The U.S. State Department change in passport requirements is causing a rush for passport applications at post offices. In response to the demand for passports the Alameda Post Office, 2201 Shoreline Drive, is hosting a "Passport Fair", Saturday, May 19, 2007, from 8:30p.m. to 4:00p.m.

Travel planning begins with a passport. It takes about ten to twelve weeks to get a passport after application, so travelers should take advantage of Passport Fairs provided at post offices and avoid the rush later.

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.

The Postal Service offers the following recommendations to make the application process efficient:

• Customers should plan months ahead in applying for passports - at least two 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 and can be taken at any post office offering passport services for a $15.00 fee (in addition to application fees).

The fee for first time applicants is $97.00 (photo not included). Two payment transactions are required: $67.00 to the Department of State and $30.00 to the United States Postal Service. The fee for a passport renewal is $67.00. Passports will be mailed to the customer in ten to twelve weeks after application. An expedited 14-day process is available for $189.50 for adult, $174.50 for children (not including photos).

For the latest information on passport deadlines and other travel requirements established by the U.S. State Department, go to their Web site at http://travel.state.gov.

-30-

An independent federal agency, the U.S. Postal Service is the only delivery service that visits 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 cover its operating expenses. The Postal Service has annual revenues of $73 billion and delivers nearly half the world's mail volume.

# # #