On Saturday, April 9, 2011, the Postal Service™ and the U.S. Department of State will host “Passport Day in the USA 2011.” Along with the State Department’s regional passport offices, Post Office™ facilities are being invited to host passport events for Americans planning to travel.
Americans now must present a valid passport book when coming back to the United States by air. U.S. citizens returning to the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land borders and sea ports of entry must present a passport book, passport card, or other travel documents approved by the U.S. government.
To help Post Offices prepare for Passport Day, the State Department has issued an “Acceptance Facility Toolkit” containing information postal employees can use to help plan their passport events (see https://liteblue.usps.gov/news/link/2011/nl_0314pdtoolkit.pdf). In addition, a list of frequently asked questions, a stand-up talk for retail clerks, and a news release is provided here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. What is the U.S. Postal Service’s role?
A. The Postal Service works with the U.S. Department of State to promote passport services, accept passport applications, and take passport photos at select retail locations.
Q. On June 1, 2009, new rules went into affect — what are they?
A. On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government implemented the full requirements of the land and sea phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI). The rules required U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea and land ports of entry to have a passport or passport card. The rules included the requirement of a passport or passport card when entering the United States from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and the countries of the Caribbean by land or sea.
Q. What’s the difference between a passport and a passport card?
A. The passport is valid for international travel anywhere by air, sea, or land.
The passport card is valid only when entering the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda at land border crossings or sea ports of entry. The passport card is not valid for international travel by air.
Q. Can you have both a passport and a passport card?
A. Yes.
Q. What does a passport card look like?
A. A passport card is similar to a state-issued driver’s license in appearance, but will grant individuals possessing this card easy entrance back into the United States from the countries mentioned here.
Q. Who should maintain a valid U.S. passport?
A. Passport Services recommends that the following U.S. citizens maintain valid U.S. passports: Those with family living or traveling abroad, thinking about a vacation abroad, or with a job that could require international travel. In the event of an emergency, already having a valid U.S. passport will save time, money, and stress.
Q. Do all Post Offices accept passport applications?
A. No, but passport applications are accepted at more than 6,000 Post Offices. To find the nearest Post Office, customers can go to www.usps.com/passport and click Go under “Find the closest Post Office to submit their passport application,” or call 1-800-ASK-USPS. Customers also can visit www.iafdb.travel.state.gov/ for additional information.
Q. Is an appointment required?
A. Some Post Offices require an appointment. Customers can go to www.usps.com/passport for more information.
Q. Do Post Offices take passport photos, too?
A. Some Post Offices will take passport photos for a fee of $15. Customers can go to www.usps.com/passport and click Go under “Find the closest Post Office to submit your passport application.” Customers can also go to www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html for additional information.
Q. Where can I get a passport application?
A. To save time, applications can be downloaded from www.usps.com/passport and www.travel.state.gov/passport/forms/ds11/ds11_842.html.
Q. Where are the instructions for filling out the passport forms?
A. The instructions will print out with the forms.
Q. I have never had a U.S. passport. Do I have to apply in person?
A. Yes, you must apply in person for a new passport. You must also apply in person if your passport was lost, stolen, or damaged, and if your previous U.S. passport has expired or was issued more than 15 years ago.
Q. What do I have to bring when applying?
A. Bring the following:
n Completed passport application. Do not sign the application until the Postal Service retail associate instructs you to do so.
n Proof of citizenship, which includes any one of the following:
n Certified birth certificate issued by the city, county, or state.
n Naturalization certificate or certificate of citizenship.
n Proof of identification with a previous U.S. passport, naturalization certificate, certificate of citizenship, or a current and valid driver’s license, government ID, or military ID. Submit a photocopy of the front and back side with your passport application.
Visit the State Department’s website at www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html for additional information.
Q. How do I renew my passport?
A. You can renew a passport through the U.S. Mail. For detailed instructions, go to www.travel.state.gov/passport/renew/renew_833.html.
Q. How long is a passport valid?
A. A U.S. passport is valid for 10 years if you were 16 years or older when the passport was issued; or 5 years if you were 15 years old or younger when the passport was issued.
Q. My child needs a passport. How do I get it?
A. If your child is younger than 16 years, he or she must appear in person along with his/her parents, to apply for a passport. New legislation requires that both parents, or the child’s legal guardian(s), must appear and present all of the following:
n Evidence of the child’s U.S. citizenship.
n Evidence of the child’s relationship to parents/guardian(s).
n Parent/guardian identification.
Q. Can I take care of my mail transactions while applying for my passport?
A. You may have to use separate customer lines, depending upon the Post Office.
Q. How do I find out about the status of my passport application?
A. You can go to either www.usps.com/passport and select Go under “View passport application status,” or www.travel.state.gov/passport/passport_1738.html and click Application Status on the left- or right-hand side.
Q. What are the application fees?
A. See table below.
Additional questions?
Go to www.travel.state.gov/passport/faq/faq_1741.html for additional frequently asked questions.
Stand Up Talk for Retail Clerks
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.
In 2010, the Postal Service accepted 6.7 million passport applications. The Postal Service offers a convenient alternative for customers to apply for passports and passport cards. Many of our offices offer Saturday hours and photo services as well. This is an additional convenience for our customers and a good revenue opportunity for the Postal Service.
Once again, we are happy to leverage the convenience of the Postal Service as we partner with the Department of State on Saturday, April 9, to celebrate National Passport Day in the USA.
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.
Do you have your passport? Have you and your family been thinking about this year’s vacation? As a Postal Service employee you, too, are a customer. Why not get your passport now so that you can be ready for travel? It’s easy and convenient to visit a participating Post Office and take advantage of the Passport Services.
Here’s what you’ll need:
n 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);
n One officially acceptable state or government photo ID (a driver’s license or military ID);
n One recent photograph that meets specific passport requirements (available at most Post Offices for a small fee); and
n Passport application, which can be downloaded and should be completed prior to visiting the Post Office (available at www.usps.com/passport).
For more information about passports — including locations and office hours of Post Offices offering Passport Services — visit www.usps.com/passport.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April XX, 2011
Contact: :xxxxxxx xxxxxxxx
xxx.xxx.xxxx
xxx.xxxxxxxx@usps.gov
usps.com/news
Passport Day in the USA
[Name] Post Office hosting passport fair April 9
[City] — The [Name of Facility] Post Office™ is hosting a Passport Fair on Saturday, April 9, 2011, from [Begin Time] to [End Time] to provide passport information to U.S. citizens and to accept passport applications. The Postal Service™ is joining the U.S. Department of State in celebrating “Passport Day in the USA,” a national passport acceptance and outreach event.
“We are happy to leverage the convenience of the Postal Service and partner with the Department of State to help our customers apply for passports,” said [Postmaster Name].
Information on the cost and how to apply for a passport book and/or passport card can be found at www.usps.com/passport/ or 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.
In 2010, the Postal Service accepted 6.7 million passport applications at retail locations across the country.
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A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service® is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 150 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes. The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses, and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations. With 32,000 retail locations and the most frequently visited website in the federal government, usps.com®, the Postal Service has annual revenue of more than $67 billion and delivers nearly 40 percent of the world’s mail. If it were a private sector company, the U.S. Postal Service would rank 29th in the 2010 Fortune 500. Black Enterprise and Hispanic Business magazines ranked the Postal Service as a leader in workforce diversity. The Postal Service has been named the Most Trusted Government Agency six consecutive years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.
