Pick Your Language at Elk Grove Post Office Passport Fair

Burmese, Chinese, Filipino and Spanish Language Assistance Provided

ELK GROVE, CA — When it comes to convenience, the Elk Grove Post Office offers it in many languages. Regardless of the language, the translation is the same: Customer Service. To assist world travelers, the Elk Grove Post Office, 8850 Williamson Dr, is hosting a Passport Fair on Sunday, June 8, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

The Post Office is the most convenient place for people to start their travel planning. Passport Fairs make it easy and convenient for travelers by assisting with every step of the 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 U.S. 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 to apply 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 current valid driver’s license, government ID or military photo ID.
• A hospital-issued birth certificate alone is not acceptable.

Passport applications require two recent identical photographs which can be taken at Elk Grove Post Office for a $15 fee (in addition to application fees). The passport fee for first-time applicants is $100 (photo not included). Two payment transactions are required: $75 to the Department of State and $25 to the United States Postal Service. Renewals are $75. Passports will be mailed to customers four to six weeks after application. An expedited three-to-four week process is available for $192.50 for adults, $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.

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.