Get travel ready on Passport Day

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Clay County hosts event to help travelers prepare

Saturday is Passport Day in the USA, and one local official said it could be just the ticket for a smooth international trip.

Many passport application offices across the country will be open for business Saturday in an effort to convince people sooner is better than later when planning for a trip, said Clay County Recorder Bonnie Rehder.

The Clay County recorder’s office, 807 11th St. N., Moorhead, will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday to help people apply for a traditional passport book, or the more streamlined passport card.

“It’s very important to not procrastinate,” Rehder said.

In the past, Rehder said, passport offices have seen a rush of business whenever a change occurs in travels rules.

She expects the same will happen as June 1 approaches.

Starting that day, anyone entering the United States by land or sea from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda will be required to have a passport.

Rehder said the time it takes for a passport request to be processed varies depending on demand.

She said it has been taking seven to 10 days, but warned the wait could suddenly turn into months if people with summer travel plans all wait until the last minute to apply.

Debby Erwin of Moorhead said her recent trip to the Clay County recorder’s office to get a passport for her 9-month-old son went smoothly.

While she and her husband, Wes, have no immediate plans to travel outside the country, Erwin said knowing they are ready to go is a good feeling.

“I’m the procrastinator in the family. My husband is the organized one,” Debby Erwin said.

“He’s most of the time right,” she said, adding that it pays to get these things done early. “It’s one less stress to deal with,” she said.

When heading for the passport office, people should bring a certified copy of their birth certificate from the state where they were born, an ID and a checkbook.

The Clay County recorder’s office charges $100 for an adult passport book; $16 for a certified copy of a Minnesota birth certificate; and $8 for a passport photo.

The price is $45 for a passport card, which functions like a passport book, except it cannot be used for plane travel.

Rehder said that may not sound like a problem for someone traveling by train or car, but she said it can create problems if someone experiences a medical emergency abroad.

“They can’t get on an airplane,” Rehder said.

Post offices in Fargo and Moorhead are among those that process passport applications, but officials said those offices aren’t planning to take part in Saturday’s Passport Day.

The Fargo Post Office sometimes hosts Passport Days at North Dakota State University, and one is planned for March 31, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Applications will be taken by appointment only, and appointments may be made by calling (701) 231-7895 or by e-mailing tanya.m.kramer@ndsu.edu.

Readers can reach Forum reporter Dave Olson at (701) 241-5555

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