Need a Passport?

Tampa Post Office to Host Passport Fair

Tampa FL — With the recent change in regulations regarding passports more citizens are finding that they are in need of a passport for travel and are applying for passports in record numbers.

To ease the crunch the Tampa Post Office is hosting a passport fair to facilitate the processing of new passport applications and passport renewals. The passport fair will be held on Saturday, November 17, 2007 at the Ehrlich Branch, 14910 N Dale Mabry Hwy from 2:30 pm – 5:30 pm. Passport Services will be provided by appointment only. To secure your appointment, please call 813-264-2107.

Beginning on January 23, 2007, all persons — including U.S. citizens — traveling by air from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda are required to have a passport or other accepted document that establishes the bearer's identity and nationality to enter the United States.

At a later date, during the summer of 2008, the full requirements of the land and sea phase of Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will be implemented. The proposed rules require most U.S. citizens entering the United States at sea or land ports of entry to have either a U.S. passport; a U.S. passport card; a trusted traveler card such as NEXUS, FAST, or SENTRI; a valid Merchant Mariner Document (MMD) when traveling in conjunction with official maritime business; or a valid U.S. Military identification card when traveling on official orders. The precise implementation date will be formally announced with at least 60 days notice.

The best advice is, “Apply Early!” If you apply at a passport acceptance facility or fair and choose routine service, you can expect to receive your passport within four to six weeks of receipt. If you choose and pay additional for expedited service you can expect to receive your passport within three weeks.

# # #

Please Note: For broadcast quality video and audio, photo stills and other media resources, visit the USPS Newsroom at www.usps.com/news.

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, six days a week. 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.