North and South Carolinians looking to go abroad will soon have a full-service passport agency much closer.
The State Department announced Tuesday that Charlotte and several other cities will be getting a new passport office. Although there is a number of acceptance facilities in Charlotte, they cannot quickly obtain a passport or issue a new one.
The full-service center, operated by the Department of State, offers the following services:
Regular service: first trip and passport renewal.
Replacement of lost/stolen passport
Fast-Track Service: Fast processing for people with urgent travel needs. You can obtain your passport within 14 days for an additional fee.
Same-day issuance: Although not guaranteed, the agency offers the possibility of leaving with a passport on the day of application.
Tuesday’s announcement did not say where the office will be located or when it will open. The State Department did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Increased demand for US passports
New Charlotte agency comes amid a surge in international travel. In 1990, only 5% of Americans had a passport, according to the State Department. Today, that number has skyrocketed to nearly half the population. Last year alone, the State Department processed a record 24 million passport books and cards.
During the height of the pandemic, the wait time for a new passport reached 13 weeks. But the delay is over, according to the State Department. With more overtime and increased staffing, the State Department has brought wait times back to pre-pandemic levels, according to the department’s website.
Charlotte’s new agency is different from the nearly 7,500 passport acceptance facilities across the country — like the one that opened last year in the upper part of the city. Acceptance facilities, often located at post offices or local government offices, are suitable for routine applications such as renewals. But they offer limited services and mail orders for processing, which takes six to eight weeks.
The new Charlotte facility is just one of six new agencies announced Tuesday. The Department of State will open new locations in Salt Lake City, Utah, Kansas City, Missouri, Orlando, Florida, San Antonio, Texas, and Cincinnati, Ohio. This will bring the total number of passport agencies to 36 once opened.
HOW TO REQUEST A NEW PASSPORT
Here are the materials you need to have when applying for a new passport:
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A passport application form
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Original or notarized proof of U.S. citizenship, hard copy (birth certificate, naturalization certificate, citizenship certificate)
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Photocopy of proof of citizenship (must be on standard white 8.5 by 11 inch paper)
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Current ID (driver’s license, government employment card, US military ID, etc.)
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Photocopy of identification passport photo (color photo taken within the last 6 months)
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The full list of photo requirements can be found here.
There are additional documents required to obtain a passport for children aged 16 and under. These requirements can be found at travel.state.gov/.
