Vacation memories a snap with a passport purchased at post offices
Memorable international vacations this year start at the Post Office, the most convenient place to purchase a passport. Now, the U.S. Postal Service makes applying for passports a little more memorable for customers.
"Get a Passport, Travel the World," a two-month promotional partnership between the Postal Service and Shutterfly, allows customers who apply for a new passport at select Post Office locations to qualify for a free, customer-designed, 20-page Classic Photo Book through Shutterfly (www.shutterfly.com).
"The Postal Service is continually finding ways to better serve customers through new and creative products and services. We're mail — and more," said Anita Bizzotto, U.S. Postal Service Chief Marketing Officer and Executive Vice President.
Customers purchasing passports will receive a luggage tag containing a uniquely coded coupon to redeem the photo book that can hold up to 1,000 pictures. After entering the code on shutterfly.com, customers will be able to select a cover and page style, and then add digital photos and captions to create a one-of-a-kind memory book of their travels.
The promotion is offered through Oct. 31, but the coupon may be redeemed through March 2007.
The cost of a passport at the Post Office is based on the age of the applicant and includes the passport and Department of State processing fee. For those 16-years and older, the charge is USD 97. Anyone younger than 16 years is charged USD 82. The U.S. Department of State recommends allowing at least six weeks for passport processing. Passport applications must be made in person at a participating Post Office. Applications cannot be made online.
Those choosing the Postal Service to apply for a passport have one more added benefit: photos can be taken in many Post Offices offering the passport service. When applying for a passport, customers must present proof of U.S. citizenship (a birth certificate or previous passport) and proof of identification (previous passport, driver's license, military identification card).
The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires that by Jan. 8, 2007, travelers by air or sea to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda will be required to have a valid, U.S. passport.
Passport applications can be made at 5,300 Passport Acceptance Locations in Post Offices around the country. A complete list may be found at usps.com/passport.
About the U.S. Postal Service
Since 1775, the Postal Service and its predecessor, the Post Office Department, have connected friends, families, neighbors and businesses by mail. It is an independent federal agency that visits more than 144 million homes and businesses every day and is the only service provider delivering to every address in the nation. The Postal Service receives no taxpayer dollars for routine operations, but derives its operating revenues solely from the sale of postage, products and services. With annual revenues of USD 70 billion, it is the world's leading provider of mailing and delivery services, offering some of the most affordable postage rates in the world. The U.S. Postal Service delivers more than 46 percent of the world's mail volume-some 212 billion letters, advertisements, periodicals and packages a year-and serves 7 million customers each day at its 37,000 retail locations nationwide.
About Shutterfly
Founded in 1999, Shutterfly, Inc. (www.shutterfly.com) is an Internet-based social expression and personal publishing service. Shutterfly provides a range of products and services that make it easy, convenient and fun for consumers to upload, edit, enhance, organize, find, share, create, print and preserve their digital photos in a creative and thoughtful manner. Shutterfly and Shutterfly.com are trademarks of Shutterfly, Inc.
