Three Post Offices in San Francisco to Host Passport Fairs

Let the Postal Service help you get ready for summer travel!

SAN FRANCISCO —A passport should be the last thing to worry about before traveling this summer. To help travelers wade through the new rules and procedures, the following Post Offices are hosting Passport Fairs:

Golden Gate Post Office, 3245 Geary Blvd. – May 17, between 7 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Larkspur Post Office, 120 Ward St. – May 17 and July 12, between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Rincon Post Office, 180 Steuart St. – May 19, between 10 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

Recently, new rules, prices and procedures went into affect, but the passport clerks at the Rincon Post Office will answer all of your questions and help you complete the paperwork. If you’re planning to do any summer traveling, now is the time to apply. USPS 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 Rincon 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. An expedited process is available for $192.50 in total fees (not including photos). The fee for an adult passport card is $45.00.

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 visits every address in the nation — 146 million homes and businesses. It has 37,000 retail locations and relies on the sale of postage, products and services to pay for operating expenses, not tax dollars. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $75 billion and delivers nearly half the world’s mail.