Colorado Residents: Where to Apply for a Passport
If you are an Colorado resident who wants to get a United States passport, you have a few options. The first step is to consider how much time you have before your trip. This information will help you decide the type of processing you should choose.
One option is to apply at a Colorado passport acceptance facility if your departure is two weeks or more away. Choosing regular processing takes three weeks or more and a request for expedited service takes two weeks or more. You will have to pay an additional fee to have your passport application processed but it is necessary if you need it quickly. There are many passport office locations including post offices, clerks of court, public libraries and other state, county, township, and municipal government offices. With approximately 120 of the more than 9,000 passport offices located in Colorado, you should be able to find one not too far from where you live. If you are unable to locate one in your county, it is highly probable that there is one located in a neighboring county.
Once you locate the nearest passport acceptance facility, you should take the completed but unsigned application form along with proof of citizenship, proof of identity, two passport photos and your payment there where an agent will witness the signing of the application and get it sent off for you. It is recommended that you use an overnight mailing service and write the word “expedite” on the outside of the envelope if you want to use this service.
Seattle Passport Agency Serving Colorado
If you need to travel within fourteen days, you can apply for your passport at the regional passport agency in Seattle that attends those who reside in Colorado. The appointment is made through an automated phone service. When the number of travelers increases significantly it can be very hard to get through so you will have to be persistent. When the appointment date has been set, you should travel to Seattle with the completed but unsigned application form and accompanying items. Arrive no more than 15 minutes early. Of course, arriving 15 minutes late will require you to reschedule your appointment. You take a number and then wait to be attended. If all your papers are in order you should receive your new passport the same day.
Rush Passport Expediting
When it is not possible for you to dislocate from Colorado to the regional agency but you absolutely must get a passport quickly, you can contract a rush passport expediter. You still need to take your application to a local passport acceptance facility where an agent can witness your signature. However, instead of mailing the application directly to Passport Services, you will send everything required by the US Department of State to the expediting service of your choice. Expediters can get your travel document processed from two weeks to as little as 24 hours. You decide how quickly you need it.
In conclusion, there are three ways to get a passport if you reside in the state of Colorado. You can go through a nearby passport acceptance facility if you have fourteen days or more before you travel. You can obtain your passport at the regional agency if your flight is scheduled to depart in less than two weeks. Finally, you can apply through an expediter if you are in a crunch for time and cannot travel to the regional passport agency.