Kane County Clerk's Office to host Passport Day Feb. 3

Kane County Clerk John A. Cunningham has announced that the clerk's office will host a Passport Day Saturday, Feb. 3. The clerk's office, at 719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. B, Geneva, will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 3 to accept passport applications for those residents who may not be able to get to the office during the regular passport acceptance hours.

"People are making their travel plans now for the spring break and summer vacations. Applying for a passport now will make sure that documents arrive in time for those busy travel seasons," Cunningham said. "I wanted to provide an opportunity outside of normal business hours to make sure that everyone has a chance to apply for a passport."

Each applicant should bring valid photo identification, a certified copy of his or her birth certificate, and a check or money order. Copies of birth certificates for those born in Kane County can be requested at the clerk's office. For a user fee of $15 per person, applicants can also have a passport photograph taken at the clerk's office. Information about passport fees, acceptable forms of identification, or the passport photography service can be found at www.kanecountyclerk.org/Records/Passports/passports.aspx or by calling (630) 232-5964.

All passport forms are available at the clerk's office, but forms can be downloaded from www.travel.state.gov and completed in advance to speed the acceptance process.

Travelers can use an Illinois driver's license for domestic travel until Oct. 10, but the clerk's office encourages those who might be traveling after that time to consider applying for a passport now.

For those who cannot attend Passport Day, normal hours for passport applications at the clerk's office are 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday; and from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday.

The Kane County Clerk's Office is an authorized acceptance agency for passports and processes more than 2,700 passport applications annually. The Clerk's Office performs several other major functions, including custodian of County records, registrar of vital records, chief election official, and tax extension. The clerk's office provides information and resources to residents through the clerk's website at www.kanecountyclerk.org, twitter.com/KaneCoILClerk and www.facebook.com/kanecountyclerk.