Oakland County, Michigan, March 17, 2006 - Oakland County Clerk/Register Ruth Johnson has joined forces with clerks in eight other communities to offer Saturday hours for residents who will need passports under tougher travel laws.

The Oakland County/Community Passport Fair will be held from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, March 25.

The Oakland County Clerk's Office, 1200 N. Telegraph in Pontiac, as well as municipal offices in Bloomfield Township, Commerce Township, Farmington Hills, Highland Township, Novi, Troy, Oakland County Clerk, Walled Lake and Wixom will be open that morning to accommodate residents.

"We want to make it as convenient as we can for residents throughout the county," said Johnson. "We've heard there is a 6-8 week federal backlog in processing passport applications so Oakland County residents with travel plans should make sure they get their passports in order."

The Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 requires passports for travel to numerous countries that did not require them before.

By December 31, 2006, all air and see travelers to or from Canada, Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda will need passports. By December 31, 2007, the requirement will be extended to all land border crossings as well.

While all the communities process passport applications, some are not equipped with photo processing, which will require residents to bring their own passport photos, which must meet strict guidelines. For more information, visit the U.S. Department of State website at http://www.travel.state.gov.

Fees may vary by community. At the Oakland County Clerk's Office, for example, the fee is $107, which includes a $67 check payable to the U.S. Department of State, a $30 execution fee and $10 for photos.

To apply for a U.S. passport, residents must provide:

• A passport application form
• Proof of U.S. citizenship in the form of a previous passport, certified birth certificate or naturalization certificate.
• Proof of identity, with photo, including a driver's license, government or military ID. Social Security cards will not suffice.

For information, call the Oakland County Clerk/Register Office at (248) 858-0560 or call participating communities.

More information regarding Passports...