ABOUT US

Hand Carry Express is a service designed for US citizens who need a passport, and are traveling within the next two to three weeks. Our goal is to give useful information to all involved parties, so the passport applicant can handle their application easily and efficiently. Hand Carry Express is a division of Urgent Passport Services - a private Passport and Visa expediting firm headquartered in Chicago. We have been in business since 2001 and are registered with the US Department of State as a passport expediting service.

Why Use Hand Carry Express?

A passport applicant traveling within 21 days really only has two options. They can go to their nearest passport agency, or they can use the services of a professional expediting firm that will hand-carry their application for them. If the passport applicant is close to a passport agency, we recommend that they try to handle it in person. If the applicant is not near a passport agency, or is unable to get an appointment, they should use a professional expediting company to hand-carry their passport application. In many instances, it would cost a passport applicant much more money to physically go to a passport agency themselves. Hand Carry Express is often the most affordable option.

Example 1:

John Smith lives in Topeka, Kansas and is without a passport. John realizes he will need a passport for his trip to Barbados in ten days.

John only has two options.

Option A) John drives or flies to either Chicago or Houston to apply in person at the US Passport agency

Option B) John handles everything through his local US Post Office or County Clerk along with the expediting services of Hand-Carry Express or any other passport expediting firm

Solution - Unless John has access to free gasoline or his sister works for United Airlines - option B will be John's easiest and cheapest solution.

Guarantee:

We guarantee the processing of the customer's passport within the time frame that the customer selects. For example, 24 hour service means that the passport is guaranteed to be processed within 24 hours once we receive it, during business days. Obviously the US Government is closed nationwide on the weekends and during Federal holidays. There are situations where the guarantee does not apply - examples include; the applicant not filling out their forms correctly, the applicant having back child support over $5000, or the overnight shipping company failing to deliver the passport on time. Specifically, the guarantee covers the processing time to complete the passport. This guarantee is 100% money back, no questions asked. Since there are tracking numbers from when we receive the application, and when the application is sent out - the customer can easily understand exactly how fast their passport was processed.

Passport Agents:

All passport agents are familiar with the PARG ( Passport Agent's Reference Guide ). The process of Hand-Carrying a US Passport by a third party is clearly explained in the PARG. All the same requirements must be met on your end when the passport applicant is having his or her documents verified and sealed. The applicant must provide all the documentation necessary for an expedited application. The applicant must also provide proof of travel departure as well as the Letter of Authorization from the third party - hand carry service. When you Express Mail the application to Hand Carry Express, you should seal the documents and leave the Order Form / Letter of Authorization on the outside of the sealed envelope. In other words, when we open the Express Mail envelope here in Chicago - we should find the sealed government envelope and the order form / L.O.A. As always, if you have any questions please feel free to give us a call at 1-800-573-3738. We would like to hear from you.

Printing More Copies of the Order Form / Letter of Authorization:

This document has been saved as an Adobe PDF file. Just click on this link and print as many copies as you like.

General Timeline of A Hand-Carried Passport Application:

Step 1: The Passport Applicant completes all forms and has the documents sealed at the Post Office or County Clerk

Step 2: The Passport Applicant uses Express Mail or Fedex to overnight ship the sealed envelope & Order Form / L.O.A. to Urgent Passport Services

Step 3: We receive the Hand-Carry passport application and physically submit the application to a passport agent with the US Department of State

Step 4: We physically pickup the completed passport application from the passport agency, check it for errors, and overnight it back to the applicant

Step 5: The passport applicant receives an e-mail or phone call with the tracking number of their overnight shipment

Step 6: The passport applicant receives the overnight shipment which includes the completed passport, a detailed receipt, and original citizenship documents

Additional Benefits:

The benefits are many when using our services. Fast passport processing is the obvious benefit, but just as important is the personal oversight of the passport applicant's application. If there is any sort of problem with the applicant's application, we know about it as soon as we submit the application to the Passport Agency. That means that any potential delays can be averted by communicating the problem to the applicant and fixing it immediately. Routine issues such as, incorrect passport photos or applications that aren't signed can be recognized and fixed. Thus preventing any delays to the passport's completion.

Dear Passport Agent:

Please Note: Hand Carry Express is a private service. We are not part of the US Department of State.
Hand-Carry Express is a dedicated service that we have developed specifically for walk in customers. We offer a viable alternative for your local passport applicants who require a passport within 3 weeks. Just follow these three simple steps.

Step 1: Seal the customer's passport application as you would for a normal expedited application
Step 2: The customer fills out the Order Form & Letter of Authorization
Step 3: The Sealed Envelope and Order Form & L.O.A. are Express Mailed for Hand-Carrying
* This process is clearly explained in the PARG (Passport Agent Reference Guide)

We offer 24 hr, 4 Day, and 8 Day expedited passport services
All passport applications may be tracked via our dedicated web site or by phone
Guaranteed delivery

Finally there is an easy way for you to provide fast, reliable service to you walk in passport customers.

HAND CARRY EXPRESS