“January is the start of our busy season,” cautioned Idoni. “Don’t wait and get caught in the flood of requests for passports, especially if you are planning an international trip in the next six weeks or even six months.”  Idoni invited residents to come to his office in White Plains or visit one of their mobile office locations to have his staff assist them and noted, “Most routine applications take just a few minutes to complete.”

The demand for passports was unprecedented this year, largely due to increased attention on homeland security and terrorism, which led to changes in the regulations. New passport rules require all persons traveling by air between the United States and Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean to have a valid passport to enter the United States. “And in 2008,” warns Idoni   “requirements are scheduled to extend to border crossings by land and sea. It won’t be long before passports become the primary identification for those traveling outside of the United States.”

To apply for a passport, applicants must provide proof of identity, citizenship and current passport photos. If an applicant needs photos taken, the county clerk’s office can provide this service in their White Plains office and mobile office. “Make sure to bring original documents with a raised seal to avoid a delay in completing the application,” recommends Idoni.  If the passport is for a child, they must be present at the time the application is submitted. The fee for an adult passport (age 16 and over) is $100.00 and the fee for a child’s passport (under age 16) is $85.00. Expedited service is available for an additional $60.00 per application, which may decrease the processing time to about three weeks. Specific requirements are outlined on the county clerk website at www.westchesterclerk.com where the current mobile office calendar with dates and locations when community outreach staff will be appearing can be found.  Information is always obtainable by calling the office and speaking with staff at 995-3086 weekdays between 8 a.m. and 5:45 p.m., excluding legal holidays.