Clerk's office to host Passport Application Day

The Kane County Clerk's Office will host another Passport Application Day event from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, March 10, at the clerk's office, 719 S. Batavia Ave., Bldg. B, Geneva, to accept and assist residents with passport applications, as part of the Accessibility Program initiative.

As part of CAP, the clerk's office has provided expanded services to residents outside of normal business hours and outside of the clerk's main office in Geneva, as part of the clerk's continuing initiative to increase accessibility of resources to Kane County residents. The clerk's office recently launched the Mobile Clerk's Office, which will visit the Elgin Township Office Thursday, March 8, and the Dundee Township Office Thursday, March 15, as part of the initiative to provide more services to residents in their own communities.

At the last weekend passport event, the clerk's office completed 74 new passport applications, took 52 passport photos, and helped dozens more residents with renewal applications or with questions about applications.

"Residents have busy lives and I want to make sure that we do what we can at the Clerk's Office to be more accessible to those busy schedules. Our passport events on Saturdays are important because they allow residents who are unable to get to the office during the regular passport acceptance hours," John Cunningham said.

Requirements for a passport application include valid photo identification, a certified copy of the applicant's birth certificate, and a check or money order for payment; fees depend on the type of passport documents sought. Copies of birth certificates for those born in Kane County can be requested at the clerk's office. Passport photography is available at the clerk's office for $15.

Information about passport fees, acceptable forms of identification, and the passport photography service can be found at www.kanecountyclerk.org/Records/Passports/passports.aspx or by calling (630) 232-5964. Application forms also are available on the clerk's website.

Cunningham added, "Our office will also be open for early voting March 10, so we encourage residents to take advantage of the opportunity to get a passport and vote early at the same time."

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.