A Briggs

I am very please. I had used them before so I decided to use them again.
I travel quite a bit and needed my passport back to me in less than three weeks. I used two week expedited service and I had the new passport back in my hands in seven days. They kept me informed of my progress and did an outstanding job.
I would use them again definitely.

I requested a document verification service from them in November. Very little information about pricing on their website, but it appeared to cost about 50$ to have a document verified, which is what other companies were advertising, so I went with them. TONS of hidden fees. Ended up costing 400$. Also took way longer than expected. I had to keep emailing my point of contact who apparently "didn't see" my previous emails wherein I had sent the necessary documents to be processed.

Hey A. Briggs, want to do better? Be up front about your pricing.

I tried to use them - but stopped short for applying for a VISA through them. The person on the phone had basic information like X for VISA fee ad Y for Briggs fee. I got the email with attachments

The VISA application is one page but Briggs wanted me to fill 15 more pages. I can understand they need authorization to process my VISA.
On almost every page or section there is an extra cost like next day shipping, or insurance for passport and many such more.
It is automatically yes unless you tick NO. All this is very fine print.
My fee would have ballooned 4x! Sorry but its a NO!

They are not affiliated with the US Government. This was not made clear on the site. I feel I was duped into paying $58+ for blank forms. I'm just glad I didn't fill out the forms with my private information. Only my credit card. Don't use them. Just go through the authentic US Government passport website. Look up passport fraud on the internet. It's quite prevalent.

Oh, A Briggs... Whatever would I have done without you?!?!

I just got back from my trip to West Africa where I visited Togo and Ghana. Both countries required a visa as well as a myriad of shots before I left.

I was referred to A Briggs as a company that a friend in DC worked with. When I found the local office in SF you can imagine my excitement when I realized I could just go in person to handle my beezwax.

Everyone there in the office was friendly. I was greeted promptly by the receptionist who quickly let Katy know I was waiting in the lobby. Katy walked me through the timing of the process and I surprised her when I whipped out my pre-filled forms and immunization record as back up (with color photocopies of everything).

Seeing as I hadn't found the time to get my passport photos taken to submit, I felt very UNDER-prepared for the process. Katy assured me I was doing GREAT.

It was pretty pricey for the passport photos. I needed 6 photos to submit and I believe they were $6 a pop. That made me gasp, but hey... I get it! hehe

Everything went very smoothly and I was out of there within 15 minutes. That kept me from paying a million when I reclaimed my car from the One Embarcadero parking garage! haha

They emailed me when my visas were submitted and kept me in the loop by tellng me when they expected them back. Once they received them with no issues, Katy called me and I picked them up myself when I had a chance to head to the city.

They offer FedEx service. They can overnight it to you if you need it rushed, no problem. I will most certainly be using them again for myself as well as for future when the executives I support need a visa. The quality of service most definitely matches the pricing. I thanked them in my mind as I crossed the border between Togo and Ghana. That was SCARY and I am SO thankful that my Visas were done correctly. Wheew!

Easily deserving of five stars. I needed an multi-entry six-month tourist Indian visa, and in two weeks.

I went down in person to the office, and Bojan literally stopped what he was doing and helped me with my paperwork. He quoted me at 8 business days later, and it came through 5 days later. Hot damn!

I was also able to check on the website the status of my visa application.

Bojan then called me the minute my visa was in and I was able to pick it up the very next day.

The customer service was excellent, and sure beat having to go to the consulate and stand in line.

Thanks, Bojan! You guys are great.

The good: awesome service, so fast.
The bad: tried calling their local office, but got routed to HQ, who tried to give me the local office's number...which was the one I called that connected me to HQ. Weird.
Protip: if you're local at all to their office, drop of your materials and pick up. Will s ave you $60 on shipping. Believe it.

Needed a Brazilian visa in under a week, and A Briggs made it happen.

To quote Bojan, "No problem! Don't even worry."

These guys know that in addition to expediting, they sell reassurance, which they delivered on. Visa arrived in 4 days including cross-country shipping both ways.

Thanks Bojan!

I'm 100% satisfied with Salem Eways' passport expediting service at the San Francisco office of A Briggs. But that's not the big news here. You can read the other reviews below to see that this fellow knows how to get a job done right, and quickly.

It's the other stuff that puts him over the top. Here's a short list.

1) He didn't give me any grief when, reaching me on my cell while driving (a new phone not yet connected to my car) I told him "Ack, can't talk or read you my credit card number while driving so can you call my husband at his office.. 650.. etc. and have him complete the payment?" He says good naturedly sure, happy to do that. He did, they connected - I continued down the freeway to my big meeting.

2. I'd been unable to call him on a Friday afternoon due to a parent in the hospital (not related to my travel, just life being life). So on Saturday I left him a message apologizing for not getting back to him with a cc: #, figuring we'd talk on Monday. His office is closed on the weekends, but he calls later with a "Not to worry, we'll finish our business on Monday - it's all fine" message. Nice.

3. Piece de la resistance... I'm so busy between business, sick parents and a kiddo out of school and under foot, I totally forgot to ask Salem to give me the 10% new customer discount. So I asked politely, this evening, by email if he would do that. ELEVEN MINUTES LATER he replies "Happy to do that - it's done. You'll see the credit tomorrow."

The man is good. I can't promise you he's the lowest cost option. But he's certainly what I'd call "full value" service. He earns it. My life is crazy - I love professionals who make it less so. Salem will make your travel experience un-crazy. :) This is a rare and beautiful skill. I suggest you trust your time, travel and hard earned funds to Salem at A Briggs.

Rejection.

No matter how emotionally tough you are (or think you are), it still hurts. Really.

After not one, but TWO rejections at the Chinese Consulate because of "inadequate" paperwork, I was ready to throw in the towel and swear off ANY and all trips to China in my lifetime. It's not worth the frustration and aggravation of the hours wasted each time waiting at the Chinese Consulate only to be told that the paperwork I have can't prove why my Mom's last name changed from her birth last name to her currently married last name.

Enter passport and visa expeditor A. Briggs.

Spoke with Katy over the phone first who freely gave me information on dealing with the Chinese Consulate. Stopped by their office the next day and worked with Salem who patiently took the time to answer my remaining questions and to start processing my visa application.

Third time's the charm!

A Briggs' processing fee covers as many visits to the consulate as necessary to get it processed. You can also check the status (from A. Briggs' side) of your passport or visa application online on their website as well.

I highly recommend A. Briggs to handle your passport/visa application process if you have better things to do with your time than waiting in line!

If you plan your trip one year in advanced and you have time to waste I recommend A Briggs... otherwise look for other options. I have to use them because of my company corporate requirements and it's very painful every time.

It takes longer that other providers, no follow-up, no updates.... you have to call them everyday to figure out where you passport is.

In the past 2 years, I had to delay 1 trip because of them and cancel a visa request because they were running behind on submitting my request.

For my Indian visa my request as been pending for 4 weeks now!