LOUISVILLE, KY – Several post offices are hosting Passport Fairs this Saturday to assist international travelers. Fairs serve customers on a first come, first served basis.  No appointments are needed.  (There is a limited capacity for acceptance.) 

You may need to allow for extra time if you are looking to apply for or renew a passport.  According to the State Department, the average time for passport applications and renewals is currently six to eight weeks.

Information for the Saturday, Aug. 24, Passport Fairs:

Passport fees

The Postal Service suggests travelers check the expiration date on their U.S. passport. Many countries require a passport have as much as six months’ validity remaining for entry.

The fees listed above must be paid with a personal check or money order. There is a $35 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.  The Passport Fair offices offer passport photo services.

Travelers are encouraged to apply for a passport several months before they are scheduled to travel overseas.  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.

NOTE:  For appointments during regular passport processing hours, the U.S. Postal Service has made scheduling easier with the launch of the USPS Retail Customer Appointment Scheduler™ tool (RCAS) at http://www.usps.com/scheduler.  The RCAS™ tool provides customers with an easy, convenient way to schedule appointments to apply for a passport.

Register for Informed Delivery www.informeddelivery.usps.com and see your mail before it’s delivered to your mailbox. 

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.