I wanted to share my experience because I couldn't find many firsthand accounts from people in a…read moresimilar situation, and I hope this helps someone else avoid some of the stress I went through. As the deadline for renewing my passport online approached, I realized a little too late that I didn't qualify for online renewal because my passport was considered damaged. The page requiring my signature had completely torn out of the passport, although I still had the loose page. I spent several days worrying about whether this would actually be considered "damage" since my photo page, passport number, and all of my identifying information were still completely intact. Unfortunately, it did qualify as a damaged passport, meaning I was no longer eligible to renew online. Since my passport was also expired and I had upcoming travel, I had to wait until I was within 14 days of my departure before I could schedule an urgent travel appointment at a U.S. Passport Agency. During that waiting period, I spent quite a bit of time navigating the U.S. Department of State website so I would know exactly what to expect and have everything ready once I became eligible to make an appointment. The morning I became eligible, I logged in right away and was able to secure an appointment for seven days later. I was actually out of town, so I couldn't take one of the earlier appointments that were available, but I was pleasantly surprised that there were still multiple appointment times to choose from. Before my appointment, I completed the passport renewal application online. However, because my passport was damaged, I ended up completing a different application at the agency instead. If your passport is damaged, don't worry if you've already filled out the renewal form - it wasn't a problem. The appropriate form is also available online if you'd rather complete it ahead of time. I also chose to get my passport photos taken at UPS before my appointment. The Passport Agency does offer passport photo services if needed, but taking care of them beforehand can help speed things up a bit. One thing I wasn't expecting was that I needed to provide a written statement explaining how my passport became damaged. They simply handed me a blank sheet of paper at the appointment, and I wrote a brief explanation. If you already know your passport is damaged, you can absolutely prepare this statement in advance. Overall, the appointment itself was incredibly smooth. From the time I walked in until I left, the entire process took less than 30 minutes. The staff were professional, organized, and helpful throughout the process. The best part? I'll be picking up my new passport just two days after my appointment. If you're in a similar situation, here's my biggest advice: - Don't panic if your passport is damaged - you still have options. - Review the passport requirements carefully before assuming you qualify for online renewal. - If you need an urgent travel appointment, be ready to schedule as soon as you become eligible. - Bring passport photos ahead of time if you want to save a little time. - Prepare a brief written explanation of how your passport was damaged. - Most importantly, the process is much less intimidating than it seems. I know how stressful it can be when you're worried about upcoming travel, so hopefully this helps someone else feel a little more prepared. Good luck, and safe travels!

Most people think dealing with Passport Agency is a nightmare however they have not had Layola's…read moreamazing service. She was kind, helpful, explaining in a manner to understand as an individual, and most importantly compassionate. Their phone system has flaws and Layola was calling me back when the calls dropped. I wish there were more people like her to help out in Agency's.

If you think getting a passport has to be a soul-crushing government drag, the UCSD Passport Office…read moreis here to completely shatter that reality. Absolute legends work here. We went in for a minor's passport and photo, expecting the usual bureaucratic slowdown. Instead? We were in and out in under 10 minutes. 10 MINUTES. The staff wasn't just kind and helpful--they actually seemed to legitimately enjoy their jobs, which is a rare unicorn find these days. Fast, friendly, and flawlessly efficient. 10/10, no notes. If they ran the rest of the country, we'd already be living in the year 3000.

We arrived at 3:05 to renew our 11-YO's passport and left at 3:15, when our appointment was…read morescheduled to begin. Completing the forms at home and bringing the back-up documentation (with copies) really helps. Thank you Andrew for the speedy, friendly service! And thank you UCSD Passport Office for providing free on-campus parking :)

Located right next to the library. Came here for passport renewal for kids. You have to schedule an…read moreappointment for each person. No walk ins- I watched them turn people away. There's a $30 processing fee and I think photos are also $15 but we took ours in advance. (Side note- Costco no longer does passport photos). Go online- I just typed in Chula Vista library passports and selected passports and appointments. They release appts the day prior at 5p I believe. I overheard the worker say they're relocating after this week I think. Forgot to ask where. Appts are short like 10mins. Don't be late. Remember both parents must be present for kids passports- you sign in front of them at the end.

Unfortunately, even if the website states " walk-ins are available and are limited ", AND the…read moreappointment they yell out is not there , they can simply close the door and lock it on you. I didn't have an appointment- there never seems to be ANY available for the next year! So, I walked in like I did last year today (last year no problem) .... They called out a family name for an appointment- no show. So instead of taking us, they said no walk ins. When I asked if we could take their place... no. I told them that walk ins were available online- she said no and shut the door on us. Didn't offer help with applying or anything. It must be nice to shut the door when there is an opening and paying customers in line. Why are they there? Who pays them anyway? Paid to do what? Sit and wait for the next appointment- which also might be a no show? Nice!

I don't normally write reviews but this is an exception. Every not so often you run into someone…read morethat is a pro at what he does and trustworthy which is very refreshing in today's business world. We needed help in securing our residency in Mexico wich we found very confusing. Jorge made everything so clear to understand and took us through step by step path to reach our goal. We are so great full for his honesty through out the process and highly recommend Jorge. Thanks again Jorge. Bill and Steph

Boy oh boy, was I glad I hired Mr. Jorge Gonzalez. I'll be…read morehonest -- I thought I had this handled. I speak Spanish fairly well, and I had already navigated family immigration processes like residency and citizenship in the United States. I figured hiring a facilitator for my Mexican immigration process might be a waste of money. I was wrong! ! ! Jorge is a seasoned veteran when it comes to Mexican immigration. Before I even hired him, he patiently answered my questions, and from the way he responded, I could tell he knew Mexican immigration regulations and procedures inside and out. His professionalism and depth of knowledge immediately impressed me -- and that's when I decided to bring him on board. Best decision I could have made. Jorge is meticulous with documentation. He clearly explained what I needed to do before my interview, helped ensure all my paperwork was properly translated and apostille, and always gave me the option to save money by doing certain legwork(translation and apostille)myself if I wanted to. No pressure -- just solid guidance. When my wife and I arrived at the boarder for my appointments, Jorge walked us through every step of the process -- from Mexican customs to the Canje and the immigration office. He made sure we understood exactly what was happening and what to expect. Now, let me be clear -- the Mexican customs and immigration staff were highly highly professional the entire time. But like any government system anywhere in the world, there can be glitches. We hit one. What should have been a quick five-minute stop at customs to process the Canje turned into a 35-45 minute delay. The officer asked me to sit down while he verified my visa in the office, not to get in detail I had conflicting information on the Visa. That's when things could have gotten stressful. But Jorge? He immediately notice the delay and went into action. He started making calls to his contacts, checking whether Mexican system where down or if he could adjust appointment time if necessary. He anticipated the problem before it became one. Fortunately for me, customs resolved the issue and cleared me to proceed -- that was the moment I truly understood the power of having a professional facilitator in your corner. As someone who works in government, I understand how important it is to build strong professional relationships within the agencies and industries you oversee. The same applies to facilitators. They cultivate professional relationships with the government agencies they work with -- especially when interacting with them on a daily or weekly basis. Having someone with those established connections can make a significant difference when unexpected issues arise. Mexican immigration can be extremely detail-oriented. If your paperwork isn't perfect, you can easily lose hours -- or days. I did not want to be the person getting turned away because of a missing document or technicality. Something that should take a couple of hours can quickly turn into a days or week if you're misinformed. When we arrive at the Mexican immigration Jorge does must of the documentation review with the immigration officer. With Jorge on our side the documentation and procedures was very smooth and trough out the process Jorge inform us of every step of the process. If you're considering an immigration visa to Mexico, I absolutely recommend Jorge Gonzalez. I know I'll be working with him again -- my end goal is Mexican citizenship, and there's no question who I'll trust to help me get my Mexican citizenship hassle free. If you're thinking about taking the plunge, do yourself a favor and get a pro in your corner. Hope this helps.

Highly recommend. They helped me obtain a travel visa for China. Patricia Villanueva was with me…read moreevery step of the way. Excellent and responsive communication through the entire process. I thought it was reasonably priced and they absolutely know what they're doing which is obviously critical since everything needs to be submitted to perfection. My only 'complaint' is that they do not have an office in San Diego which they intimate on their website. Instead, I mailed everything (including my passport) to what appeared to be a random dude in LA. That gave me a very uneasy feeling and if something went wrong, I had no office to go to. I believe that Patricia is located in the Philippines. Fortunately everything worked out but I would have rested easier during the process if they had a physical office in San Diego.

Fantastic service! They said it would take six business days and they delivered. Just in time for a…read morefamily trip Thank you!!

This office is amazing and so so helpful. The seri e was quick and efficient!! Full service for…read moreeverything you need for your passport needs

Terrible experience. It's a shame because when I went earlier today for my own passport…read moreapplication, it was a very nice and seamless experience. Because of that positive experience, I went home and convinced my mom to return the same day to submit her application. Unfortunately, our second visit was completely different. We were helped by a young woman whose name I believe started with an "M." There were two employees working at the time with similar names, so to clarify, she was the one wearing a black jacket during our visit. From the start, the interaction felt very uncomfortable. She seemed irritated and dismissive, and every question we asked was met with noticeable attitude and impatience. It felt as though our presence and questions were an inconvenience. Applying for a passport can already be stressful, and customer service makes a big difference in that experience. We simply expected to be treated with basic courtesy and respect. I hope this feedback helps ensure future customers have a more positive interaction.

Where do I even begin? I needed a visa to China in less than five business days, and Karina Davis…read moreand Express Travel Services made it happen -- with a day to spare!! I was simply amazed and left only to believe in magic (and yes, she's handled similar asks for business traveler friends of mine, too!). But what really stood out wasn't just the unbelievable result, it was the way the team at Express Travel Services handled everything along the way. Karina brought such professionalism, organization, and genuine care to what was honestly a very stressful situation for me. She and her network worked tirelessly to make what felt almost impossible seem seamless. Every detail was handled thoughtfully, and I always felt like I was in good hands with constant, personalized updates along the way. If they could deliver on a request this difficult, I have no doubt they can handle just about any travel or visa need you may have. Truly above and beyond service. Six out of five stars. Thank you again, Karina!

Worry free visa! Karina is awesome! Her customer service skills are exceptional. Super…read moreresponsive and always communicates each step of the process. If you need to be sure you will be ready to travel, call Karina. Thanks so much! Peter

Servicio horrible. Llamamos 3 veces para preguntar los requisitos para un pasaporte mexicano. Nunca…read moremencionaron que no hay citas disponibles. Antes de cruzar de San Diego a Tijuana llamamos para preguntar si había disponibilidad y dijieron que era como llegara la gente. Cruzamos a Tijuana y cuando hicimos el check in les dijimos que veníamos para el pasaporte. Nos sentamos y ya cuando nos llamaron para atendernos nos dijieron que no hay citas disponibles para pasaporte. Nos hicieron perder el tiempo tienen gente inservible trabajando ahí

Called three times to make sure I could get my Mexican passport here and each time they told me I…read morecould. Called one last time before crossing the border because we were afraid we would cross and waste our time and sure enough we arrived and they told us we couldn't get our passport because they weren't doing appointments at this time and that it was an error on the person who answered the phone ( 3 differnt times). Yet when we checked in with the front desk girl she mentioned nothing about not being able to get our passport. Then the guy that "helped" us charged me to make an appt in San Diego that's free to book. Don't even waste your time coming here. False advertisement.

Passport Now just saved my arse and it didn't cost me a dime. How great is that? All started cpl…read moredays ago when I was checking into my intentional flight and the airline system wouldn't let me due to 'passport validity'. My passport expires in 5 months and me being an idiot didn't know about most countries 6 months minimum rule. So it's a Sunday and I'm freakin' out and I come across Passport Now and gave them a call. Went to voicemail. I received a text right away to which I replied asking someone to call me back asap. Shortly later I get a call back from Larry, who turned out to be a Godsend. I explained to him my situation and Larry was honest and said the quickest turnaround time they could do for me was a cpl days which wouldn't work for me since my flight was Monday night. So Larry advised me and gave some suggestions that I could do myself to try to get a new passport by the next day. Long story short, everything Larry suggested was spot on. Not gonna lie, it was still pretty stressful naturally but I was able to get a new passport by Monday afternoon and make my international flight later in the evening. I am going to recommend Passport Now to any friends that need their services, They are top notch and truly care about helping people out.

It's pretty scary to need to obtain a VISA. We needed on for China. I read on various sites we…read moredidn't need one, but as it is with the internet, they were incorrect/didn't explain the limiting restricts well. We worked with Passport Now and everything was handled with the utmost information. Communications were great, they handled all my questions quickly and in a manner I could understand and feel confident I went with the right company. I can easily HIGHLY recommend using Passport Now for your future travel needs. You won't be disappointed.

I was skeptical at first but my gut told me to put my trust in Yanna. She is amazing and very…read moreinformative I'm so happy we decided to go along with her! She prepared all of our documents and gave us valuable insights from her experience! Everything went smooth and fast (during the pandemic wow!) Thank You Yanna we will be referring you to our friends and families!

Yanna Gabin helped me and she was very knowledgeable, courteous, and finished all of my paperwork…read morein timely manner. The best thing of all that she was affordable and she made no mistakes with anything because she does this with passion and her attention to details is awesome!!! I highly recommend Yanna Gbin for anybody who needs immigration consulting or tedious forms to be filled out properly. She is NOT a lawyer so no legal advice but she has tremendous experience in the field.