HOUSTON — Getting a U.S. passport just got a little easier especially if you have had trouble scheduling an appointment or fitting one into your schedule.
Now, U.S. Postal Service facilities that accept passport applications will have walk-in hours.
According to Elvin Mercado, vice president, Retail and Post Office Operations, every Post Office that processes passports will offer at least three walk-in hours each week.
If you are looking to get a passport, first, go to the USPS online passport resource and follow the instructions for filling out the application and gathering the necessary documents.
Then go to the USPS Retail Customer Appointment Scheduler tool, which can be found at www.usps.com. Then on the scheduler tool, search by date or location and you will find your nearest Post Office and the available walk-in hours.
Once customers arrive, a retail associate who is trained in handling the application process will be ready to help, and at most locations, can even take a customer's passport photo, Mercado said.
If you don't want to take your chances and walk in to apply, use USPS Retail Customer Appointment Scheduler tool to book an appointment,
There are also self-service kiosks at some USPS locations where you can schedule an appointment or call their customer care phone line at 1-800-ASK-USPS.
According to the U.S. Department of State, the processing time for a routine application is six to eight weeks while the expedited service is two to three weeks. That is an additional fee.
Mercado said USPS processed more than 8.5 million passport applications last year. That did not include passports that were renewed by mail.
