Newport, Vt. — Close to 500 million foreign travelers visited European destinations in 2016 according to the World Tourism Organization, that’s 4% percent more than the prior year — and the U.S. Postal Service is ready to prepare travelers for such future excursions

Now is the time to plan that international trip of your dreams. To make it easier to apply for a U.S. Passport, the Newport Post Office is hosting a Passport Day with extended hours on Saturday, August 26.

Just stop by the Newport Post Office at 59 Coventry Street between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on August 26, no appointment is necessary. Postal clerks can even take your passport photo if you do not have one.

Newport Postmaster Kristine McAllister says “With routine passport processing times of six weeks, it’s never too early to start planning for that out-of-country trip. And we’re here to help.” She cites USPS.com as an excellent resource for getting passport paperwork and locating other acceptance facilities across the nation. 

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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