Travelers rush to get passports at post office fair

By Jomay Steen, Journal Staff Writer | Tuesday, November 07, 2006

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RAPID CITY — A travel initiative requiring passports as identification documents may make travel to neighboring countries a little easier for some people.

Rapid City traveler Heather Gatzke flew to Mexico last year with her mother to take a holiday vacation break from South Dakota’s winter weather.

The child-care worker said that when she arrived at her Mexican destination, it was a hassle going through customs using her birth certificate, driver’s license and another form of identification.

“It was horrible. But we’re making it easier this year by getting our passports,” she said.

On Jan. 8, 2007, the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative will require all U.S. citizens to have a passport to enter and re-enter the U.S. at airports and seaports when traveling to Canada, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

Gatzke, 20, joined more than 170 people who were applying for or updating their passports at the Rapid City Postal Service’s second Passport Fair on Oct. 26.

Sonny Magnuson, supervisor of customer services for the post office, said that since the fair, 20 to 30 people stop by each day to apply for their passports before the January deadline. The post office still offers applications for passports from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, he said.

“The clock is ticking on this,” he said.

It takes from six to eight weeks to get the passport. Or, you can pay an additional $60 plus Express Mail postage to receive the passport in less than four weeks.

Vicki and Sam Liebig of Rapid City brought certified copies of their birth certificates, applications that they had filled out earlier in the day and their drivers licenses to get their passports. To simplify the process, the Liebigs had their passport photographs taken on site. Postal workers said their passports would arrive at their home address in six weeks.

“We thought this would just be easier,” Vicki Liebig said.

They plan to vacation in Cancun, Mexico. Last year, they had traveled to their favorite Mexican vacation spot with their birth certificates, driver’s licenses and marriage certificate.

“It’s not a lot of fun,” she said of keeping track of the documents. “It was quite an ordeal whenever we had to show them.”

Although the couple lived in Germany for nearly a year while Sam Liebig was stationed in Berlin, it will be his first passport.

“I’d probably like to go to Canada sometime. You’ve got to have a passport to travel there, too,” Sam Liebig said.

The Liebigs said that there may be a possibility of traveling to Europe.

“Maybe we will go back to Germany some day and see the changes since the wall came down,” he said.

Since their plane doesn’t leave Rapid City until the end of January, they are not worried about the six-week wait while their passports are processed.

“We’ve got plenty of time,” she said.

Jeff and Amy Loftus brought their three children, Brock, 10, Breanna, 9, and Brishae, 8, to the fair with all of their documentation, applications and took their photographs on site.

Because their children are all younger than 14, both parents had to be present to apply for their children’s passports.

Jeff Loftus said his family visits Mexico several times a year and this year they would go to their favorite vacation spot at Playa del Carmen, on the Yucatan Peninsula south of Cancun. The passports won’t expire for the senior Loftuses for 10 years and five years for their children.

“We travel quite a bit together and the children are very good travelers. They have been going with us to Cancun since they were 2,” he said.

Shanna Shannon and Eric Peterson aren’t jet setters but when the Rapid City couple took a birthday trip to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, they fell in love with the country. Now, they have opted to marry on Feb. 27, 2007, at Playa del Carmen with 20 of their closest friends and relatives as wedding guests.

Since Shannon will be married in Mexico, she will travel under her maiden name. But to show a name change, applicants would need to submit a certified copy of their marriage certificate if ID does not show the married name.

“I’m not a very seasoned traveler, but I like traveling,” Peterson said.

Apply for a passport

Required items for adults:

- Two passport-sized photos.

- Old passport, certified copy of birth certificate or original naturalization certificate. Certificate will be submitted with application. Copies will not be accepted.

- Picture ID.

- Check or money order for passport services; USPS can also be paid with check, money order, cash or credit card.

- All applicants must be present to apply; if younger than 18, one parent must be present.

- To show name change, submit court order or certified copy of marriage certificate if ID does not show married name.

Required items for children ages 14 or younger:

- Passport application for children younger than 14 requires both parents to accompany them and parents’ signatures.

- Two passport-sized photos

- Certified U.S. birth certificate including parents’ names or previous fully valid U.S. passport, which proves citizenship and parental guardianship

- Adoption decree including adoptive parent/parents’ names

- Court order establishing custody

- Court order establishing guardianship and authority to apply for passport

- Parental identification such as valid drivers license, valid official U.S. military ID, valid government employee ID, valid U.S. passport with recognizable photo.

Cost: $67 for adult passport service and $30 USPS fee; $52 for children’s passport services, ages 15 and younger, and $30 USPS fee.

Renewal fee: $67 if applicant is an adult and within 15 years of application.

Expedited fee: $60 additional fee, plus Express Mail postage of $14.40 each way for an 8-ounce envelope, which is used when passport is needed in less than four weeks.

Passports take about six to eight weeks to process and receive.

For passport information, call 355-2819.