Passport Day in the USA is Sat, Sept 17

Do you need a passport for an upcoming vacation? A trip to the Post Office is the first stop of your journey. On Saturday, September 17, the U.S. Postal Service and the U.S. Department of State will promote “Passport Day in the USA.” Along with regional passport offices, Post Offices nationwide, including four South Florida locations, will host Passport Fairs:

8:30 am – 12:00 pm
Fort Lauderdale Main Office, 1900 W Oakland Park Blvd, Ft Lauderdale
Hallandale Post Office, 500 S. Federal Highway, Hallandale

10:00 am – 2:00 pm
West Palm Beach Main Office, 3200 Summit Blvd, West Palm Beach

10:00 am – 3:00 pm
Deerfield Beach Main Office, 212 E. Hillsboro Blvd, Deerfield Beach

Employees are reminded that their participation is an off-the-clock activity. Please contact the respective Post Office for an appointment.

Currently, all U.S. citizens must show proof of identity and proof of U.S. citizenship when entering the United States from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the countries of the Caribbean by land and sea. In 2009, the U.S. government implemented new rules requiring U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea and land ports of entry to have a passport or passport card. A passport card is similar to a state-issued driver’s license in appearance, but will grant individuals easy entrance back into the United States from the countries mentioned above.

Passports are valid for 10 years and are normally pro­cessed within 4 to 6 weeks. It is recommended that cus­tomers apply for passports at least 2 months prior to the planned date of departure in order to avoid extra charges to expedite applications.

Here’s what you’ll need:
-- Proof of American citizenship or naturalization (a state-issued certified birth certificate, a previous offi­cial passport, or a naturalization certificate if you are foreign-born);
-- One officially acceptable state or government photo ID (a driver’s license or military ID);
-- One recent photograph that meets specific passport requirements (available at participating Post Offices for $15); and
-- Passport application, which can be downloaded and should be completed prior to visiting the Post Office (available at www.travel.state.gov). But please do not sign the form ahead of time!

Information on the cost and how to apply for a passport book and/or passport card can be found at www.travel.state.gov. U.S. citizens also may obtain passport information by phone, in English and Spanish, by calling the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 1-877-487-2778.