Shaftsbury, Vt. – International tourist arrivals worldwide grew by 6% in January-April of 2017 compared to the same period last yearaccording to the World Tourism Organization, and prospects for May-August 2017 remain high— 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 Shaftsbury Post Office is hosting a Passport Day with extended hours on Fridays, September 29, Saturday, September 30 and again on Friday, October 6.

Just stop by the Shaftsbury Post Office at 56 Church St. between 8 a.m. and 7 p.m. on either Friday or 8 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, September 30, no appointment is necessary. Postal clerks can even take your passport photo if you do not have one.

Shaftsbury Postmaster Michael Ryan 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.” He 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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