Get a Passport More Easily on Saturday

For one day only, on Saturday, March 10, you can get a U.S. passport at the , the or at the State Department's passport office in Norwalk without first making an appointment.

The U.S. Department of State is holding the walk-in, appointment-free day for people to get their passports at offices around the country. Here are the hours for various locations around Darien that are open that day (a full list is on the State Department's website):

• Darien Post Office: 9 a.m. to noon.

• Springdale Post Office, 24 Camp Ave., Stamford: 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• Ferguson Library in Stamford: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

• U.S. Passport Office at the tall 50 Washington St. building in South Norwalk will be open from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The office will provide passport information and accept applications for passports. According to a news release from the State Department:

"For this day only, appointments are not required for customers to apply directly at a regional passport agency. Additionally, regional passport agencies will only charge the $60 expedited fee to customers requesting expedited service. Americans can be ready for the summer travel season by applying for their US. passport book or US. passport card during these extended Saturday hours.

According to the State Department website, it normally takes four to six weeks to get a passport, and expedited passports take two to three weeks. 

"U.S. citizens must present a valid passport book when entering or re­entering the United States by air. U.S. citizens entering the United States from Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Bermuda at land borders and sea ports of entry must present a passport book, passport card, or other travel documents approved by the U.S. government," according to the news release.

Information on the cost and how to apply for a passport can be found on the travel pages of State Department's website or by calling the National Passport lnformation Center toll-­free at (877) 487-2778 (in English or Spanish).

Editor's note: This article originally was published at 4:45 p.m., Feb. 27. The time stamp has been changed for layout purposes on the Home page of Darien Patch.