- Proof of departure is a requirement by the U.S. Passport Agency
The U.S. Passport Agency requires that you provide proof of travel, proving that you need a passport on an urgent basis. For the 4–6-day service and 10-day service, proof of travel needs to be in 17 calendar days or less. In most cases this is a printout of your flight itinerary- such as the confirmation email you are sent after booking a flight online. If you need to obtain a travel visa prior to travel, your proof of travel is allowed to be 30 days out. If you are traveling for work purposes, you also have the option of providing a company letter of intent instead of a printout of your flight itinerary. This letter should detail your travel plans and be signed by someone in your company other than yourself. Here is a sample letter of intent.
Note: many Passport Acceptance Agents require a flight itinerary indicating that you are traveling in 2 weeks or less.