Future Passport Agencies to Meet Travel Needs of American Citizens

Bureau of Public Affairs

Office of the Spokesman

Washington, DC

June 12, 2009

The Department of State plans to expand the existing network of 21 passport agencies and centers nationwide by opening new passport agencies in the State of Vermont, in the cities of Buffalo, New York, El Paso, Texas, Atlanta, Georgia and San Diego, California, and by establishing public counters at two existing locations, the National Passport Center in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and the Arkansas Passport Center in Hot Springs, Arkansas. This expansion will be undertaken utilizing funds appropriated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009.

These new agencies will be open to the public and will provide the citizens of these communities with easy access to the full range of passport services. These agencies will have the capability to issue passports onsite and provide same-day service to qualified applicants.

The Department is working with the General Services Administration to identify appropriate space in each of the locations and the Department will provide updates to the public through the Department’s Recovery Act website as project schedules are finalized.

In March, the Department opened a new passport agency in Detroit and another new passport agency in Minneapolis in May. Later this summer, the Department will open an agency in Dallas and The Western Passport Center in Tucson. The Western Passport Center, a mega adjudication center with a public counter, will be co-located with the existing passport printing facility in Tucson. These activities were funded through the Department’s normal budget and appropriations process.

Information on how to apply for a passport book and/or passport card can be found at www.travel.state.gov and by calling the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 1-877-487-2778.