Des Plaines post office to host Passport Day

The Des Plaines post office, 1000 E. Oakton St., will host a Passport Day from 1 to 5 p.m. Feb. 27 to allow residents planning to travel outside the United States to apply for a passport without a making a reservation.

In addition to the familiar passport book, travelers can also apply for a passport card, which may be used for land and sea travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda or the Caribbean. The wallet-size passport card cannot be used for international air travel.

To apply for a passport book or card for the first time, applicants need proof of U.S. citizenship in the form of a certified copy of their birth certificate issued by the city, county or state, or a certificate of citizenship or a naturalization certificate. Applicants will also need a valid form of photo identification, and must submit a photocopy of identification, such as a valid driver's license, government ID or military photo ID. There will be photo service available at the post office during the event.

For first time applicants, the fee for a passport book is $110 to the Department of State with an acceptance fee of $25 to the Postal Service. The fee for an adult passport card is $30.

Customers can learn more about passport application costs and save time by downloading forms at www.usps.com/passport. U.S. citizens may also obtain passport information by phone, in English and Spanish, by calling the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 1-877-487-2778.