It Just Got Easier to Get a Passport for the First Time — Where to Go

04/05/2024

The State Department has released more locations for Special Passport Acceptance Fairs for travelers to get a passport for the first time.

it just got easier to get a passport for the first time — where to go

Mehroz Kapadia/Travel + Leisure

The U.S. Government is continuing to offer in-person help for travelers looking to get a passport for the first-time.

The State Department is expanding its Special Passport Acceptance Fairs to additional locations ahead of the summer travel season. Travelers looking to get a passport can head to one of the new spots between May 4 and June 26.

The fairs — which take place at local libraries, community centers, or government offices — are designed to provide assistance for only first-time customers and children who are using the DS-11 form. Travelers that already have a passport and just need to renew should not attend one of these events and complete the renewal process by mail.

Travelers can visit the State Department’s website for the full list of events, and monitor for upcoming events, as the site is refreshed weekly. For travelers who have an urgent passport request, such as traveling within the next two weeks, the department offers appointments at 26 different passport agencies

The current processing times for passports has dropped considerably after waves of delay after the pandemic. Expedited passports are processed within 2-3 weeks, and routine passports are processed between 6-8 weeks, according to the State Department. The agency provides a refund of the expedited fee if they do not honor their promised delivery time.

The Department first launched the passport fair program during July 2023, after the agency was impacted by significant, and record demand for passports. The agency says they were receiving over 500,000 passport applications a week during peak times. The cost for a new passport is currently $165 which includes the Application Fee and Execution or Acceptance Fee.

Here’s a full list of the events:

May 4, 2024 – Plant City, FL – Hillsborough Clerk of the Court – Plant City Office
May 4, 2024 – Tampa, FL – Hillsborough Clerk of the Court – Tampa Office
May 4, 2024 – West Caldwell, NJ – West Caldwell Town Library
May 4, 2024 – Dallas, TX – University of Texas at Dallas
May 7, 2024 – Verona, NJ – Verona Town Hall
May 7, 2024 – Woodcliff Lake, NJ – Woodcliff Lake Senior Center
May 9, 2024 – Little Falls, NJ – Little Falls Municipal Building
May 11, 2024 – Fairfield, NJ – Fairfield Recreation Center
May 11, 2024 – Haskell, NJ – Passaic County Clerk’s Satellite Office
May 11, 2024 – Paterson, NJ – Passaic County Clerk’s Office – Admin Bldg
May 14, 2024 – Paterson, NJ – Passaic County Clerk’s Office – Admin Bldg
May 14, 2024 – Haskell, NJ – Passaic County Clerk’s Satellite Office
May 15, 2024 – Haledon, NJ – Haledon Municipal Building
May 15, 2024 – West Caldwell, NJ – West Caldwell Town Library
May 16, 2024 – Oradell, NJ – Borough Hall – Council Chambers
May 17, 2024 – Nutley, NJ – Nutley Parks and Recreation Center
May 18, 2024 – West Orange, NJ – West Orange Park and Ride
May 21, 2024 – Verona, NJ – Verona Town Hall
May 22, 2024 – Elmwood Park, NJ – Borough Hall
May 23, 2024 – Clifton, NJ – Clifton Municipal Building
May 23, 2024 – Woodland Park, NJ – Berekley College – Woodland Park Campus
May 29, 2024 – Wayne, NJ – Wayne Township Municipal Building
May 29, 2024 – Wyckoff, NJ – Wyckoff Town Hall
June 5, 2024 – Somerville, NJ – Somerville Branch Library
June 12, 2024 – Bridgewater, NJ – Bridgewater Branch Library
June 26, 2024 – Bridgewater, NJ – Bridgewater Branch Library

Read the original article on Travel & Leisure.

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