Can I Change My Passport Application To Expedite? | Rush It

Yes, you can upgrade to expedited service on an existing passport application by calling and paying the expedite fee tied to your file.

You mailed your passport application (or handed it in at a post office), felt fine about the timeline, then your travel date moved up. It happens. The good news: you often don’t need to start over. In many cases, you can switch your current application to expedited service, keep your place in line, and cut down the wait.

This page walks you through what changing to expedited looks like in real life: what to do first, what details you’ll need, what you can expect after you request the upgrade, and what to try when travel is close.

What “Changing To Expedited” Means In Plain English

When you ask to expedite after you already applied, you’re requesting an upgrade on the same application file. Your form, photo, citizenship evidence, and payment don’t get replaced just because you switch speeds. The passport office keeps processing your application, just with the expedited service flag added once the request is accepted.

There are two big takeaways:

• You’re not “editing” the form. You’re upgrading service on the file already in the system.
• Once the upgrade is placed, the clock for expedited processing starts when the agency receives your request to upgrade, not when you first applied.

Before You Call, Do These Two Checks

Check Your current status

If you have your application number, keep it handy. If you don’t, you can still be helped with your personal details, yet the application number makes the call faster and cuts down on mix-ups.

Look at your travel date and count weeks, not days

Routine and expedited timelines can shift through the year. The U.S. Department of State posts current processing time ranges, and those ranges do not include mailing time. If you mailed your application, shipping to the passport center can take time on both ends, so leave room for that when you decide whether an upgrade is enough or you should chase an urgent-travel appointment.

Can I Change My Passport Application To Expedite?

Yes. If you already applied and now need your passport sooner, the State Department says to call the National Passport Information Center and request expedited service for an added fee. On the same call, you can also request faster return shipping for a passport book, if you want it.

Here’s the official starting point that matches this situation: Passport Services FAQs. That page spells out the “already applied” steps and lists the upgrade options, including the expedite fee and the faster delivery add-on for passport books.

How To Request The Upgrade Step By Step

Step 1: Call the passport office line

You’ll request the upgrade by phone. Have your application number ready if you have it. If you don’t, have your full name and date of birth ready. If you applied for multiple family members, keep each person’s details organized before you dial so you don’t mix up files during the call.

Step 2: Ask for an “upgrade to expedited service”

Use that plain wording. You’re asking to upgrade a routine application to expedited service. If you already selected expedited when you applied, say that too and ask the agent to confirm the service level on the file.

Step 3: Confirm the fees tied to your request

Expedited service adds a $60 fee. If you want faster mailing for a passport book, you can add 1–3 day delivery for $22.05. That delivery upgrade does not apply to passport cards, which are mailed by First Class Mail.

Step 4: Follow the payment instructions you’re given

The agent will tell you how to submit the upgrade payment for your case. Stay focused on accuracy. A payment mistake can slow the upgrade because the office can’t tag the file as expedited until the request is complete.

Step 5: Track status and watch for updates

After the call, monitor your application status and email updates. If you didn’t include an email address, set one up for status notifications when possible so you don’t miss messages asking for more information.

Changing A Passport Application To Expedited Service When Travel Gets Close

An upgrade works best when your trip is coming up soon but you still have some runway. If travel is tight, your plan changes. You shift from “upgrade and wait” to “get seen by an agency.”

Two situations come up a lot:

• Your application is already “In Process” and you’re inside the window where routine timing no longer fits your departure.
• You need a passport in a short timeframe and you can prove travel or a pressing need that fits the agency’s appointment rules.

This is where the State Department’s fast-passport hub helps you choose the right lane. It breaks out routine, expedited, and urgent travel routes with current time ranges: How to Get My U.S. Passport Fast.

What Can Block An Upgrade

Most upgrade requests fail for simple reasons, not mystery ones. These are the common snags:

• The application is not in the system yet. If you mailed it recently, it may not be entered. In that case, the phone agent may tell you to wait until the file appears.
• Your file needs more info. If the passport office sent a letter or email asking for new documents, the case may pause until they receive what they asked for.
• A payment issue. Wrong amount, missing details, or a payment method that can’t be processed can stall the upgrade request.
• You applied for a card only. Expedited service rules and mail upgrades differ by document type. Clarify whether you applied for a book, a card, or both.
• You’re asking for a change that isn’t an expedite upgrade. A name correction, photo rejection, or citizenship evidence request isn’t solved by switching speeds.

When An Upgrade Is Worth It

An expedite upgrade makes sense when you still have enough time for the faster lane to work. It also makes sense when you mailed the application and you’d rather not scramble for an appointment slot.

It’s also a smart move when you want to reduce risk from mailing time. Expedited processing does not erase shipping time, yet faster processing can still shave weeks off the full wait from “sent” to “passport in hand.”

When You Should Skip The Upgrade And Seek An Appointment

Upgrading a routine application can help, yet it’s not a magic switch. If your travel date is close enough that even expedited processing plus mailing time feels tight, you may need an appointment at a passport agency or center (if you qualify and can get a slot).

As you think it through, separate these questions:

• Do you have proof of travel in the qualifying window?
• Can you reach an agency in person if an appointment opens?
• Is your application already submitted, or are you still holding your paperwork?

If you already applied, the phone agent can tell you what options fit your timeline and status.

Upgrade Outcomes At A Glance

The exact experience depends on where your application sits in the pipeline. This table gives you a practical map of what usually happens at each stage and what action lines up with it.

Where Your Application Is	What You Can Do	What To Expect Next
Not mailed yet (you still have the packet)	Submit as expedited from the start with the added expedite fee	Expedited service begins when the agency receives the application
Mailed, not in the system yet	Wait until it appears in status, then call to request upgrade	Phone agent may not be able to find the file until it is entered
Marked “In Process”	Call to request an upgrade to expedited service	Processing timeline is measured from when the upgrade request is received
Office requested more documents	Send what they asked for right away, then ask about upgrading	Case can stay paused until the missing item arrives
Applied for book and want faster delivery	Add 1–3 day delivery for the passport book	Faster mailing can cut down the “after approval” wait
Applied for card only	Ask about expedited service, skip 1–3 day delivery	Cards ship by First Class Mail
Travel is close and you qualify for urgent service	Ask about an agency appointment based on your travel window	Appointment availability varies by location and date
You already paid for expedited, still slow	Confirm service level, keep tracking, ask what is holding it	Refund rules apply if expedited processing is not provided as paid

How Long The Upgrade Can Take Once Requested

People often assume the passport office starts counting the day they mailed the application. That’s not how the official timing works. Processing time starts when the passport agency gets the application, or when it receives your request to upgrade from routine to expedited.

That detail matters because it sets expectations. If your file has been in process for a while and you request an upgrade today, the upgraded processing timeline starts when the upgrade request lands on your file, not when you first mailed the packet.

Costs You Might Pay After You Already Applied

If you’re switching from routine to expedited, the common added fee is the expedited service fee. You may also choose faster return shipping for a passport book. Your original application fees don’t vanish. You’re paying an add-on for speed.

If your application hits a snag, you might also spend money on a new photo, trackable shipping for any documents you send in, or a second trip to an acceptance facility if you must reapply due to a legal timing issue or a returned application.

How To Avoid Delays After You Upgrade

Match names and dates across everything

A surprising number of delays come from small mismatches: missing middle names, hyphen formatting, or date-of-birth errors. When you call, say your name slowly and match it to your application. If you spot a mismatch, ask what the office wants you to do next.

Use trackable shipping when you send anything in

If the passport office asks for more documents, mail them with tracking. Keep the receipt. That proof helps if you need to explain timing later.

Do not send duplicate packets unless you are told to

Sending a second “just in case” packet can confuse processing. If you’re unsure, call and ask what your file shows.

Keep your travel proof ready

If your travel date is close and you might shift to the urgent-travel lane, having a flight itinerary or other proof ready keeps you from scrambling.

Timeline And Cost Scenarios You Can Use For Planning

The table below bundles the usual upgrade costs and timeline logic into simple scenarios. It won’t predict your exact mail time, yet it helps you pick the lane that matches your calendar.

Scenario	What You Pay After Applying	What Usually Works Best
Routine application, travel moved up	$60 expedite fee	Call and request upgrade, then track status
Need faster mailbox-to-hand timing for a book	$60 expedite fee + $22.05 book delivery	Upgrade service and add 1–3 day delivery
Applied for a card only	$60 expedite fee	Upgrade service, skip 1–3 day delivery option
Application stalled by a missing document	Shipping + any replacement document costs	Send requested items fast, then ask about expediting
Travel is close enough that mailing time scares you	Varies by path	Ask about urgent travel appointment rules and availability
Already paid for expedited, still waiting	$0 added (unless you choose faster delivery)	Confirm service level and ask what step the file is in

If You Paid For Expedited And Didn’t Get It

If you paid the expedite fee and your application was not handled as expedited, the State Department has a refund process for the expedite fee in certain cases. Refund decisions are handled case by case, and the rules focus on whether expedited service was provided as paid.

A Simple Checklist Before You Hang Up The Phone

• Confirm the service level on your file after the request is entered.
• Ask what method you must use to submit the upgrade payment for your case.
• Confirm whether you can add 1–3 day delivery for a passport book.
• Ask what status changes you should expect next.
• Ask what you should do if your travel date moves even closer.

What To Do Today If Your Trip Is Coming Up

If you’re reading this because you’re staring at a calendar, start with one action: call and request the upgrade. On the same call, ask whether your status and travel date point you toward a straight upgrade or an agency appointment path.

Then do two small things that help right away: keep your travel proof saved as a PDF on your phone, and keep a note with your application number, name format, and date of birth exactly as it appears on the application.