CLERK OF COURTS

PASSPORTS

By the authority of the President of the United States, the Secretary of State has designated various categories of public officials who are authorized to accept passport applications. One of the public officials designated to accept passport applications is the Clerk of Courts.

An appointment is not necessary for any United States citizen to apply for a passport at either the Legal or the Title Division of the Clerk of Courts in Washington County.

To secure a passport you are required to demonstrate proof of citizenship, proof of identity and provide two photographs. A certified birth certificate is proof of citizenship. Proof of identity may be a previous U.S. passport, a valid driver's license, a valid military ID or a valid state ID. The two required photographs must have been taken within the last six months. They must be identical, 2" X 2" and can be in color or black and white. The photographs must be full frontal or whole-face view with a white or off-white background. Vending machine photos are not accepted.

Application for a new passport can only be made in person. You may apply for a passport by mail if: 1. You already have a passport; 2. Your most recent passport was issued in the past 12 years; 3. You were 16 years of age or older at the time it was issued and 4. Your passport has not been mutilated or violated in any manner. To find out how to renew your passport by mail, visit the U.S. State Department's Passport Renewal page. To obtain forms to apply by mail call the National Passport Information Center at 1-900-225-5674.

All persons including newborns are required to obtain passports in their own name. A minor who is 13 years of age or older must appear in person with a parent or legal guardian to execute the passport application. Children under the age of 13 need not personally appear but a parent, legal guardian, or person in loco parents, whether a U.S. citizen or not, must personally appear and execute the application for a passport. It cannot be accomplished by mail.

Expedited Passports
If you are leaving on an emergency trip in less than seven working days, apply in person to the nearest passport agency and present your tickets or your travel itinerary from an airline, as well as the other required items. For more information, visit the U.S. State Department page on Expedited Passports.

You may also apply at the Clerk of Courts Office for an expedited passport. An expedited passport is guaranteed by the U.S. Passport Agency to be processed within seven days. To apply for an expedited passport service, applicants must request the expedited service, pay an additional expedite fee of $35.00 required by the U.S. Passport Service and mail the passport application "over night service" and include and overnight envelope with postage for the passport to be returned "over night service".

Fees 10 year Passport 10 year Passport Renewal 5 Year Passport (under 16 years of age) Execution Fee Expedite Fee

$ 67.00 67.00 52.00 30.00 60.00

Make checks payable to "U.S. DEPT of STATE" for expedited service and for passport fee. Execution Fee is paid to the Clerk of Courts, Washington County.

©2006 Washington County
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED