Summer Plans Require Spring Planning

Southern Tier Post Offices to Host Passport Fairs

What:
Passport fairs throughout the Southern Tier

When & Where:
Saturday, April 5, 2008
St. Bonaventure Post Office - University, Reilly Center - 12:30 to 2:30 p.m.

Saturday, April 19, 2008
Salamanca Post Office - 35 Chestnut Street - noon to 2 p.m.
Westfield Post Office - 7 Academy Street - noon to 3 p.m.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Ellicottville Library - 6499 Maples Road - from 6 to 8 p.m.

Background:
Summer plans require spring planning. And applying for a U.S. passport book or card now will ensure that there's one less bump in the road when it comes to traveling outside of the United States.

Several Southern Tier area Post Offices are hosting passport fairs to assist customers in the application process. Special hours make it more convenient for families with children to apply, especially since both parents need to be present.

"It generally takes 4 to 6 weeks to receive the passport book," says Western New York Retail Manager George Niessing. "Customers also have the option of applying for a passport card, which is less expensive but good only for land and sea travel between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean region and the Bermuda. For some Western New Yorkers, the passport card may meet their travel needs."

The cost for an adult passport book is $100; the passport card is $45. Both are good for ten years. If an adult already has a valid passport book, the cost of obtaining a passport card drops to $25.

Mr. Niessing notes that a special discount will be offered for passport photos taken the day of the fair. The normal photo price is $15; the fair photo price will be $10.

The Postal Service recommends that customers visit the passport agency website at www.travel.state.gov to get the list of required documents and a print out of the passport application. A pre-completed passport application expedites the process when the customer gets to the Post Office.

Contact:
Karen Mazurkiewicz at 716-846-2375.

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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, 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.