WELCOME

Thank you for your interest in Swift Passport Services’ Passports to Profits Program offered to mailstores nationwide!

If you are the owner or manager of a mailstore looking to expand your service offerings and boost revenue in an exciting way, offering expedited passport services could be the perfect fit for you! With a high demand for passports in our country, many people require faster processing times than the standard options offer.  By offering this essential service, you’ll not only meet your customers’ urgent needs but also earn their loyalty. They’ll return to your store knowing you’ve saved them time and hassle.

With Swift’s expedited passport services, you can earn a minimum of $75 per order, ensuring a profitable addition to your business.

Ready to diversify your services and boost your income? Become a registered partner today for free and start processing passports with Swift. Don’t miss out on this opportunity!”

Next Step:  Agree to the partnership agreement and complete your free registration 

PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

When your customers require expedited passport service, time is typically of the essence, and there is often no room for errors and delays.  Errors can result in a missed or delayed trip, and an unhappy customer!  On the flip side, getting to be the hero when your customer is in a huge pinch can result in a lifetime customer who trusts you.  At Swift, we understand that not all mailstores have the time and resources to become experts in expedited passport processing.  We have developed 2 business models, so that all mailstores can participate in our program.  You get to decide if you want to use one model or both models as outlined in this agreement based on your store’s resources and capabilities. 

BUSINESS MODEL OPTION 1 PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

Summary of service:  Identify a customer in need of expedited passport service and refer them to Swift here.  Please review this link now to ensure what information is needed to make a referral!

Benefits:  You will receive a $75 commission if the traveler places an order.  All you need to do is make the introduction or refer Swift to your customer!  No expertise is required to use this option- let the experts at Swift manage the order from start to finish. 

• $75 commission is rewarded for expedited passport referrals that result in a placed order.
• Commission applies to all passport services except our slowest service (2-3 weeks)
• Commission is not issued if the traveler does not place an order with Swift.
• Commission is not issued for orders that are placed and then cancelled.
• We offer a $45 commission for visa service referrals, this excludes e-visa services.
• If you are referring a traveler for a passport service, please make sure they understand that this is for expedited service only. Please do not refer customers traveling in 10 weeks or more, these individuals should apply by mail.
• Please do not refer customers traveling in 1 week or less, these customers should be directed to apply in person at a Passport Agency.
• Commissions are paid on a quarterly basis. We will confirm which of your referrals placed orders.

If you only plan to use Option 1, you can sign this agreement now, without reading the details of Option 2; they will not apply to your store.

IMPORTANT LINKS

Link to Make a Referral

BUSINESS MODEL OPTION 2 PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT

There is an expectation that stores who use option 2 have a higher level of expertise than the public.  To use this service, you should be able to comfortably walk a customer through the Required Document Checklist for each of the passport services Swift offers.  By placing an order on your web portal, Swift is under the assumption that you have watched all the training videos on your web portal and have a keen understanding of the passport expediting process.  We welcome you to reach out to us after you have completed the training videos for a consultation if you have questions about offering this service. 

By placing an order on our website, you are agreeing to the terms of this partnership agreement as well as Swift’s terms of service.  Please call or email prior to placing an order if you have any questions about our terms of service, as we have a $100 cancellation fee for all cancelled orders.

QUALIFYING A CUSTOMER

The US government offers the public 4 avenues to apply for a US passport.  Most people who need a passport do not need expedited service, so many of your customers who need a passport might not need expedited service, and that is OK.  Here is a summary of all the ways to obtain a passport:

• Apply By Mail:  Regular Processing

To view current passport processing times, you can visit the State Department website.  You can calculate fees here.

• Apply By Mail:  Expedited Processing

To view current passport processing times, you can visit the State Department website.  You can calculate fees here.

• Apply at a Passport Agency

Most Passport Agencies allow travelers to apply in person at a Passport Agency.  An appointment is required to apply in person, and oftentimes appointments are difficult to secure.  In most cases, a traveler will have to have proof of travel in 10 days or less to request an appointment.  Please visit the State Department website to learn more about applying in person. You can calculate fees here.

• Apply through Third Party (SWIFT)

Individuals who need extra support applying for a passport and/or need a passport issued faster than current turnaround times quoted by the State Department have the option to use a third part service like Swift to get a passport on an expedited basis.  The State Department calls this “The Hand-Carry Program.” 

NON-RUSH PASSPORT SERVICES

Many mailstores offer services independently of Swift to assist travelers who would like help with forms, photos, and shipping, but do not need Swift’s expedited service.  Creating such a service is a fantastic option if you would like to be able to serve all people who need a passport regardless of the urgency of their travel.  Just remember that this is a service you would need to research independently and offer separate of Swift’s expedited service options.  Stores who offer a non-expedited service typically charge a $50-$150 service fee to help complete forms, print a photo, and inbound shipping to the Passport Agency.

HOW TO MAKE A PROFIT WITH OPTION 2

When you make a purchase, you’ll enjoy a 40% discount on Swift’s service fee. Opting for Option 2 means you won’t get a commission. Instead, you’ll make payment to Swift, and the traveler will make payment to you. The traveler never directly pays Swift. Any amount you charge the customer beyond what your store pays Swift is your profit.  To get your 40% discount you will need to register as a Swift partner.  Once approved, you may start placing orders.  The approval process takes 1 business day.  Please click on the pink “register now” button at the top of your portal to register for free!

HOW TO DETERMINE FEES 

When you place an order on your web portal, a summary of fees will populate.  Here are the Fees associated with each passport service:

• Government Fee (around $200), the exact fee populates in the required document checklist each time you place an order. Exact fees are not listed here because they are subject to change, but the accurate fee will ALWAYS be displayed in the required document checklist provided to you when you place an order. +
• Processing Fee (for Renewals only): $10 +
• Swift’s Processing Fee (varies depending on speed of service)
• Inbound and outbound shipping- inbound shipping is optional
• For new, lost, and child passports, the applicant also must pay the passport acceptance agent $35. This does not apply to renewals or name changes.

*Note that for renewals, you will make payment for all these fees when you check out on our website, but for New, Lost, and Child Passports, the Government fee is NOT paid to Swift.  The traveler will be required to include the government fee payment in the application materials.

*Note for New, Lost, and Child Passport Services, the traveler also pays $35 to the Passport Acceptance Agent when they get their application executed. 

To learn more about passport cards, please visit the State Department website.  To learn more about the difference between passport books and passport cards, please click here.

Most stores charge a service fee like Swift’s retail fee, which allows them to profit $150 per order or more!  Note that our service options and retail cost are adjusted based on market changes and supply/demand.  Mailstores will always enjoy 40% off our Retail Cost.  Please visit your web portal to see Swift’s retail and wholesale rates.

SHIPMENTS

There are 2-3 shipments associated with each order:

• Inbound shipment to Swift when you send us all application materials. You can use your own account to create this shipment, or when you place your order you can make payment for this inbound shipment, and Swift will email you the inbound FedEx label.  No need to pay extra for morning delivery, please feel free to use regular overnight shipping with FedEx or UPS for the inbound shipment.
• We suggest using UPS or FedEx for return shipping for inbound shipping. If you use USPS, please note that the status of your package will often show that the package is “delivered” before it is actually delivered. 
• Outbound shipment of the new passport once it is issued. When you place your order, you will have a wide range of shipping options to choose from.
• Oftentimes the original documents (old passport, birth certificate, etc) are returned separately from the newly issued passport 2-3 weeks after the new passport is issued.
• Also, if the traveler orders a passport CARD in addition to a passport BOOK, the card is usually not expedited and returned with the other original documents 2-3 weeks after the passport is issued. Swift ships these back for free to the shipping address you enter when you place your order.  In some cases, the Passport Agency ships these back directly to the traveler using the shipping address listed on the passport application.
• Swift is not responsible for lost shipments, however if a package were to be lost, Swift would not charge you a second service fee to get the passport replaced as long as you immediately make us aware of the lost package. In these rare cases, Swift would not cover the government fee to replace the passport.

**IMPORTANT***

The Passport Agency reserves the right to ship the documents directly back to the applicant instead of returning them to Swift.  In the event this happens the passport and supporting documents get shipped back to the shipping address listed on the application.  If your preference is for the passport and supporting documents to be sent back to your store, then we suggest making sure your store address is listed on the application in the shipping address section.  Swift cannot guarantee that the Passport Agency won’t ship back to the shipping address listed on the application.

HOW TO SELECT A PROCESSING TIME

Processing times are subject to change, and the most up to date processing times will always be listed on your web portal.  Day 1 of the service is the day AFTER Swift received the application materials.  The passport is shipped on or before the final day of the service if instructions are followed, and the applicant meets all eligibility requirements.

Example:

If you order a 3-4-day service and we receive your package at our office January 8, it will be submitted January 9 which marks day 1 of the service.   Jan 11 is the 3^rd day of the service and 12^th is the 4th day of the service.  This means the passport will be issued and shipped between the 11^th-12^th using the shipping method you indicated at checkout.

APPLICATION MATERIALS

When you place your order, a complete list of application materials will populate and will also be emailed to you.  You can access the requirements for all your current and past orders by logging into your account, viewing past orders, and selecting “requirements.”  Please see your web portal to view a preview of each of these checklists; one is provided for each passport service to ensure you have the ability to view requirements before placing an order.

IMPORTANT LINKS
How to complete a passport application online

SEALED ENVELOPES

For New Passports, Lost Passports, and Child Passports, your customer will need to get their documentation approved by a Passport Acceptance Agent.  The Passport Acceptance Agent reviews the application materials, watches the applicant sign the DS-11, and then they put all the application materials into an envelope and put their official seal on the outside of the envelope.  Once you have that sealed envelope you would FedEx it or UPS it to Swift.  Here is a link to find an acceptance agent, you can search for one by zip code.  Most acceptance agents require that you make an appointment in advance.

*IMPORTANT*

• Swift cannot open the sealed envelope so there is no way for us to know what is inside the sealed envelope unless you provide a copy of the application materials. That means before the customer visits the acceptance agent, you should review and make a photocopy of all application materials.  Keep these copies in your office while the customer visits the acceptance agent. 
• We cannot accept sealed envelopes unless you have included copies of the paperwork, because our company is reported for conduct if we submit improper paperwork. The copies you include do not need to be signed, we just need to see that all required elements are indeed inside the envelope.
• The seal on a sealed envelope expires after 4 days. It is imperative that you overnight the application materials to us so that we receive it no later than 2 days after it was sealed.  So if it was sealed on Monday, it needs to arrive in our office no later than Wednesday. If it were to arrive on Thursday, we will need to ship it back so the customer can repeat the step at the acceptance agent all over again.

IMPORTANT LINKS

Passport Acceptance Agent Resource Page

PROOF OF TRAVEL

Proof of travel is required for all of Swift’s services except the slowest tier of service.  For the fastest service we offer, proof of travel needs to show the person travels in 17 days or less from the time we receive your paperwork.  For all our other services, proof of travel is required to be in 6 weeks or less.  Ideally, proof of travel would be a printout of the applicant’s flight itinerary bearing their name.  They are looking for a printout of the confirmation email that you would expect to receive when you book a flight online.  If they do not have a flight itinerary, they can have a company letter of expedite outlining their need for an expedited passport if they are engaged in business travel.  It must have all elements included on the sample letter of expedite found in the instructions when you place your order.  Please make sure to watch the proof of travel video in our video library before placing any orders to ensure you can meet this requirement.  Note that many passport acceptance agents will only service new, lost and child applicants if they have proof of travel in 2 weeks or less.  If your customer is traveling in more than 2 weeks and less than 6 weeks, and they are required to visit an acceptance agent, make sure they are aware of this so they can show up prepared. In some cases it might make sense to call the acceptance agent in advance and ask if the itinerary your customer has will be sufficient.

CHECKING DOCUMENTS FOR ACCURACY

For your first few services we recommend that you email a single PDF scan of all documents for review, so Swift can check them for accuracy.  This is not required, but we are happy to do this, especially as you familiarize yourself with the expedited passport program. 

REFUNDS

In the event you cancel an order, we have a $100 non-refundable fee.  For this reason, we ask that you do not place your order unless you are sure your customer is committed to using the service.  We have provided a preview of all required document checklists in this partnership agreement so that you aren’t “surprised” by a requirement such as proof of travel and find yourself in the position where you cannot meet the application requirements and have the need to cancel an order. 

You can avoid this cancellation fee if you review the requirements with your customer prior to placing your order with Swift.  We recommend charging your customer for the service before you place an order with Swift, and let the customer know about that $100 cancellation fee, so if they do cancel, you would at least break even!

Swift incurs credit card fees when you place an order, and when we refund your order, which is why we have this non-negotiable cancellation fee.  If you let your customer know this up front, and they end up cancelling, then you won’t be left with having to pay this fee on their behalf, as you can forward this cost to them.

In some cases, the applicant may not be issued a passport, or a service may be delayed because the applicant does not meet the eligibility requirements.  Swift will not refund these orders as the delay/denial is out of our control.  Please see the “Suspense” section to better understand reasons why an application may be denied or delayed.

In the event there is a delay caused by the Passport Agency (which is unlikely), we will alert you right away.  We do not provide refunds for delays caused by the Passport Agency.

In the unlikely event Swift is at fault for a delay in the service, we are happy to offer a refund for our service fee.

COMMUNICATION FROM SWIFT

Once you send all the Passport requirements to Swift, your hard work is done!

Here is what happens next:

Swift will confirm receipt of your package. This update is not instantaneous, as we receive many packages at once and review each one thoroughly, so please refrain from following up with Swift first if you see your package is delivered. We will make sure you receive this notification the same day that your package arrives to our office. If there is a concern about the application materials, we will make you aware as soon as we have reviewed them.

The passport application will be submitted to the Passport Agency the following day for processing. It will be in process for the number of days for whatever service you selected.  Processing time is counted in business days (does not include Federal holidays or weekends). Swift will NOT be in touch during the processing period unless there is a problem. If there is a problem, we will notify you immediately to address the problem and help you understand the steps that need to be taken to resolve the problem. Please refrain from checking in for an update while the passport is in process, as we will not have any new information to share during this time.

Once the passport is issued, we will notify you when it ships, so that you can alert your customer. If your customer ordered a passport book and a passport card, please note that the passport card will be shipped back at a later date, typically 2 weeks after the passport book. The Passport Agency sends the Passport Card via USPS first class mail, and does not provide tracking. Please contact us if your customer does not have the passport card that they ordered within 6 weeks of receiving the passport book.  Remember, the Passport Agency sometimes ships the passport directly back to the shipping address on the application.  If this address is different than the shipping address you indicate when you place your order, you should alert the traveler in advance.

SUSPENSES

Sometimes, the Passport Agency identifies a problem with an application that requires the applicant’s attention to resolve the problem.  When this happens, the application is “suspended.”  In most cases, when an application is suspended, the Passport Agency will email Swift a “Suspense Letter.”  This is a letter on State Department Letterhead outlining the problem and the solution to the problem.  In some cases, the Passport Agency emails the suspense letter directly to the customer, and not to Swift.  It is inconvenient when this happens, because then the customer is made aware of a problem before Swift or your store is made aware, and this can lead to frustration and round-about communication.  In the event your customer makes you aware of a suspense before Swift does, please ask the customer to forward you the suspense letter, and then email it to Swift so we can help resolve the problem.  Sometimes a suspense will delay a service by a few days.  Most suspenses are totally avoidable. 

There are 2 types of suspenses.

Clerical Suspenses

Clerical suspense are problems with easy solutions.  Here are common clerical suspenses:

• Photo rejection: In most cases, we can tell you right away if a photo is going to be accepted or not, but on occasion we are surprised by the Passport Agency rejecting a photo.  If a photo is rejected, you can email us a new one, and we can print it and submit it to the Passport Agency.
• Signatures: If signatures do not match across all documents or are not in black ink, the Passport Agency may suspend the application, and request new original documents with wet signatures.
• Missing application materials: Since Swift cannot open sealed envelopes, if there are missing items inside the envelope, we won’t know until the Passport Agency tells us.
• Check problems: All checks inside sealed envelopes must be made out to “The US Department of State.”  If they are for the incorrect amount, or the writing on the check is sloppy, the application will be suspended.  If this happens, Swift will issue a new check on your behalf, and bill you.  We will also bill you $10 convenience fee.  The Passport Agency does not accept starter checks.  Personal checks, money orders, or even a check issued by your store are all acceptable.

Eligibility Suspenses

Eligibility suspenses can be a little harder to catch up front, and typically delay a service for several weeks. If somebody has an eligibility suspense, there typically isn’t a way for you to have known about the problem.  Here are some typical eligibility suspenses:

• The applicant owes child support in the amount of $2500 or more. If this is the case, they would not be eligible for a passport.  You can learn about how child support effects your eligibility here.
• The applicant has a pending legal issue that makes them ineligible for a passport. If the applicant makes you aware of a legal issue that may make them ineligible, we suggest that you refer them back to their lawyer to determine if they are eligible to apply vs make assumptions on your own.
  • A valid, unsealed federal warrant of arrest.
  • A federal or state criminal court order
  • A condition of parole or probation forbidding departure from the United States (or the jurisdiction of the court)
  • A request for extradition
• In some cases, an applicant may owe back taxes, and this would make them ineligible for a passport. You can read more about taxes and eligibility here. 

For all of the examples above, the Passport Agency will  almost always contact the applicant DIRECTLY regarding their eligibility.  Given the private nature of these types of issues, a suspense letter typically is NOT issued to Swift.  In these cases, we are often reliant on the applicant sharing the details of the suspense letter to help resolve the problem.  These type of suspense issues are not solved quickly.

For example, if the applicant quickly pays off their child support or back taxes, that does not mean the passport will be issued instantaneously.  It typically takes 3 weeks or more for the government to clear the suspense and issue the passport.  Swift is not permitted to intervene during this time and is not able to expedite the process.

By signing this agreement, I acknowledge that I have read and fully understand the terms and conditions outlined herein. I also confirm that I have watched all required training videos and have contacted Swift with any questions regarding this agreement. I understand and accept the guidelines of this partnership as set forth by Swift.

Furthermore, I acknowledge that there is a $100 cancellation fee for all orders and a $50 charge associated with orders placed on Swift’s main website.