Don't have a passport, what should I do?

Question

Today is Monday. I am driving to Mexico this friday but haven't applied for my passport yet. I don't think I will have any trouble getting into mexico without a passport, some people say all you need is an I.D., but I am going to have a problem coming back. What options do I have? I was thinking, can I apply for my passport and have it mailed to mexico, so I can just receive it over there and won't have a problem getting back. Is there a way I can get it faster and maybe get it before I leave? Also how much does it usually cost in the state of illinios to have your passport sent the fastest it can be sent?

Answer 1

apply for passport and ask to send it to you to Mexico that way you will not be late for your trip and it will not cost you much.

Answer 2

As of Jan 2008 you are required to have a passport or passport ID to travel to Mexico or Canada from the USA. You can get a passport expidited but it will cost you a chunk of change. Not sure if you can get it by Friday. You can go to the passport office in Chicago and probably get one in 24 hours. Visit website below. DO NOT go through the hawkers to get one. Go straight to the US government.

Answer 3

No, you will not be able to apply for a passport and get it on time. Right now they have a serious backlog on passports, so even if you were to apply tomorrow, it will take several weeks -- some of my friends told me it's taken months for them to get it, although i don't know if this is true.

In any case, given that you are only driving to Mexico, you should be OK. Mexico doesn't require a passport... and, if you are a U.S. citizen, you don't need a passport to enter the United States by land. Look at:

http://www.dhs.gov/xtrvlsec/crossingbord...

They provide a whole list of documents you can use to prove that you are a U.S. citizen and that should suffice.

Answer 4

one to two weeks if you pay extra to expedite it .  or if you go to the main office were they issue passports, I believe they will issue it the same day.