A person who intends to travel outside his country of citizenship will need a passport. This also applies to children. Irrespective of the mode of travel, air or land, the same principle applies. At times, it is possible for a parent to have overlooked the importance of the passport. This can still be rectified with the aid of expedited pass ports for children.

Timetable

A passport takes four to six weeks from the time the application is submitted to receipt of same. If the international trip is urgent, the US Department of State also offers expedited services. These services will shorten the duration of processing and delivery to two weeks.

Expedited Service

The cost of an expedited passport differs from the standard cost. The variation in the price depends on the speed at which you want the passport. There are independent agencies that provide this service. They have the passport available within a day to 12 days. However, if the passport is not needed urgently, the cost of this service is low.

Government Licensing

There are both online and offline passport expediting services available. The only criterion that you should consider is whether the service provider is government licensed. These agencies will collect your data and help you through the entire application process. If you are using an online service provider, you will need to check your email regularly. The expediter will send you further instructions. Offline providers will contact you by phone for necessary instructions.

Payment

The method of payment also varies in regard to the choice of service provider. PayPal, credit card, bank wire and other electronic means of payment are available for the online passport agencies. The offline agencies have the option of bank deposits, credit cards, bank wire, checks, money orders and credit/debit cards. The most convenient payment plan can assist in choosing an agency to patronize.

Additional Charges

The agency helping you with the expedited passport will charge you for the standard government’s passport fee. They will also charge you for their service. If they are the traveling agency in charge of your traveling arrangements, the charges might be included with other services.

Parental Involvement

Notwithstanding the agency you use, the parental/guardian role cannot be bypassed. The present law stipulates that parents/guardians should be available for the application submission. This law applies to all minors who are age 15 and below. The parents/guardian is also responsible for all financial involvement that accompanies the process. They will be needed all through the application process.

Book or Card

When applying for infant pass port, you need to specify the nature of passport you want. There is the passport book and the passport card. With the passport book, a minor gets to travel by any means of transportation to any part of the world. The passport card is valid only for land and sea travels. This limits the travel destination to Canada, Mexico, Caribbean and Bermuda. The fees applicable to each of the passports also vary.