Ten Western New York Post Offices will host a Saturday passport event to help busy families prepare for holiday travels.

Because children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by both parents or guardians at the application process, Saturday passport acceptance is designed to make the task easier.

The events are also being held from 9 a.m. to noon at nine Western New York Post Offices, including Akron, Orchard Park, Lockport, Penfield, Victor, Beechwood, Clymer, Corning, and Wellsville. It will also be held from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Spencer Post Office.

Customers have the option of applying for a passport book, good for all international travel or the passport card, which is less expensive but good only for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region and Bermuda.

The cost for an adult passport book is $110 plus a $25 processing/acceptance fee; the adult passport card is $30 plus a $25 processing fee. Both are good for ten years. The cost for a minor’s passport book is $80 plus a $25 processing/acceptance fee; the minor passport card is $15 plus a $25 processing fee. Both are good for seven years. Customers wanting both the passport book and card are charged only one processing fee. Payments are accepted via cash, check. Credit cards are acceptable for processing and photo fees only.

Travelers are encouraged to apply for a passport several months before they are scheduled to travel overseas. A passport application is normally processed by the State Department within five to six weeks. However, for an additional fee, the State Department will expedite the application and process it within three business days, and for those who need speedy delivery, the U. S. Postal Service offers Express Mail next day delivery both to and from the State Department.

To apply for a passport, travelers need to complete Passport Application Form DS-11 (unsigned), provide proof of U. S. citizenship and proof of identity, submit two identical passport photos and pay the appropriate passport fees. Passport photo services are available for $15.

For more information about passport application requirements, visit the State Department’s travel website at travel.state.gov.

A version of this story was previously published on East Niagara Post.


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