Union County, NJ – Union County Clerk Joanne Rajoppi invites all County residents to take advantage of a free passport photo opportunity on Passport Day 2015, by applying for a passport at the County Clerk’s Office Annex in Westfield, at 300 North Avenue East, on Saturday October 3 from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. No appointment is necessary. Applicants must arrive a half hour before closing.
As a special Passport Day offer, the County Clerk’s normal fee of $10.00 per passport photo will be waived, and free photos will be available to all applicants. Also, the office will remain open for an additional hour until 2:00 p.m. The Annex is typically open from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturdays.
“Our annual Passport Day has been very popular with travelers planning ahead for vacations or business related travel. This year we are helping travelers prepare for the fall and winter season,” said Rajoppi. “The Westfield Annex is a convenient location for many County residents, and I encourage you to take advantage of this special offer before the hectic rush of holiday travel sets in.”
Passport Day in the USA was established as a national program by the U.S. Department of State in 2008, to help travelers avoid the stress and expense of last-minute passport issues. Budget cuts forced an end to the State Department’s program but the Union County Clerk’s office has continued to host an annual Passport Day event, including incentives for residents to prepare early for overseas travel.
U.S. citizens must present a valid passport book when entering or re-entering the United States by air. U.S. citizens entering the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean islands and Bermuda at land borders and sea ports of entry must present a passport book, passport card, or other travel documents approved by the U.S. government.
“Some countries require passports to be valid for up to nine months after you arrive, so to be on the safe side always renew your passport beforehand if it will expire within nine months,” said Rajoppi.
Passport information is available by phone from the U.S. Department of State by calling the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 1-877-487-2778, or visit online at travel.state.gov.
Passport application forms may be obtained from the Westfield Annex or the County Clerk’s main office at the County Courthouse, 2 Broad Street, Room 114 in Elizabeth.
For more details, including convenient links to passport information from the State Department, visit the County Clerk online at ucnj.org/county-clerk, call the Westfield Annex at 908-654-9859, or call the main office at 908-527-4966.
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