Congressman Cramer is able to assist constituents in expediting passports on very short notice. A surcharge of $60.00 per passport is be assessed for the expedited service.

The check or money order for this fee is payable the "Passport Service" Expedited passports will be processed within 3 business days of receipt by the Special Passport Division in Washington, D.C. that assists Congressional offices.

The passport must first be processed and sealed by the Clerk of the Court. The application must include the applicable passport fees, a photocopy of the traveler's evidence of urgent travel, the $60.00 fee for each expedite service. Also, please provide a cover letter stating your complete name, return address, social security number, date of birth, and date of departure. Prepaid overnight delivery is suggested both to and from my Washington, D.C. office.

If you have any additional questions about your passport and if you are a registered voter of the 5th Congressional District only, feel free to contact Ms. Peggy Fields at (202) 225-4801 or e-mail Congressman Cramer attention Ms. Peggy Fields.

Passports are obtained through the Passport Services Division of the Department of State.  Through your local passport acceptance agent, usually the Post Office or county courthouse, you can apply for a new passport, renew your old one, or do any of a number of things, including replacing a lost, stolen, or damaged passport, or adding new pages to your existing book. 

Traveling Overseas

You've got your passport and you're ready to go on your trip, right?  Not quite.  You still have to check with the country or countries you'll be visiting to determine whether or not you'll need a visa. A visa is permission  from a country to cross their borders and comes in the form of a page inserted in your U.S. Passport.  You usually have to mail your passport to the Embassy or Consulate of the country you'll be visiting, so allow plenty of time to accomplish this. 

Also, check the State Department website for travel warning and consular information sheets that provide very helpful information about the country you plan on visiting.  The State Department services website also contains very comprehensive information on all the services it provides both stateside and abroad. This includes crisis assistance for U.S. citizens living or traveling abroad, and various travel publications available on-line.

American Embassies and Consulates General

Many U.S. Diplomatic Missions abroad have information on-line. For those that don't, check the State Department's Key Officers of Foreign Service Posts for addresses, and phone and fax numbers for U.S. Embassies and Consulates throughout the world.

Passports in a Hurry

Passports usually take from six to eight weeks to issue. For a $60.00 fee -- plus the cost of 2-way overnight mail -- you can "expedite" this process and receive your passport in 7 to 10 working days.