MENG TO HELP RESIDENTS OF SIXTH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT APPLY FOR OR RENEW A PASSPORT

QUEENS, NY – With the summer travel season around the corner, U.S. Rep. Grace Meng (D-Queens) announced today that she will host another local event to help constituents apply for or renew a passport.

For more than a year, Meng has organized several of these passport events in her congressional district. They have been held everywhere from Flushing to Jackson Heights and Forest Hills to Woodside, and this next one will return to Flushing on Sunday, May 19, 2024 at the United States Post Office located at 4165 Main Street. The event will run from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. and no appointment is necessary. Applications for both first time passports and renewals will be accepted on a first come, first served basis, and those attending must reside in Meng’s congressional district.

“I am thrilled to once again provide this easy and accessible service to those I represent,” said Meng. “The past several passport events have gotten great feedback with constituents saying that it allowed to them and their families to take care of their passport needs and to do so on a weekend without having to take off from work or school, and not needing to wait for an appointment. So, I encourage those in my district to come out on May 19 to take advantage of this convenient service, especially with many in our communities seeking to travel abroad in the coming months.”

Meng’s next event comes after she helped to reduce the long passport processing times over the past year when routine waits were at least 10-13 weeks long, and at least 7-9 weeks for expedited applications, not including mailing times. Current routine processing times are now 6-8 weeks long and 2-3 weeks for expedited service.

In calling for the passport backlog to be addressed, the Congresswoman pushed the State Department to decrease the long wait times, and that included questioningSecretary of State Antony Blinken about the problem during a congressional hearing on the State Department’s budget in May 2023.

To receive a passport, an individual must be a U.S. citizen or non-citizen national, and they need to complete the application form which Postal Service clerks at Meng’s upcoming event can assist with on-site. The required supporting documents must also be submitted and details can be found here.

The following is what constituents should bring to the Congresswoman’s Flushing passport event:

1. Proof of address to show residency in Meng’s congressional district.
2. If applying for a first-time passport, bring an original copy and photocopy of proof of identity AND U.S. citizenship documents.
3. For a renewal, bring the most recent passport and name change documents if there are any.
4. Children under age 16 must apply in person with two parents or guardians using form DS-11. Applicant must provide U.S. citizenship evidence. Parents must show parental relationship and present ID.
5. Debit/credit card, or check/money order made payable to "Postmaster" for acceptance fees.
6. Check/money order made payable to "U.S. Department of State" for processing fees.
7. A color passport photo taken in the last six months, or a photo can be taken on-site with an additional fee.

The costs of applying for and renewing a passport can be found here.