To help people prepare for international traveling any time of year, the U.S. Postal Service has some application tips that are spot-on for happy adventurers.
The Postal Service has operated as an agent for the U.S. Department of State to process passport applications since the 1970s. In 2007, more than 18.3 million passports were issued. The Postal Service accepted applications for more than half — 9.8 million.
Those passports expired in 2017, creating a surge in passport applications and renewals.
Officials said in making foreign travel plans, to check the passport’s expiration date. It should be valid for at least six months after you return home and needs to have two or more blank pages.
The passport application process can take several weeks, so it’s important to apply for first-time or renewal passports people know they are needed. The good news is the Postal Service has 4,800 passport acceptance facilities around the country that can accept first-time passport applications.
In Saratoga Springs, it is the post office at 245 Washington St.
Here are some tips.
Passport Execution Fee. The Department of State passport execution fee for submitting a passport application to a passport acceptance agent (a postal, state or local government or State Department official) for verification and review is $35.
Applying for a passport is just a few clicks away. There are a total of 4,800 Post Offices around the country that offer passport acceptance service. Of these, more than 3,100 offer appointments via telephone, and these select offices now offer the ability to schedule appointments through the online Retail Customer Appointment Scheduler (RCAS) tool. Be Timely Current applications for the first-time at acceptance facilities throughout the country, routine passport processing is estimated to take between four to six weeks.
Officials said adult applicants should apply well in advance of travel plans as there are longer than average wait times for passport processing over the coming months. First-time applicants are encouraged to apply at the nearest acceptance facility.
Acceptance facilities do not accept renewal applications, so adult renewal applicants should mail in their application.
There are new guidelines for passport photos. If people want to renew a passport and the existing photo shows them wearing eyeglasses, they will need to take a new passport photo without them.
At some Passport Acceptance Facilities, photos can be taken for an additional fee.
For more than 40 years, passport acceptance has continued to provide a convenient service for customers as well as a revenue stream for the Postal Service.
The Postal Service is currently holding passport fairs, expanding offsite availability of its passport acceptance services and extending appointment hours across the country. There is a list of passport fairs throughout the country at the Department of State travel newsroom: travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/News/passports/special-passport-acceptance-fairs.html.
A list of fees and instructions how to apply for a U.S. passport is available at travel.state.gov/content/travel/english.html.
U.S. citizens may also obtain passport information by phone, in English and Spanish, by calling the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778. Or they can always stop in at a local Post Office and ask us in person.
A USPS TV short video presentation with some helpful passport tips.—how early to apply for a passport, where to locate a USPS office for assistance, how long a passport is valid, expiration requirements, application requirements, and other important information to ensure your passport is ready for travel—can be found at www.youtube.com/watch?v=MkvAMz_tj18
This article is taken from information provided by the U.S Postal Services.
