cardboard backing at all---but luckily in pristine condition without any creases/damage.  The envelope was stamped "Do Not Bend - Document"...but we all know that "do not bend" also depends on USPS personnel and whether they even care at that point.  There was nothing on the outside of the  envelope itself to signify where the package was mailed from (this is actually a good thing).

 

They never returned my page protector though 😛 

 

Thank a lot for your response