By Anne Murray, Postmaster Ft Myers/Cape Coral

On Saturday, May 30, the Page Field Post Office, 2655 N. Airport Road, Fort Myers, will again offer a passport fair for individuals needing an original or renewal passport. No appointments will be taken and individuals will be served on a first-come, first-served basis from noon until 3 p.m.
Effective June 1, the last phase of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will go into effect. A passport, passport card, or acceptable documentation will be needed for land border crossings and sea travel. The passport fair will offer passport photos and processing of new passport applications as well as passport renewals.
Everyone, including newborn infants, is required to obtain a passport in his or her own name. For children under 16, the consent of both parents/guardians is required. A new passport card has been introduced and facilitates entry at U.S. land and sea ports of entry when arriving from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, and Bermuda; however, it may not be used to travel by air.
The following items are required to complete the passport:
– a completed application (form is available at www.usps.com; do not sign it until instructed to by the passport clerk)
– proof of identity (a valid permanent state driver’s license, a government ID or military ID, previous passport, Certificate of Citizenship or Naturalization Certificate)
– proof of U.S. citizenship (previous passport, original or certified birth certificate issued from the state with a raised, embossed, impressed or multicolored seal and the registrar’s signature and date of certificate filing)
– two official passport photos (passport photo service is available at Page Field)
– Social Security Number

Department of State fees vary according to age and type. They must be made by money order, check bank draft, or cashier’s check made payable to the U.S. Department of State; debit and credit card payment is not available. Each individual making application must have a separate payment. Charges include:
– the fee for age under 16 passport book is $60
– the fee for those age 16 and over for passport book is $75
– the fee for those under age 16 for passport card is $10
– the fee for those age 16 and over for passport card is $20
In addition, the Postal Service charges $25 per application as the processing fee. For this fee a debit or credit card may be used in addition to cash, money order or check made payable to the Postal Service.
– For additional information about the passport application process call 239-277-3352.