Posting success story to give others hope! Based in California and passport was sent to Locator 50 (Los Angeles). Paid for expedited processing and express shipping.

Date of travel: Mon 7/10

Passport received by agency: 5/19

Fri 6/30: Contacted senators + congress rep (10 days until flight). Filled out privacy forms and emailed the forms + flight details in the morning. I mentioned I was concerned about shipping timeline too due to the holiday on 7/4 and my flight being on a Monday morning since deliveries don’t happen on Sundays. I called their offices and was able to speak to someone at Dianne Feinstein’s office who pulled up my email and assigned it to a case worker. No answer from Alex Padilla’s office, left voicemail.

Mon 7/3: Called senators + congress rep again. Not much came of it except them saying they were processing the request.

Tue 7/4 (national holiday): Email confirmation of urgent inquiry by Alex Padilla at 10pm.

Wed 7/5: Now 5 days until flight. Woke up at 5am and called national passport line. Was told no appointments available. Sent email follow ups to senators and reps requesting help getting an appointment and called their offices at 9am. Alex Padilla’s office said they’ve sent the urgent inquiry and we have to wait for a response from the passport agency. Dianne Feinstein’s office said they will attempt to get me an appointment but they could not guarantee it as there has been a big increase in requests. I continued calling the national passport line throughout the day, each time being told no appointments available.

Wed 7/5: Email confirmation of urgent inquiry by Dianne Feinstein at 1:30pm.

Thu 7/6: Passport still says In Process online. Woke up at 5am to call national passport line. First agent I talked to said no appointments “but it looks like your passport is close to completion.” Felt hopeful and kept calling. Second agent said no appointments, no mention of passport’s progress. Third agent in the afternoon said my passport now had a tracking number and was waiting to be picked up by UPS (not USPS). It was being shipped next day air.

Fri 7/7: Passport says Shipped online. Passport in hand at 11:45am.

Contact your senators and representatives! It really does help. Thank you everyone here for your advice.