County Clerk to Hold Outreach Event with AAA Western and Central New York in Williamsville, NY
Erie County, NY-Erie County Clerk Michael P. Kearns announced that his office will be conducting a “Passports on the Move” outreach on Tuesday, July 18th from 5pm to 7pm at the AAA Travel and Insurance Center located at 100 International Drive in Williamsville. A second outreach event is also planned for Tuesday, August 22nd from 5pm to 7pm the AAA Travel and Insurance Center located at 1737 Sheridan Drive in Tonawanda.
This community event is for first-time passport applicants only. Reservations are required and can be made for either date by contacting the Erie County Clerk’s Outreach Center at (716) 858-8864.
“I am pleased to make this popular service available to residents across the Northtowns, along with our community partners at AAA of Western and Central New York,” said County Clerk Kearns. “Our main objective is to make County government more customer-centered, including offering easily accessible locations for travelers to apply for their passport.”
Applicants will be able to apply for a passport card, passport book or both. Payment must be in the form of check or money order. No cash or credit cards will be accepted. “I encourage anyone planning an upcoming vacation, the Buffalo Bills game in London, or college students preparing for a semester abroad to schedule an appointment for our ‘Passports on the Move’ event as the current wait time to receive a passport can be as along as 13 weeks,” Kearns stated.
“International travel is up more than 200 percent this year compared to last year based on AAA booking data, and the surge in demand is leading to passport processing delays at the federal level, so AAA recommends that travelers apply for passports as soon as possible,” said Elizabeth Carey, Director of Public Relations and Corporate Communications at AAA Western and Central New York. “AAA is pleased to partner with the Erie County Clerk’s office to offer this much needed service, which simplified the application process for travelers.”
A certified copy of birth certificate and proof of identity such as a current New York State driver’s license or non-driver identification card is required in order for any application to be accepted. Passport photos can be taken on-site and are available for $8.95 for AAA members and $12.95 for non-members.
Current passport holders with less than 6 months validity remaining are encouraged to follow the instructions on how to renew their passport by mail at travel.state.gov/passports. Passport applications, a list of all required documents and a schedule of fees are available by visiting erie.gov/passports or by contacting the Erie County Clerk’s Office Outreach Center at (716) 858-8864.