After filling out all the required forms to have your passport processed, the next thing you want is to see your bluebook as soon as possible. As such, most times you want to know if the passport is ready or not, especially if the waiting time is over. To ensure that there are no queues of people inquiring about the status of their passports; USPS passport tracking makes it possible to check on the progress.
Now, you can check the progress through the post office passport tracking, by email or online passport tracking. Both ways are reliable, but online tracking takes just a few minutes. Two or three; to be precise!
Nonetheless, be sure to consider the method you used to apply before thinking of checking the status. This is because the method used to apply affects the time it takes to process the passport.
The good news is that irrespective of the method you used to apply; you can still keep track of the passport status.
Tracking Passport Status Online
If you are sure that seven to ten business days have elapsed since you applied for the passport, you can check the status any time you want and from anywhere. Yes, even at the comfort of your office or home. All you need to do is to visit the Department of United States’ website.
The first thing you must do is to read and accept the privacy terms. After that, there are some personal details you must be ready to enter on the forms, which are available on the website. Such includes your last name. Be sure not to use punctuations when entering your name.
A hyphen, however, is acceptable. For example, you can use Mark-John. Next, enter the date of birth. When entering the date of birth; start with the month then; enter the day of birth before finally entering the year (MM/DD/YYYY).
Finally, you should enter the Social Security Number. Only enter the last four digits then click submit. You can now view the status of your passport. That is, either they are processing it, is in the last stages or have already been mailed to you.
That helps you make informed decisions in readiness for your next travel. If you do not want to check the status online, no trouble, there’s another option for you.
Tracking USPS Passport Status by Phone
So long as it is a normal working day for the USPS; you can always make a call at the National Passport Information Center and inquire about the status of your passport. Use 877-487-2778 to contact them. Alternatively, you can use 1-888-874-7793 for the TDD/TYY services.
However, you will still need to provide the same details you could have provided if you checked the status online.
That is, you need to give the customer representative your last name, date of birth in the order we have discussed above, as well as the last 4-digits of the Social Security Number.
What’s the most suitable time to call? As we have said previously, ensure that it is a normal business day. In addition, remember that if you apply for passport at post office, USPS passport application time will be different from that of an expedited passport.
With that in mind, any day from Monday through Fridays; you can call anytime starting at 8:00 a.m. till 10:00 p.m. If it is on Saturday, ensure you call between 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Tracking Post Office Passport status by Email
Needless to say, this is the slowest way of checking your status. Why? It takes approximately 24 hours to get feedback. So, if you really want to use it, be sure that you are not in a hurry to get the feedback.
So, where do you send the email? You send the email to NPIC@state.gov. Just like we have seen in all the other ways of tracking your passport status; you should send them your date of birth (MM/DD/YYYY), 4 last digits of the Social Security Number as well as your last name.
Crucial Factors to Consider
A few factors are crucial to remember before deciding to check on the status of your passport. This helps you stay relaxed before the processing is complete. This is what we are saying; the days it will take before you can see the status of your passport will significantly be determined by the method you chose to use to make the application.
Also, it matters if you provided all the necessary documents and if you paid the required amount. That is in regards to the urgency of the passport, which calls for the extra fee for the fast processing services.
That also applies to renewals. If you do not pay the USPS passport renewal fees, your passport will definitely not be successful. Hence you will have to deal with delays.
Another thing to avoid is the booking of hotels or selling your house before you are sure of the exact date you will get your passport. That could cause a lot of inconveniences to you in case the processing takes longer than you had anticipated.
So, be sure to start preparations after your passport is processed. Alternatively, you can do any preparations that do not cost you anything to ensure that you do not incur any losses.
The Parting Shot
You now know how to track the status of your passport. Plus, now you know that USPS passport tracking is not difficult and anyone can do it, including you. Furthermore, you have various options for doing it.
That is online, by phone or through email. All you need to do is to consider the pros and cons of each method. After that; you can decide on the most suitable one to use. Nonetheless, remember that time varies depending on the method you used during the application process.
The good thing, however, is that it matters not whether you applied for a passport or renewal; either way, you chose to check on the status is okay.
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