Larkspur Post Office Hosts Passport Saturdays

Summer is Here and so is Summer Travel — Time to Get Your Passport!

LARKSPUR, CA—On June 1, 2009, the U.S. government implemented the full requirements of the land and sea phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative. The new rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have a passport, passport card, or other travel document approved by the Department of Homeland Security.

In order to make it easier for families who may be working or have children in school to get their passport or passport card, the Larkspur Post Office, 120 Ward St., is hosting its fourth in a series of Passport Saturdays on July 18, 2009, between 9:30 a.m. and noon. Following Saturday’s Passport Fair, customers will have two more chances to take advantage of Passport Saturdays, on August 1 and 15.

Applying for a new passport can be intimidating, but the passport clerks at the Larkspur Post Office will answer questions and help customers complete the paperwork. Postal Service Passport Fairs make it easy and convenient for travelers, offering a one-stop shop to get the application completed and mailed.

In addition to the familiar passport book, travelers now have the option of applying for a passport card, which may be used for land and sea travel between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean. The wallet-size passport card is a less expensive alternative for those who travel to these destinations, but it cannot be used for air travel.

To apply for a passport book or passport card for the first time, applicants need proof of U.S. citizenship in the form of a certified copy of their birth certificate issued by the city, county or state (not a CA abstract or photocopy), or a certificate of citizenship or a naturalization certificate. You will also need a valid form of photo identification, such as a current valid driver’s license, government ID or military photo ID. If you are renewing, simply bring in your old passport.

Passport applications for both the book and the card also require two recent identical photographs and those can be taken at the Larkspur Post Office on the same day for a $15.00 fee (in addition to application fees).

The fee for first time applicants for a passport book is $100.00 (photo not included). The fee for a passport renewal is $75.00. The fee for an adult passport card is $45.00. An expedited process is also available.

Customers can call 1-800-ASK-USPS to get the location of nearby passport post offices and passport customer service hours, or visit the United States Postal Service Web site at www.usps.com/passport to get information on passport application costs and to download a passport application form. Customers can save some time by having the application form filled out before coming to the post office.

For the latest information on passport deadlines and other travel requirements established by the U.S. State Department, go to its Web site at http://travel.state.gov. Travelers can check the status of their passport applications online at: http://travel.state.gov/passport/get/status/status_2567.html.

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An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that reaches every address in the nation, 149 million residences, businesses and Post Office Boxes, six days a week. It has 34,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services, not tax dollars, to pay for operating expenses. Named the Most Trusted Government Agency five consecutive years by the Ponemon Institute, the Postal Service has annual revenue of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.