In order to attain a U.S. Passport, U.S. Citizens are required to submit Form DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport to the State Department with a personal appearance at an Acceptance Facility or Passport Agency. In order to be approved for a passport, the applicant must submit proof of U.S. citizenship and evidence supporting his identity. The State Department estimates routine processing of Form DS-11 to take 4 to 6 weeks. For a higher fee, applicants may elect to submit their applications for expedited processing estimated to take 2 to 3 weeks. If an applicant needs the passport in less than 2 weeks for international travel or less than 4 weeks in order to secure a foreign visa, the State Department recommends that the applicant contact a Regional Passport Agency. The contact point for all questions regarding U.S. passports, travel emergencies and making appointments with Regional Passport Agencies is the National Passport Information Center (NPIC), which supports email and online appointment making to streamline communication with applicants. The NPIC offers passport information 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and has representatives available weekdays from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.