subject: Emergency Passports in Atlanta [print this page] Emergency Passports in Atlanta Emergency Passports in Atlanta
Home to more than 5.4 million people, Atlanta is the 9th largest city in the US. In such a large city, you would think it would be possible to get an emergency passport if you needed one.
Unfortunately, despite the city's size, Atlanta does not have an emergency passport office. These offices, called regional passport agency offices, are only found in select cities across the US, and surprisingly Atlanta isn't one of them. However, the US Department of State is opening more passport offices throughout the country, and one should be up and running in Atlanta in 2011.
For the time being, though, Atlanta residents who will be leaving the country within 14 days and don't have a passport do have a couple of different options. The first is simply to make an appointment at a regional passport agency office in another city. There are passport agency offices located in other southern cities like Miami and New Orleans, as well as Washington DC. The Department of State's website has a list for you to review.
Traveling to another city to get an emergency passport is obviously a bit of a hassle. The second option available to Atlanta citizens is to use a private passport expediting company. Using an expediting company, you can apply by mail by shipping them your application materials and authorizing them to meet with the Department of State on your behalf. If you're applying for a new passport, you'll need to appear in person at a post office or other passport acceptance facility. There, a passport employee will "seal" your documents so that you can forward them to the expediting company.
These services are not free, but they may be cheaper than missing a day of work and paying for gas or plane tickets to get an emergency passport in another city, and are certainly cheaper than having to cancel a trip.
