Won't get passport in time? Need it quickly!!

[amaranth]

Hello everyone. I am new to these forums and have had an interest in the Japanese language and culture for a time. Recently I've gotten the opportunity through my high school to go traveling to Japan on an exchange program. I have gathered the DS-11 form, my birth certificate and wrote a check for the appropriate amount of money, but even with all this, I'm nervous about whether or not I'll get my passport in time!

I have not yet sent my passport application. I've researched online about how to get a passport and it seems Japan won't accept passports from Americans and Canadians who haven't had their passport in possession for 3 months. Is this true? I am going on the trip maybe late march to early April.

I was also looking into some expedite services online and they all seem like scams. Does anyone have any reliable sites they have used in the past that they have gotten positive results from? I don't think I will be able to go to Japan this spring if I don't figure out how to get it soon. Thank you for your help.

[IamKira]

expedite it, .. it's gonna cut it close though

[MMM]

Originally Posted by amaranth

I have not yet applied for a passport. I've researched online about how to get a passport and it seems Japan won't accept passports from Americans and Canadians who haven't had their passport in possession for 3 months. I am going on the trip maybe late march to early April. I was also looking into some expedite services online and they all seem like scams. Does anyone have any reliable sites they have used in the past that they have gotten positive results from? I don't think I will be able to go to Japan this spring if I don't figure out how to get it soon. I was wondering if anyone could help me find an expediting service or could help me figure out if there could possibly be any exceptions.

The passport issuing office will offer an expedited service (at a cost, of course). A passport is a government issued document, so i don't think private companies can expedite it.

I have never heard of the idea that you have to have a passport for at least three months before you arrive. Are you sure you are not confusing that with the length of your stay? (Max three months with a tourist visa).

[NTREEG]

I think you got some bad information about the 3 month rule. I got my American passport on May 29, 2007 and made my first trip to Japan on June 28, 2007, less than 1 month after receiving my passport. I don't think you have anything to worry about.

As for expediting your passport, you can pay extra money at the post office when you apply for your passport to have it expedited. That's what I did. It cost me about an extra $100 ($60 for the processing fee and the rest for shipping charges). It takes about 2 weeks if you pay for expedited service.
Application Processing Times

I also had a roommate that drove to a regional passport agency and got his passport in a couple hours (granted this was back in the 1990s).
Regional Passport Agencies

[amaranth]

Such quick replys! I was editing my post a couple times while you guys were answering i guess.

thank you for telling me the 3 month rule may be false. I have tried looking that up again and couldn't find the exact wording anywhere so I'm just going to hope that I read it wrong. lol. although expediting wouldn't hurt.....

[amaranth]

Also do you need your actual birth certificate or can you scan it?

when you all turned in your passport did you turn it into the office by hand or did you mail it? I'm worried about it being lost in the mail and I want to make sure I'm doing everything right.its alright if i have a manilla envelope right?

[MMM]

Originally Posted by amaranth

Also do you need your actual birth certificate or can you scan it?

when you all turned in your passport did you turn it into the office by hand or did you mail it? I'm worried about it being lost in the mail and I want to make sure I'm doing everything right.its alright if i have a manilla envelope right?

You may need an "official scan" that has been notarized. Your City Hall will have all those answers.

[Polar]

amaranth, you're mistaken about the 3 month thing.

That's the length of your visa.

When I went this year, my passport was issued on the 5th and I left for Tokyo on the 9th of March. Had no issues.

It'll cost you a bit more but it's quite doable. Now the passport office here in Canada will expedite it BUT you have to have your ticket to show as proof, they won't rush it otherwise.

[TalnSG]

There are legitimate companies that expedite passports by working with the government offices on a frequently basis. However, I would be skeptical of one online.

If you are in a large enough city to have a federal office (even if it is not one issuing passports), go to the office and ask about expediting the process. They actually have a program for that. In the past few years, some larger post offices also provide passport processing. Failing all this, you can try contacting the HR department of a defense contractor if there is one locally. They should be able to tell you who they use locally to expedite their employee's passports. Senior execs for most defense contractors often forget to renew their till the last minute.

A few years ago the processing had a serious backlog, but you might check on what the turnaround time is currently before spending the extra funds to expedite the process. I hear that things are a little quicker than they were the last time I renewed mine.

BTW if you are in the Dallas area, I know exactly who to refer you to, so PM me.

[Allene7]

Originally Posted by amaranth

Also do you need your actual birth certificate or can you scan it?

when you all turned in your passport did you turn it into the office by hand or did you mail it? I'm worried about it being lost in the mail and I want to make sure I'm doing everything right.its alright if i have a manilla envelope right?

You'll need an official copy of your birth certificate. I was worried about sending my actual one too so I just got a copy. It was pretty cheap to do so. I think it only cost me about $10-$12. I also just mailed in my stuff to them and everything was fine. I sent it all in a regular envelope though but if you want to send yours in a manilla envelope I can't think of any reason why you shouldn't. It's your choice.