The Office of Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello offers a passport service event at the headquarters branch of the Mercer County Library on Thursday, July 25, from 2 to 6:30 p.m. They will be joined by staff from the offices of Congresspersons Andy Kim and Bonnie Watson Coleman. This event is directed to serve residents of the Lawrence and Ewing Township area but it is also open to any U.S. citizen who has proper identification and seeks to obtain a passport from the U.S. Department of State.
The government offices will be on site to accept and process applications, take photos and answer general passport questions. Contact Mercer County Clerk at 609-989-6473 for appointments. For details on documents needed to apply for a U.S. Passport, visit: www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk-/office-services/passports.
The Lawrence Headquarters Branch of the Mercer County Library System is located at 2751 Brunswick Pike, Lawrenceville. For more information about the library’s programs call 609-883-8292, e-mail lawprogs@mcl.org, or visit www.mcl.org.
The county clerk’s office has also announced that the U.S. Department of State has launched a public website tool for updated Online Passport Renewal (OPR). This innovative tool is designed to streamline the passport renewal process, making it more efficient and convenient for U.S. citizens.
The online passport renewal tool aims to save time and effort, providing a user-friendly platform for renewing passports from the comfort of homes. The U.S. Department of State created this process to enhance the everyday lives of Americans, offering significant benefits to working families and travelers by giving them more time back in their busy schedules.
“We are excited about this new development from the U.S. Department of State,” Sollami Covello said. “The updated Online Passport Renewal tool is a step forward in our mission to make essential services more accessible and convenient for everyone. I encourage all eligible Mercer County residents to take advantage of this new tool and experience the ease of renewing their passports online.”
Online Passport Renewal is set to accept new applications at 1 p.m. Eastern Standard Time each day. Eligible individuals must first create an account to renew passports online at https://login.gov. Applicants will be able to apply online until the daily office threshold is met. The site will close each day once the daily application threshold is reached.
To be eligible to renew a passport online, an applicant must meet the following criteria:
• Have a recent 10-year passport and be age 25 or older.
• Possess a U.S. passport issued between 2009 and 2015, whether expired or valid.
• No change to name, gender, date of birth, or place of birth.
• No travel internationally for at least eight weeks after applying. (Note: Processing times are the same as for mail-in renewals.)
• Request routine service only (expedited service not available online).
• Apply for a regular (tourist) passport (special issuance passports are not eligible).
• Reside in the U.S. or its territories (not eligible if living abroad or with an APO/FPO address).
• Possess an undamaged passport (not reported lost or stolen). Applicants can pay the passport application fees using a credit/debit card; current fees are found here: travel.state.gov.
The Mercer County Clerk’s Office continues to offer passport renewals services at both of its offices in Trenton on South Broad Street and Hamilton Township at the Mercer County Connection. The online service is simply an additional option for those who wish to take advantage of this opportunity.
For more information about passport services, upcoming events, and other office services visit the Mercer County Clerk’s Office website at www.mercercounty.org or call 609-989-6473.
