Are you looking on traveling abroad? Maybe you want to attend a business conference or tour the world. If this is the case, a passport is a must-have travel document. However, getting one can be hectic. But this is no longer a challenge as you can go for a USPS passport.
In the past, overcrowding and high demand for travel documents surged. In response, the US Department of States launched USPS passport services.
The services allowed US citizens to apply or renew their passports through the post offices. This step was to enhance easy issuance of passports to facilitate foreign travels.
So, if you have a plan to travel soon, you can apply for a US post office passport. However, not every post office can use these passports.
That’s why; if you’re seeking to apply or renew your passport through the post office, you need to read this article; it is for you.
Facts About The Post Office Passport
Before going into details, it is essential to understand what post office passport is. Since the 1970s, the United States post office passport service has been one of the most sort passport agents. This is because they specialize in passport application or renewals for the US department of states.
Specifically, there are over 4,800 post office facilities offering post office passport services across the United States. That makes it possible to find a facility in your area.
To make it easier for you, the United States Postal Service has a USPS locator. This tool provides you with a list of post offices near you that offer passport services.
However, the post office acceptance facilities focus on first-time applicants. Also, you need to apply for the passport sometimes before the travel date. Why? Typically, the passport processing takes 4-6 weeks. However, the period can be longer than this depending on the demand.
So, what do you do if you want to renew your passport? Simple. You need to consider the post office passport renewal services. Here, you submit your renewal application through the mail. The process takes the regular period of 4-6 weeks. In a word, a post office passport is one applied and issued through the USPS post services.
USPS Passport Appointment
While you can apply for a passport through the post office, it can be hectic. The post office passport facilities receive many applications per year. This demand is beyond the available facilities. For this reason, you need to book for USPS passport appointment. This way, you will avoid missing your travel schedule.
To make your USPS passport scheduling easy, the company has over 3,100 facilities that offer telephone appointments. What’s more? You can use the USPS Locator to find USPS passport locations offering these services. Next, you can call and schedule your USPS passport appointment.
Alternatively, you can schedule passport appointment post office online. All you need is to use the online Retail Customer Appointment Scheduler (RCAS) tool available on the USPS website.
This tool helps you to schedule appointments on any of the selected post offices. Hence, you have two options to schedule your appointments. That is; you can use the telephone or go for the online scheduling option.
USPS Passport Application Procedure
For you to apply for passport at post office, you need to understand the procedure. Here are the steps to follow:
★ Find a post office near you that is offering USPS passport services. You can use the USPS post office locator tool.
★ Find a place to take your passport photos. Some post offices offer USPS passport photo services for an extra coin while others do not. So, it important to confirm if you will get the photo services or not. How? You can make inquiries through a phone call or the online post office locator.
If your local USPS passport post office does not have the services, you need to find an accredited provider. By this, it means finding photography agencies offering USPS passport photos services.
★ Fill the Passport Application Form DS-11. However, it is crucial to know that for you to fill this form; you need to meet one of these requirements:
First, it should be your first time to apply for a passport. Also, you need to provide the necessary documents such as a copy of your ID, evidence of citizenship, and passport photos.
★ Pay the required fee. Different fees apply depending on whether you are applying for a first-time passport or renewing an expired one.
★ Wait for the passport processing to complete. This period may be between four to six weeks or longer depending on the prevailing season.
Post Office Passport Form
As noted, you need to fill a post office passport form during your passport application. This USPS passport form helps to collect your identity information.
The type of passport form you will fill depends on your application. For example, for people making their first-time post office passport application, they need to fill Form DS-11.
On the other hand, people submitting renewal application should fill the DS-82. You may also need to fill more forms under some circumstances. These situations include lost, damaged, or stolen passports.
Also, in cases where you have children under 16-years, there may be a special form to fill. Importantly, you should never sign your forms until the acceptance agent clears them.
USPS Passport Fees at The Post Office
Certainly, USPS passport application is not a free service. You need to pay for some application and acceptance fees. When filling your form, you will need to calculate your USPS passport cost.
For children aged 16 and adults, your cost will be an application fee of $110 and an acceptance fee of $35. For children under 16 years, the application fee will be $110, while the acceptance fee is $35.
However, the passport fees USPS depends on whether you want a passport card, book, or both. For a passport book, the fee is $110 (for adults and children above 16 years) and $80 for under-16years. You can check the passport fees on the USPS website.
Final Words
In a word, you can apply for a passport through a post office. You do not need to visit the travel department to get your passport. However, you must understand the US postal passport application process. You need to know the ins and outs of the steps to follow and the fees involved.
Also, not every post office offers these services in the United States. So, it is essential to understand the procedure of locating post offices that offer USPS passport services.
As such, we hope that this article provides answers to your questions regarding USPS passports. If you have a question, do not hesitate. Reach out to our support team.
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