If you need a first time passport, a passport for a child under age 16, or a replacement for a lost, stolen, or damaged passport, keep a lookout for news of a local Passport Day! For people who work full time, it isn’t always easy to find a convenient Passport Acceptance Facility. Most Passport Acceptance Facilities are only open during normal business hours, and many require appointments to be made in advance. Passport Days, sometimes called Passport Fairs, are special events in which Passport Acceptance Facilities open up outside of normal business hours to allow travelers to come in without an appointment.
Passport Days originated in 2008, when the US State Department launched “Passport Day in the USA.” This event, held once a year on a Saturday, was held at all US Passport Agencies and many Passport Acceptance Facilities. Usually, travelers have to have an appointment and proof of urgent travel to visit one of the Regional Passport Agencies, but on Passport Day, the doors were opened to any passport applicant. Travelers could drop in during the day for first-come, first-served passport services. The State Department’s Passport Day in the USA program was cancelled in 2013 due to federal budget issues, but many local Passport Acceptance Agents continue to offer special Passport Days to encourage nearby residents to apply for passports.
Passport Days are usually publicized on local news, so keep your eyes out for a Passport Day near you!
Upcoming Passport Days
- Friday, March 25 – Palm Beach County, Florida. A Passport Day will be held from 8am to 4pm at three locations in Palm Beach County:
- West County Courthouse, Clerk of the Court Office, 2960 FL-15, Belle Glade, FL
- North County Courthouse, Clerk of the Court Office, 3188 PGA Boulevard, Palm Beach Gardens, FL
- South County Courthouse, Clerk of the Court Office, 200 W Atlantic Avenue, Delray Beach, FL
- Saturday, March 26 – Tampa, Florida. Passport Day will be held at the Hillsborough County Courthouse Clerk’s Office in Tampa, FL from 7am to 2:30pm. Reservations are available, or travelers may come in without an appointment. Call (813) 276-8100, ext. 4367
- Saturday, April 9 – Union County, New Jersey. A special Passport Day featuring free passport photos for applicants will be held from 9am to 2pm at the County Clerk’s Office Annex at 300 North Avenue East, Westfield, NJ.
