You might think of your local public library just as a place to go to check out books, but it is so much more! Libraries aren't only for books, magazines, and DVDs these days. They offer all kinds of services. You can use the internet for free, get help with research, take your kids to storytime... and possibly even get a new passport!More and more libraries now offer Passport Acceptance Facility services, so you can apply for your passport and pick up a travel guidebook, all in one stop.
Passport Acceptance Facilities: The Basics
What Do Passport Acceptance Facilities Do?
Passport Acceptance Facilities play an important role in the issuance of US passports. If you don't currently hold a valid passport (or one that expired recently), the US government needs to verify your identity and citizenship before they can issue you a passport. That's where the Passport Acceptance Facility comes in! All applicants for first-time adult passports or replacements for lost, stolen, or damaged passports have to appear in front of a Passport Acceptance Agent in person. The agent will check your application, your identification, and your proof of US citizenship. She'll then seal your application into an envelope that can only by opened by the Passport Agency. The agent can mail the envelope to the Passport Processing Center for you, or you can take the envelope with you to send to a passport expediting service. Need a passport for your kid? If your child is age 15 or younger, you'll need to go to the Passport Acceptance Facility whether or not your child has previously been issued a passport.
Who Can Be a Passport Acceptance Agent?
Under State Department rules, any government office can apply to become a Passport Acceptance Facility. The most common sites for Passport Acceptance Facilities are US Post Offices. But Post Offices aren't the only locations where you can submit a passport application! Acceptance facilities can be located in courthouses, government administrative offices, or even on the campuses of public universities. And since public libraries are run by county or city governments, they, too, can apply to become a Passport Acceptance Facility.
