Can You Get Your Passport Same Day in Chicago?

Yes, you can get a same-day passport in Chicago, but only through the federal passport agency at 101 Ida B. Wells Drive, and only if you have confirmed international travel within 14 calendar days, a foreign visa need within 28 days, or a life-or-death family emergency abroad. It runs by appointment, and every appointment is checked against those eligibility rules. Bring the right documents, book the slot, and a passport specialist can issue your book the same day or the next business day.

Who Qualifies

The Chicago agency handles two categories of urgent cases. The first is international travel within 14 calendar days. If your trip requires a foreign visa, the window opens to 28 days before departure. You’ll need printed proof of travel, meaning a confirmed itinerary or airline ticket, not a screenshot of a search result.¹

The second is a life-or-death emergency involving an immediate family member outside the United States who has died, is dying or in hospice, or has a life-threatening illness or injury. Documentation is required: a death certificate, a statement from a mortuary, or a letter on hospital letterhead signed by a doctor. Non-English documents need a professional translation. These cases are prioritized and are generally ready within 24 to 48 hours, sometimes the same day.²

If your trip is further out than 14 days (or 28 with a visa need), you don’t qualify for an agency appointment. That’s a firm line, not a suggestion.

Booking the Appointment

How you schedule depends on whether you’ve already sent in an application. If you haven’t applied yet, book through the State Department’s Online Passport Appointment System. You enter your travel dates, and the system decides whether you qualify and whether slots are open. If you already mailed an application and now need it faster, call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 to request an agency appointment.³

The phone line runs Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. Eastern, and weekends 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Appointments aren’t guaranteed. They go quickly, especially in spring and summer. The Chicago agency itself is open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., and Thursday from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., closed on federal holidays.¹

What to Bring

Miss a document and the appointment falls apart. With travel in days, there is no second try. Gather everything before you leave for downtown.

Proof of U.S. Citizenship

You need an original citizenship document. The common options are a U.S. birth certificate showing the registrar’s signature, the seal of the issuing city, county, or state, your full name, date and place of birth, both parents’ full names, and a filing date within one year of birth; an undamaged U.S. passport that was valid for its full term; or a Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship. Bring a single-sided photocopy of the front and back.⁴

Photo ID and a Copy

A physical, government-issued photo ID such as a driver’s license, plus a photocopy of the front and back.⁴

Passport Photo

One color photo taken within the last six months, white or off-white background, no shadows or texture. Remove eyeglasses, sunglasses, and tinted glasses. If a medical condition prevents you from removing them, bring a signed note from your doctor.⁵

Application Form

Most applicants need Form DS-11: first-time applicants, anyone whose previous passport was lost or stolen, anyone whose previous passport was issued before age 16, and anyone whose passport expired more than 15 years ago. Use the State Department’s online Form Filler, print it single-sided, and do not sign it. A passport specialist will administer an oath and have you sign at the counter.⁶ For urgent renewals, the State Department directs you to renew in person at a passport agency.⁷

Proof of Travel and Name Change

A printed airline ticket, itinerary, or cruise booking. If your name has changed since your last passport and you’re using DS-11, bring the original or certified name-change document, such as a marriage certificate, divorce decree, or court order.⁸

Fees

You pay the application fee plus the $60 expedited service fee. The $35 execution fee that acceptance facilities charge doesn’t apply at a passport agency.⁹

Adult passport book (age 16+): $130 application fee plus $60 expedite fee, total $190
Child passport book (under 16): $100 application fee plus $60 expedite fee, total $160
1–3 day delivery, if mailed instead of picked up: $22.05

The Chicago agency takes credit cards, debit cards, and contactless payments including Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Samsung Pay. No cash, personal checks, or money orders.¹

Same-Day for a Child Under 16

Both parents or legal guardians must appear in person with the child and give consent. The agency will not waive that without documentation.¹⁰

If one parent can’t come, that parent signs Form DS-3053 (Statement of Consent) before a notary and includes a photocopy of the ID they showed the notary. The notarized form must be submitted within three months of signing. If the other parent can’t be located at all, use Form DS-5525 (Statement of Special Family Circumstances) instead.

A parent with sole legal custody can apply alone with a court order granting sole custody, a certified birth certificate listing only one parent, or a certified death certificate or judicial declaration of incompetence for the other parent. If neither parent can attend, a third party such as a grandparent can apply with a notarized DS-3053 or notarized statements from both parents, plus photocopies of both parents’ IDs.¹⁰

Lost or Stolen Passport

A lost or stolen passport disqualifies you from renewal, so you’ll apply on Form DS-11, not DS-82. On the form, spell out when and where the passport went missing. Skip those details and the State Department may pause your application and ask for Form DS-64 separately, which costs you time.¹¹ Same-day eligibility is unchanged: confirmed international travel within 14 calendar days and printed proof.

At the Agency

The Chicago Passport Agency is on the 9th floor of 101 Ida B. Wells Drive (formerly 101 W. Congress Parkway). Arrive early. You’ll pass through security before entering. Weapons and sharp objects are prohibited, and no food or drinks beyond water in a sealable bottle.¹

After check-in, you wait to meet a passport specialist, who reviews your documents, verifies your identity, administers the oath, and has you sign the application. Once accepted, staff will tell you how you’re receiving the passport based on your departure date. Many applicants pick up the same day or the next business day. Monitors call out appointment numbers when passports are ready. If your travel is a few days out, the agency may ship it instead.

If No Chicago Appointments Are Available

Slots can vanish quickly. The online appointment system shows availability at all agencies, so check other cities too. Detroit and Minneapolis are the closest alternatives to Chicago.¹²

Another route is a registered passport courier. The State Department authorizes certain private couriers to hand-deliver applications and pick up finished passports at agencies. The courier must be formally registered with that specific agency, and you sign a letter of authorization naming one company. Couriers can only handle expedited applications for travelers leaving within 14 calendar days or needing a visa within four weeks. They charge their own fees on top of the government fees, and they cannot get your passport processed any faster than if you applied yourself. Any company claiming otherwise is violating federal rules.¹³

If your trip is more than two weeks but under six weeks out, you don’t need an agency appointment at all. Apply in person at any passport acceptance facility, post offices, clerks’ offices, and many libraries qualify, and pay the $60 expedite fee. Expedited processing by mail is slower than an agency visit, but it’s the right path when same-day service isn’t needed or available.³

1
U.S. Department of State. Apply at the Chicago Passport Agency
2
U.S. Department of State. Get a Passport if You Have a Life-or-Death Emergency
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U.S. Department of State. How to Get My U.S. Passport Fast
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U.S. Department of State. Apply for Your Adult Passport
5
U.S. Department of State. Passport Photos
6
U.S. Department of State. Passport Forms
7
U.S. Department of State. Renew Your Passport by Mail
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U.S. Department of State. Change or Correct a Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Passport Fees
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U.S. Department of State. Apply for a Child’s U.S. Passport
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U.S. Department of State. Report Your Passport Lost or Stolen
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U.S. Department of State. Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency or Center
13
Federal Register. Passports; Procedures for Passport Couriers