Apply for a Passport while Enjoying the Castroville Artichoke Festival

CASTROVILLE, CA — People who come to enjoy the world-famous Castroville Artichoke Festival will be able to enjoy another treat by the Post Office — apply for a passport. Artichoke aficionados are also world travelers, and to assist with the application process the Castroville Post Office will have a booth set up on May 17 and 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Crane and McDougall to accept Passport applications. Spanish-speaking clerks will be on hand to assist those who need assistance with the applications and to take passport photos.

U.S. Postal Service Passport Fairs at large community gatherings make it easy and convenient for travelers to get assistance in the application process. Knowledgeable postal employees are available to walk people through the entire process and answer questions, including the length of time anticipated to receive a passport, which is currently between four to six weeks.

Customers can call 1-800-ASK-USPS to get the location of nearby passport Post Offices and passport customer service hours or visit the Postal Service website 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. The link offers the following recommendations to make the application process efficient:

• Customers should plan at least three months or earlier before making travel plans. This will avoid possible additional costs involved in expediting applications.
• Bring in proper proof of American citizenship in the form of a previous U.S. passport, a certified birth certificate issued by the city, county or state, a certificate of citizenship, or naturalization certificate. Also bring in a valid form of photo identification, such as a valid driver’s license or government or military photo ID. Hospital-issued birth certificates alone are not acceptable.

Passport applications require two recent identical photographs and can be taken at select Post Offices offering passport services for a $15.00 fee (in addition to application fees). The fee for first time applicants is $100.00 (photo not included). Two payment transactions are required: $75.00 to the Department of State and $25.00 to the United States Postal Service. Renewals are $75.00. Passports will be mailed to the customer in four to six weeks after application. An expedited three-to-four week process is available for $192.50 for adult, $177.50 for children (not including photos).

The new limited-use passport card is now available, which can be used for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, and Caribbean countries. For adults who already have a passport book, they may apply for the card as a passport renewal and pay only $20. First-time applicants will pay $45 for adult cards and $35 for children.