By Anne Murray, Postmaster Ft Myers/Cape Coral

The last phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative is fast approaching. Effective June 1, 2009 a passport, passport card or other acceptable documentation is needed for land border crossings and sea travel.

Get Saturday service for new passports and passport renewals at the Page Field Post Office Passport Fair on Saturday, April 25th from noon to 3 p.m. This full service fair will offer passport photos and processing of new passport applications as well as passport renewals. Application for the new passport card priced at $20, good for land border crossings and sea travel will be offered. Passport Fairs will also be held May 30 and June 13.

Individuals needing to obtain passports have an opportunity to complete the application process during a passport fair to be held at the Page Field Post Office, 2655 N. Airport Road, Fort Myers, on Saturday, April 25th between Noon and 3:00 p.m. No appointments will be taken; applicants will be served on a first-come, first-served basis.

Everyone, including newborn infants, is required to obtain a passport in his or her own name. For children under 16, the consent of both parents/guardians is required.

Individuals needing to renew a passport will be serviced during the passport fair only if they will be purchasing new photos at the fair and using Express Mail service with tracking to mail their renewal to the Department of State.

In order to complete the application process, the following items are required:

• a completed application (form is available at WWW.usps.com; do not sign it until instructed to by the passport clerk)
• proof of identity (a valid permanent state driver’s license, a government ID or military ID, previous passport, Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization Certificate)
• proof of U.S. citizenship (previous passport, original or certified birth certificate issued from the state with a raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal and the registrar’s signature and date of certificate filing)
• two official passport photos (passport photo service is available at Page Field)
• Social Security Number

Department of State fees vary according to age and type. They must be made by money order, check, bank draft, or cashier’s check made payable to the U.S. Department of State; debit and credit card payment is not available. Charges include:

• the fee for age under 16 passport book is $60
• the fee for those age 16 and over for passport book is $75
• the fee for those under age 16 for passport card is $10
• the fee for those age 16 and over for passport card is $20

In addition, the Postal Service charges $25 per application as the processing fee. For this fee a debit or credit card may be used in addition to cash, money order or check made payable to the Postal Service.

For additional information about the passport application process call 239-277-3352.

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