Jefferson City's Main Post Office, 131 W. High St., will offer a "Passport Fair" from 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday.
Extra staff members will be available to help process the application forms.
Applicants must provide an official "Application for Passport," Form DS-11, which will be available at the Post Office on Saturday. That form also is available online from the U.S. Postal Service website, at www.usps.com/passport, for those who want to download and complete it before arriving at the post office.
All applicants, including infants, must present a proof of U.S. citizenship, which must be one of the following:
• Previous U.S. passport.
• Certified birth certificate issued by a state, city or county.
• Consular report of birth abroad.
• Certification of birth.
• Naturalization certificate.
• Certificate of citizenship.
A picture ID also is required to get a passport.
And the passport must include a color photograph taken within the last six months and meeting specific guidelines.
The State Department recommends applicants "use a professional passport photo service" for that picture.
The Post Office Passport Fair includes the opportunity to get the picture taken during the process.
More information about passports and the costs is available online from the U.S. State Department, at http://travel.state.gov/passport.
Roger Bounds, the Jefferson City Post Office officer-in-charge during the search for a new postmaster, recommends that people wanting a passport visit the Post Office at least two months - or earlier - before their scheduled trip, to avoid any extra costs involved in expediting the application.
On its website, the State Department says "routine" processing takes four to six weeks, while "expedited" processing usually takes three weeks. Passports are available in either a book, which is more expensive but used for travel worldwide, or a card.
U.S. citizens also may also obtain passport information by phone, in English and Spanish, by calling the National Passport Information Center toll-free at 877-487-2778.