Passport application fee increasing on Monday

With warmer weather on the way, many Americans are beginning to plan their summer vacations.

Some may plan to leave the United States.

But be prepared to pay a little bit more soon if you need to apply for a U.S. passport.

Beginning April 2, the county fee for passport applications will increase $10 to $35.

“The state increased the county processing fee. Only the county fee is going up,” Joann Behrens, Carbon County prothonotary, said. “The state fee is remaining the same.”

She stressed that to help both her staff, as well as the applicant applying for a passport, people should have all necessary documents and fees before visiting her office, located in the Carbon County courthouse.

“Make sure you have all your information. If not, we cannot process your application.”

Regulations set by the government require all U.S. citizens to show a valid passport when trying to re-enter the country from international destinations, but for travelers who do not have this identification that they should apply for their passport at least two months before their travel date or face the possibility of not having one in time.

“It will take six weeks to go through the process,” Behrens said, noting the state offers an expedited service for a three-week turnaround, but that comes with an additional fee.

A passport is needed for everyone regardless of age for all international travel at this time, and will be required for domestic air travel in October.

Behrens’ office, which is the only walk-in office in Carbon and Luzerne counties, outlined the guidelines that must be followed when applying.

Proper birth records and payment methods are especially important.

A proper birth record is a certified copy of a state-issued birth certificate that has both parents’ names on it. It cannot be a hospital birth record or say “notification” on it.

Anyone who doesn’t have a state-issued certificate must first obtain a valid birth record before applying.

To order a birth record from the state, visit http://www.health.pa.gov/MyRecords/Certificates.

For help in ordering a copy of the new birth certificate, applicants can contact state Sen. John Yudichak’s office in Jim Thorpe, by calling 570-325-3274; or Rep. Doyle Heffley’s office in Lehighton at 610-377-6363.

Behrens also said the only accepted forms of payment when applying for a passport are cash, check or money order, depending on the fee. Cash and credit cards will not be accepted for the state fee. Cash or checks will be accepted for the $35 county fee.

The total cost for the passport is $145 for adults and $115 for minors. This charge is broken down into a state fee and a county fee. The state fee of $110 for an adult and $80 for a minor under age 16, must be either check or money order, payable to the U.S. Department of State. The remaining $35 can be paid in cash or check to the Carbon County prothonotary.

Behrens stressed that all applicants, no matter if they are 1 day old or 100, must be present at her office when applying for a passport.

In addition, applicants will need two 2-by-2-inch photos, which can be obtained at AAA offices, or through some smartphone apps that will mail the photos to you for use on your passport. The county sheriff’s office no longer does passport photos.

When applying for a passport at Behrens’ office in Jim Thorpe, there are also a few rules applicants must follow in addition to having all necessary identification, payment and photos.

The prothonotary’s office accepts applications up until 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday to provide for proper processing.

Applicants are also asked that they speak English or bring someone with them who can translate.

Behrens stressed that her office only processes the application and does not issue the passports, so questions once the application is processed must be directed to the state.

For more information on passports, Behrens suggests visiting the state passport website at travel.state.gov.