Opportunity to apply to passport this weekend

Right now is the ideal time to apply for passports, if you plan to travel outside the country this summer.

Ponca City is offering a passport fair for you to apply this Saturday.

It will be on the second floor of the downtown post office from 10 to 3.

Marilee Thorton, Kay County Court Clerk knows getting a passport can be difficult sometimes.

“Being able to get their passports without taking off work to do it or school because if you have a child under the age of 14 that child has to be there, with both parents,” Thorton said.

Normally this passport fair is part of a nationwide passport day, but the passport department isn’t doing it this year.

Thorton said she wanted to continue with the fair in Ponca City because of the good response in previous years.

Passports take four to six weeks to come in, so now is the time to get them for summer vacations.

Thorton said you need to bring two things to apply for your passport.

“They need bring a state issued ID and their birth certificate," Thorton said."The important thing on the birth certificate is they can’t be the one issued from the hospital. It has to be certified copy from the Bureau of Vital Statistics in Oklahoma City”

Thorton also said she recommends the passport book vs the cards

The cards are cheaper, but have more restrictions on them.

Passport books are $110 and cards are $30, but cards are only valid if traveling by land or boat to Mexico, Caribbean, Canada or Bermuda.

You must have the book to travel to any other countries or to fly to those locations.