The Clerk of the Circuit Court’s Office is a federally recognized passport acceptance facility.

We can take your picture and print your Passport photo right here in our office.

We have blank forms available at our office, or you can access the forms online http://www.travel.state.gov/passport/forms/forms_847.html.

If you choose to complete your forms online; fill in all pertinent information, print single-sided on 8½” x 11” matte (non-shiny) white paper, with no holes or perforations. Do not sign the forms until we request you to do so in our office. Forms need to be signed in the presence of one of our staff.

If you choose to fill in a blank form by hand in our office, that is also an option. The State Department suggests that typed forms are processed quicker, and you will have to spend less time in our office if you arrive with your forms already completed, but the choice is yours. Estimated time for the completion of the form is approximately one and one-half hours according to the State Department website. You must know your parent’s dates and locations of birth when applying for your first passport.

Whether you fill out the forms here or bring them in typed, you must also bring the following items with you into our office:

· Proof of United States Citizenship - either a previous passport or certified birth certificate. This is the official document from the county of your birth, not the novelty certificate from the hospital. If no birth certificate exists see Form DS-11 for acceptable alternatives.

· Proof of Identity – bring the following that proves your signature and has a physical description or photograph; a driver’s license, previous passport, government employee identification card, or Certificates of Naturalization or Citizenship are all acceptable.

· Two recent color photographs – Passport photos are available in our office and at a variety of locations. Photos must be of the applicant alone, taken within the last six months, 2” square, and the bottom of your chin to the top of your hair between 1” and 1 3/8” tall. Dark glasses are not allowed without a signed doctor’s declaration stating medical requirements. Head coverings are not allowed without a signed statement by the applicant stating the item is worn daily for religious reasons. Photographs must be un-retouched, and provide a full front view of the applicant’s face.

· Passports cost $135 ($110 Application Fee and $25 Execution Fee) for a ten year document that you should receive in four to six weeks. If the applicant is less than 16 years of age, then the document is only valid for five years, and has a reduced cost of $105 ($80 Application Fee and $25 Execution Fee). Expedited service from the State Department costs $60, and your passport should be processed within three workdays from the receipt of all information at the passport agency. Other fees may apply depending on payment options you choose. If you have photos taken in our office, there will be an additional charge of $10.

If you currently have a passport issued within the last 15 years when you were 16 years of age, or older, and your name has not changed or you have proper documentation to prove your name change, you can receive a current, corrected passport by mail using Form DS-82 for a discounted rate of $110. Photos and other fees could be extra.

See the State Department’s website for more information.