Summer Series of Passport Fairs Continues

Low Moor Postmaster Encouraging Travelers to Beat Application Rush

LOW MOOR —With the final phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) planned for June 2009, U.S. citizens will need a passport or passport card to enter or re-enter the United States. Because the areas that fall under the WHTI (Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and 17 regions in the Caribbean) are popular destinations with cruise lines, bus tours and airlines, several Hampton Roads area post offices have been hosting summer passport fairs to encourage travelers to apply for a passport well in advance of any foreign travel.

Completion of the WHTI, a core 9/11 commission recommendation, will require travelers to present a single WHTI-compliant document denoting both citizenship and identity when entering the United States. Since January 2007, air travel outside of the United States required presentation of a passport to enter or re-enter the United States. Since March 2008, U.S. citizens traveling by land and sea have needed to present a passport or a government-issued photo ID and proof of citizenship. When the full requirements of the WHTI are implemented in June 2009, citizens entering the United States via land and sea ports must present a passport or passport card. Passport cards, a new offering from the Department of State, will facilitate entry at land and sea ports-of-entry, but are not valid for air travel.

Low Moor Postmaster Brent Clark is encouraging area residents to come to the passport fair he is holding in McCarthy Hall, Room 502, at the Dabney S. Lancaster Community College in Clifton Forge (Exit 24 off I-64) on Saturday, Aug. 9, from 1 to 4 p.m.  “Folks don’t realize that, next summer, they won’t be able to drive across the U.S. border or board a cruise ship unless they hold a passport or passport card,” said Clark.  “By letting folks know of these travel changes and document requirements now, there won’t be a last minute rush to get them later.  The new passport card is a real plus for travelers who don’t fly on business or vacation, and the cost for a card is much lower than a passport.”   

First time applicants can obtain Form DS-11, Application for Passport, at many post offices, or go to www.travel.state.gov and click on “passports” to download applications and instructions. Proof of identity (such as a valid driver’s license or government ID) and proof of U.S. citizenship (such as a certified birth certificate or Certificate of Naturalization) are required. Applicants must appear in person, including minors who must have both parents or legal guardians present evidence of identity.

Passport fees for normal processing, which takes approximately four to six weeks, are:

Passport cards, valid for land and sea crossing between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean only, are $45 for adults and $35 for minors. When applying for a passport card at the same time as a passport, applicants will save the acceptance fee, making the passport card fees $20 and $10.

*U.S. Dept. of State fees may be paid with a check or money order, payable to “U.S. Dept. of State”
**USPS acceptance fee and photo fee may be paid with cash, check, money order, or credit or debit card, payable to “Postmaster.”