Atlanta travelers who see globetrotting in their future can apply for a new passport or renew an existing one without an appointment this Saturday, Dec. 2, from 8 a.m. to noon.
The Atlanta Passport Agency, a unit of the State Department, is holding a December Passport Day to encourage locals to apply for the document, which is now required in all international air travel.
Passport holders should also take note: Many countries require six months of validity on the document, so travelers facing expiration soon would do well to go ahead and renew now.
Passports can also be used on domestic flights to ensure compliance with a new REAL ID laws set to go into effect in January that could exclude some states’ driver’s licenses.
Travelers often have to wait in lines at U.S. post offices to get a passport. If they have urgent travel plans calling for a departure within two weeks or a visa within four, they can apply at a regional passport agency like the one in Atlanta. The agency requires an appointment where the traveler shows an itinerary and pays an extra $60 fee.
The Dec. 2 event, however, is open to everyone. Travelers can request routine service that takes four to six weeks or choose expedited service (two to three weeks) for an additional $60.
Learn more about Passport Day and find details here.
