Passport Fair planned for Niles Post Office

Expedited passports will cost you more. 

NILES — A Passport Fair sponsored by the U.S. Postal Service is coming to Niles.

Passport-certified Postal Service employees will process applications from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the Niles Post Office, 43 W. Park Ave.

No appointment is necessary.

“You should maintain a valid U.S. passport if you have family living or traveling abroad, if you are thinking about a vacation or honeymoon abroad, or if you have a job that could require International travel,” advises Niles Postmaster Sherry Arrington.

College students who anticipate studying in another country, or high school students who are involved in exchange programs should also obtain a passport before making travel plans, Arrington adds.

The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative requires all travelers including U.S. citizens to and from the Americas, the Caribbean and Bermuda to have a passport to enter or re-enter the United States when traveling by air.

The time needed for processing a passport is about seven weeks. Expedite processing is available if travel plans require departure in three weeks.

For more information, go to the Web site www.usps.com/passport. 

Pasports cost $100 for adults (16 years and older), with separate payments of $75 paid to the U.S. State Department for the passport application fee and $25 to the Postal Service for its processing fee.

For people under 16, the cost is $85, with separate payments of $60 and $25, respectively. Two identical photos of each applicant are required, which the Post Office can provide for a fee. Expedited services are available for an additional fee. 

Other tips:

UBring in proper proof of American citizenship or naturalization. This must be a state-issued certified birth certificate; a previous official passport; or a naturalization certificate, if you are foreign-born. A hospital-issued birth certificate is not acceptable.

UBring in one officially-acceptable state or government photo ID. This can be either a driver’s license, a military photo ID, or a state-issued photo ID. Workplace IDs and regular photos are generally not acceptable.

UThe passport application requires two recent identical photographs. The photos must meet specific passport requirements explained at http://travel.state.gov/passport. The post office will be providing photo services for a $15 fee.

UTo save time, download passport application documents at www.usps.com/passport and fill out beforehand. Don’t sign the application form, however, as the passport acceptance clerk must witness the signing.

UFor children under 14, both parents’ consent and proof of parental relationship are required.