It's 'Passport Sunday' at post office

If you're planning a trip outside the United States in the near future, you may have to add obtaining a passport to your travel to-do list – and make a visit to the post office this Sunday.

Recent changes to passport law mean such documentation is now required for re-entering the United States following travel to destinations that previously did not have passport requirements.

According to the United States State Department, since Jan. 23, anyone traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda, including any U.S. citizen, is required to present one of the following: a passport, an Air NEXUS card, or a U.S. Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Document. An Alien Registration Card, Form I-551, is required if applicable.

As early as Jan. 1, 2008, the State Department indicates, anyone, including U.S. citizens, traveling between the U.S. and Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean, and Bermuda by land or sea (including ferries), may also be required to present such documents as determined by the Department of Homeland Security.

The demand for obtaining passports has become so great that the United States Postal Service has implemented "Passport Sunday." This Sunday, a number of local post offices will be open to accommodate customers who need passports and may not be able to get to post offices during normal operating hours. The participating post offices will be open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

"We decided to do this in response to the demand we were having to process passport applications," said Rose Russo, a communications specialist for the United States Postal Service Rhode Island post offices.

She continued: "We have always offered this as a service, but we decided to open on Sunday basically to make it easier for those people who normally couldn't get to the post office at a time during the week that we are open, because maybe they work or whatever."

While the United States Postal Service accepts passport applications, it is the United States State Department that actually processes the applications, according to Russo. The post office, however, is one of the more common places people go to get passport applications and drop them off, she said.

Local AAA offices also provide passport services.

Both providers have noted a significant increase in the number of requests they have had for passport processing since Jan. 23. According to Russo, the United States Postal Service in Rhode Island, as well as some of the southeastern Massachusetts offices, has processed 15,000 more applications this year to date, as compared to last year.

"Generally, everyone has been inundated with applications for passports," Russo said, and that was what pointed out the need for "Passport Sunday." The Coventry Post Office, located on Nooseneck Hill Road, will be participating as will the Warwick Post Office located on Strawberry Field Road.

The United States Postal Service's Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts offices, Russo said, selected the office locations that would participate based on two criteria.

"We basically selected the offices to participate in Passport Sunday based on the normal volume that they handle and on the number of passports that they process in general," she said.

According to the U.S. Department of State's travel Web site, travel.state.gov, February through April is the busiest time of year for passport services in general because so many people are planning spring break and summer trips. The Web site suggests the smartest thing people can do is "apply early."

Applications will be available on Sunday at the post offices, and can be obtained in advance at travel.state.gov.

It is important that applicants do not sign the applications until requested to do so in person, according to the information provided by Russo.

At the time of processing, Russo said, a person should bring a proof of citizenship, either a certified copy of his or her birth certificate or a naturalization certificate. Hospital and church certificates are not acceptable, she said. An expired passport is acceptable, she said, although if a child under 14 wants to use this as proof, he or she must have both the expired passport and a birth certificate.

A person also needs proof of identity – a current, valid photo ID – either a driver's license, a pilot's license or a military ID, Russo said. If using another form of ID such as a state ID card or a college ID, the applicant must have at least four forms of secondary identification as well as be accompanied by a person who has known the applicant for a minimum of two years and has acceptable identification of his or her own, she said. All children must be present at the time their applications are being presented.

People must also have two professionally developed passport photos, according to Russo. For anyone who does not have photos, there will be a passport professional available at each participating post office to take the photos for USD 15.

Payment, which can be made by check or money order and should be made out to the U.S. Department of State, is also required at the time the application is presented, Russo said.

A United States passport application for an adult, anyone 16 years old or older, costs USD 67. The passport remains good for 10 years, she said.

The fee for a child passport, anyone under 16 years of age, is USD 52, she said.

There will also be a USD 30 processing fee for all passport applications, Russo said, and this fee can be paid by cash, credit card, check or money order and should be written out to the local postmaster.

Passport processing is currently taking about 12 weeks, she said. Those who may need passports faster are encouraged to call the Boston Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778.

Even if they are not participating in the Passport Sunday event, all post offices have passport application materials available and will accept completed applications during normal operating hours, Russo said.

AAA offices in Warwick and Cranston also offer services to help travelers meet passport requirements. The Warwick branch can be reached at 732-5000, and the Cranston branch at 944-7300.

"Because we are a membership organization, we do a number of things to make this transition process easier for our members and for those who make their travel arrangements through us," Bill Sutherland, the vice president of travel for AAA, said. "We take passport photos and we do have applications in all of our offices, but we do not process the applications."

The post office is where the applications need to be delivered for processing, Sutherland said.