Dropped Your Passport In The Water? Expedited Damaged American Passport Replacement

Passports are more or less the be all and end all of travel documents. Because of the status, they need to be kept in immaculate condition so that there are no challenges encountered when traveling. Realize that customs officers use this document to allow people into their country and it is easily understandable why they are put under so much scrutiny. If the passport was just pulled out of the drawer and is a bit raggedy, expedited damaged us passport replacement may be the answer.

There are a variety of reasons that a passport can be considered damaged. It is important to make note that even though the picture can be seen or we may think that it is legible, the people that are checking the document could have a very different opinion. Look for things such as a faded picture, water damage, torn pages and anything else that could be considered to hurt the overall look of the passport.

Some common things that can happen to a passport that can cause damage are things like dropping it in water. Carrying it in a back pocket when running around all day and it gets moist and creased. Something could get spilled on it and mar the writing or other details that are needed to be seen clearly. The possibilities are literally endless.

The problem comes when the document has to be used to gain entry and the carrier does not thing that these small issues will be a problem. One of the first things that the customs officers look at is the damage to the passport. This was a common practice by people that would try and use a fake or altered passport to gain entry into the country and it is why it is scrutinized so heavily.

Steps for replacing a damaged passport are very similar to replacing an expired passport. The applicant must fill out a passport replacement form and submit the form in the mail along with the damaged passport. The government collects damaged passports so that they cannot aid in the counterfeiting of fraudulent passports.

Likewise, expediting a damaged passport is similar to expediting any other replacement passport. A passport may be expedited for a fee of $60 dollars. This fee is charged in addition to the normal passport replacement fee as well as two-way overnight shipping and handling fees.

The State Department estimates that standard expedited delivery will take about two to three weeks for the new passport to arrive. However, since accidents can happen at the worst times, that may not be quick enough. If the passport is needed sooner, the applicant can pay a higher fee and have it back much quicker. If it is needed in the same day, it can be done, but be prepared to pay about $300 for the processing.

Anyone with a damaged passport that needs to replace it quickly should most definitely consider paying the extra money for expedited damaged United States passport replacement. It is dangerous and irresponsible to travel with a damaged passport, so if steps can be taken to get a US passport replacement, then these steps must be taken.