Many for-profit companies can help you can get a passport in just 24 hours.

In our fast paced internet era, it's possible to book overseas flights and foreign hotel rooms in mere seconds, a fact that makes last-minute travel far easier than it once was. But travelers still need passports, and although the process of getting or renewing one is faster than it has ever been, old-fashioned delays, bureaucracy and red tape can occasionally slow things down. So what are your options if you're due to leave the country in a few days, and you suddenly remember that your passport isn't up to date?

Janet Libert has been the editor and publisher of American Express Publishing's SkyGuide since 1994. Before this, Libert was at the Official Airline Guide, where she handled the publication's business travel marketing. Here she offers tips for travelers who need to get their passports in a hurry:

• The slow way. The old way of getting a passport issued or renewed is a very paper-intensive process that can take anywhere from six to ten weeks.

• A faster option. A faster way to do things is to go directly to one of about 15 passport agencies that are located around the country, usually in major cities.

• Online research. To find such agencies and more information to help you speed through the process, do some research on the internet. The site at www.travel.state.gov/passport_services.html is a perfect place to start, and will likely answer most of your passport-related questions.

• Expediters. If you're in a serious rush, and need your passport in a few days, you can search the Internet to find one of many passport expediters. These are companies that can help you get your passport in as short a time as 24 hours, and can be well worth the money if an expensive overseas trip is hanging in the balance.

Skyguide
www.skyguide.net

U.S. Department of State: Passport Services and Information
www.travel.state.gov/passport_services.html

Passport Express
www.passportexpress.com/home.asp

American Passport
www.americanpassport.com

Passports and Visas
www.passportsandvisas.com/index.asp?affiliate=goopass24