O'CONNELL: GET YOUR PASSPORTS NOW!
County Clerk notified by U.S. Passport Office of Delays in Processing Passport Applications
(MINEOLA - March 26, 2007) “With spring upon us, summer vacation is not very far ahead,” began O’Connell. “But this year, plans for travel outside the United States must be made immediately”, she emphasized. “The wait for passports can be 10-weeks!” Nassau County Clerk Maureen O’Connell announced today that she had been notified by the United States Passport office of extraordinary delays in processing United States passport applications. “These delays,” stated O’Connell, “are attributed to the new requirements established by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, which requires anyone traveling to or from Canada, Bermuda, Mexico, Central and South America as well as the Caribbean to possess a passport.
“As I indicated in December, these new requirements were to go into effect December 31, 2006 as the first phase of the mandate for presenting security identity and citizen documentation. With these new federal guidelines, passport offices in Washington, DC were inundated with applications. Until now, the wait time to process a passport application was six (6) weeks. That time has risen to ten (10) weeks. Moreover, it is taking up to four (4) weeks to process expedited applications instead of 2-weeks,” she stated.
Passport fees however, remain the same, as demonstrated below:
Passport Service |
Fees |
Execution Fee |
Security Surcharge |
Total Fees* |
10-year Adult (Age 16 & over) Passport |
$55.00 |
$30.00 |
$12.00 |
$97.00 |
5-year Minor (Under Age 16) Passport |
$40.00 |
$30.00 |
$12.00 |
$82.00 |
*The cost for expedited service is $60.00 and is in addition to the fees listed above
Anyone traveling abroad, including newborn infants is required to obtain passports in their own names. “If you are applying for a passport on behalf of a minor under the age of 14, both parents and the child have to be present,” stressed O’Connell. “Parents are required to submit documentation of parental relationship and consent, as well as comply with all other documentation requirements for the issuance of the passport,” she added.
“Application forms can be picked up from the County Clerk’s Office or downloaded from the County Clerk’s website,” concluded O’Connell.
