KENTUCKIANA DISTRICT — Post Offices in several Kentucky cities will hold Passport Fairs this Saturday, July 15, for first-time passport applicants or for those seeking to renew a passport.  No appointments are necessary for the fairs – applications are accepted on a first come, first served basis.

 If you’re planning to travel abroad, there are several things to be aware of when it comes to passports:

• It may take about six weeks for first-time passport applicants or for renewals.  You can check The Department of State website under “Travel” for updated information on processing time.
• Applicants 15 & under must be present with both parents to apply.  If only one parent is present, they must provide a notarized DS-3053 from the other parent.  Children ages 16 & 17 require only one parent be present.
• Check the expiration date on your U.S. passport. Many countries require that your passport has as much as six months’ validity remaining for entry.
• If you are traveling independently, be aware many countries require a travel visa to enter the country.  Information about travel visas is also available on the State Department website.   If you part of a travel group, the organizer often takes care of this requirement.

The following Post Offices will hold passport fairs on Saturday, July 15th as follows:

Customers have the option of applying for a passport book (good for all international travel) or the passport card (good only for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda).

Passport fees

These fees must be paid with a personal check or money order. In addition to the costs listed above, there is a $25 processing/acceptance fee and a $15 fee for photos, which can be paid for by cash, personal check, debit and credit cards or money order. Passport photo services are available at all Fair locations.

Travelers are encouraged to apply for a passport several months before they are scheduled to travel overseas. Again, the average time for passport applications and renewals is six weeks. However, for an additional fee, the State Department will expedite the application and process it within three weeks.

To apply for a passport, travelers need to complete Passport Application Form DS-11 (unsigned) and provide one of the following: a U.S. birth certificate from the Department of Vital Statistics (not a certificate of birth) or naturalization papers. Applicants must also show either a valid driver’s license, a previous or current U.S. passport book or card, Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, military I.D. or a federal, state or municipal government employee I.D. card. Applicants 15 & under must be present with both parents unless consent is given; ages 16 & 17 require only one parent be present.

For more information about passport application requirements and to download forms, visit the State Department’s travel website at www.travel.state.gov.

The Kentuckiana District serves ZIP Codes 400-409, 411-427 in Kentucky and 471, 476-477 in southern Indiana.

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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