What:
Passport Acceptance Fair

Who:
Newport News Post Office

When:
Saturday, May 16, 9 a.m. – 12:45 p.m. (By appointment)

Where:
Patrick Henry Post Office, 685 Turnberry Blvd., Newport News (Turn right off Jefferson Avenue, approximately one mile north of Newport News International Airport)

Background:
On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government will implement the full requirements of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) land and sea phase. The rule will require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at land or sea ports-of-entry to have a passport, passport card or other approved travel document.

All persons traveling by air are required to present a passport, also known as a passport book, to enter or re-enter the United States. The new wallet-size passport card, a convenient and less expensive document than the passport book, can be used only for land border crossings and sea ports-of-entry.

The Patrick Henry Post Office is hosting a passport application acceptance fair, and passport photo service will also be available. Interested applicants should call 890-4544 for an appointment.

Information on the cost and what is needed to apply for a passport is available at www.travel.state.gov or by calling the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 1-877-487-2778.

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An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.