BROOKLYN/ FLUSHING/ QUEENS/ JAMAICA/ FAR ROCKAWAY AND STATEN ISLAND, NY – Your summer travel plans with the kids could start at your local post office! While schools are closed take the first step towards making vacation memories by having the kids apply for a passport now!
Local post offices look forward to your visit, too! Take advantage of the flexible morning and afternoon hours you have during school closings.
Postal officials recommend checking passport expiration dates with special emphasis on minors age 16 and under. According to a ruling made by the U.S. Department of State, passports for minors must be renewed every 5 years – which is the exact number of years ago the ruling was announced.
Helpful TIPS:
- U.S. passport books and U.S. passport cards for adults are valid for 10 years.
- U.S. passport books or U.S. passport cards for minors under age 16 are valid for 5 years.
To locate post offices offering passport acceptance services in a community conveniently located near you log on: https://tools.usps.com/go/POLocatorAction_input for locations and hours.
To book an appointment at Brooklyn stations you must call 718-348-3800 or email: Brooklyn_passports@usps.gov . Brooklyn postal officials add, that while making an appointment, you can also request a passport kit be sent to you – please provide your name and address for prompt delivery. Translated passport instructions are also available in several languages – be sure to ask, if needed.
Applicants can also complete and print their passport application online through the State Department’s web site http://travel.state.gov/passport/forms/forms_847.html , or print and complete it by hand prior to visiting the post office.According to the State Department website, U.S. Passport Agency, routine applications are being processed and returned within approximately 4 to 6 weeks from the time of application.
Additional TIPS for applying or renewing passports for minors under age 16 are below and can be found at: http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/get/minors/minors_834.html
- Be sure not to sign the application until instructed to do so by the Acceptance Agent
- Must provide the applicant’s SSN in accordance with 26 U.S.C. 6039E
- Minors under age 16 must appear in person to apply or renew Parental or Guardian Consent Guide (Special requirements for minors ages 16 & 17)
- All minors regardless of age, including newborns and infants, must have their own passport when traveling internationally by air
Area postal officials encourage students studying abroad, newlyweds planning early summer honeymoons and families with overseas summer travel to file for passports now. In the event of an emergency involving a family member abroad, a short-notice airfare bargain, or an unexpected business trip, already having a valid U.S. passport will save time, money and stress.
In 2010, the Postal Service accepted 6.7 million passport applications at retail locations across the country.
How much will that passport cost?
Execution fees for all new passport applications are $25 in addition to processing fees and are paid separately from passport processing fees:
- Adult (16 and over): Passport Book $110; Passport Card $30; Combo Book/Card $140
- Minor (all children under 16 including infants): Passport Book $80; Passport Card $15; Combo Book/Card $95
Many postal sites offer passport photos as well. The cost is $15.00.
The Postal Service receives no tax dollars for operating expenses and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to fund its operations.
# # #
A self-supporting government enterprise, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation — 151 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 $65 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 35th in the 2011 Fortune 500. In 2011, Oxford Strategic Consulting ranked the US Postal Service number one in overall service performance of the posts in the top 20 wealthiest nations in the world. 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 for six years and the sixth Most Trusted Business in the nation by the Ponemon Institute.
