Fort Myers/Naples/Port Charlotte FL — Are you planning international travel this year? Are you applying for a passport for the first time? If so, the U.S. Postal Service has made applying for your passport easier with the launch of the USPS Retail Customer Appointment Scheduler™ tool (RCAS) today on http://www.usps.com/scheduler.

There are 4,800 Post Offices around the country offering passport application service. More than 3,100 of them offer appointments via telephone, and they will now add the ability to schedule appointments through the online RCAS™ tool. In Mississippi, 46 Post Offices offer passport application service, with 33 now offering appointment scheduling online.

“The Postal Service accepts passport applications on behalf of the U.S. Department of State,” said Kelly Sigmon, vice president of Retail Operations. “The RCAS™ tool provides customers with an easy, convenient way to schedule appointments to apply for their passport at one of the 4,800 Post Offices which offer passport services, and some offices offer photo services as well.”

For the appointment, travelers need to bring with them the following items:

• The completed DS-11, Application for a U.S. Passport form, which can be found at the Department of State website at https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports.html. Do not sign the form
• Proof of US citizenship
• Proof of identity (valid driver’s license, government employee ID, military ID)
• Photocopies of U.S. citizenship and identification documents (these will be sent with the application, but bring originals for proof documentation)
• Appropriate payment. Acceptable forms of payment can be found on the Department of State website. (Please note that neither debit nor credit cards are acceptable forms of payment by the Department of State)
• Appropriate passport photo, if passport photo services are not available at the selected Post Office location

Passport applications for children under 16 have special requirements. Visit travel.state.gov for more information.

After scheduling a passport appointment, make sure to click the Informed Delivery button. This new feature allows you to preview your mail and manage packages when you’re not home.

The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.

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