Passport fairs bring expedited application and approval process to Utah cities

LOGAN — Nathaniel Hansen was one of dozens of people who were stopping by a passport fair Thursday, across from Utah State University. The USU student is preparing to leave the country for a mission with The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.

"I'm going to the Philippines in five or so months," Hansen said. "I'm really, really hyped."

The passport fair is one of several being held in various locations across Utah this week. Phillip Kim, a program analyst with the Bureau of Consular Affairs within the U.S. State Department, said the idea is to give more access to people in states that do not have an established passport agency office, where the process can be expedited from start to finish.

"This is part of our vast outreach program," Kim said. "We plan to continue to do it to continue our outreach program with the main goal, always the main goal, of making it easier for people to apply for their passports."

Kim added that online appointments are preferred, but people can also simply walk into one of the fairs to get help with getting pictures and paperwork processed. Kim said that renewals for passports that have not yet expired can be done easily online.

Additional fairs will be held this week at the following locations & dates:

• July 17 in Ogden: Weber State University, Student Services Center #143, 3885 West Campus Drive, Department 1120, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.
• July 18 in St. George: Utah Tech University, Gardner Ballroom, 831 E. 300 South, 9 a.m.-2:00 p.m.
• July 18 in Orem: Utah Valley University, The Clarke Classroom Building 1st Level Concourse, 800 W. University Parkway, 9 a.m.-2 p.m.

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