General Passport Information

Routine or expedited passport applications may be obtained and processed at the Office of the Monroe County Clerk located in the County Office Building, 39 W. Main St., Room 101 (at the corner of West Main and Fitzhugh Streets in downtown Rochester), Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and the last Saturday of the month from 10:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. For 2012, those Saturday dates are January 28, February 25, March 31, April 28, May 26, June 30, July 28, August 25, September 29, October 27 and November 24. Additionally, we hold special Passport Outreach hours from 9:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m., at the Greece and Pittsford Town Halls one day each week. No appointment is needed at any location!

Beginning the week of August 29, 2011, Passport Outreach will now be offered on Wednesdays at the Pittsford Town Hall and on Thursdays at the Greece Town Hall.

When applying for a passport, please be prepared to provide the following:

• A completed application, type written or neatly printed in black or blue ink only. Do not sign the form until in the presence of a Clerk.
• Proof of U.S. citizenship in one of three forms: a certified copy of your birth certificate with a raised seal; original naturalization papers, or an old U.S. passport issued in your name. The birth certificate in either original or certified form must be the long form which contains your full name with correct spelling, parents' names, date and place of birth, file or registration date and a raised seal or other certification marking. Some birth notices and birth registrations do not contain all the relevant information required by the Department of State. Hospital certificates cannot be accepted.
• Proof of identity in the form of a valid NYS Driver License or non-Driver ID, a valid military ID, naturalization papers issued to you as an adult,  or an INS Alien Registration Card.
• Two identical passport photos, 2" x 2" with a white background and a full front view of your head and shoulders. Pictures must be taken within the last six months. Pictures are available in the Monroe County Clerk’s Office for a fee of $7 per set.
• $110 cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover or money order payable to “U.S. Department of State” for a passport book and $30 payable to the "U.S. Department of State" for a passport card. There is an additional $25 agency processing fee for each application.
• Applicants between the ages of 16 to 18 must appear with a parent or legal guardian.
• Applicants under the age of 16 must appear with BOTH PARENTS.

Note: If you were born in Monroe County you may obtain a copy of your birth certificate by contacting the Bureau of Vital Statistics at 753-5141. Please be sure to request the long form birth certificate.

For quicker results, download a passport application, fill it out beforehand and bring it with you to the County Clerk’s Office.

If you have any further specific questions, please call 585 753-1600.

Visit the Monroe County Health Department’s Office of Vital Records.

Visit the US Department of State’s Travel website for Passport Forms.

Passports for Children

All children must appear at time of application.

Rules governing the issuance of passports to children under the age of 16 were recently revised by the U.S. Department of State. BOTH PARENTS or the child’s legal guardian must be present at the time of application or present additional documentation as detailed below.

Evidence of the child’s U.S. citizenship must be presented at the time of application. The child’s Social Security number is also required on the application.

Both parents or legal guardian must:

• Present evidence that they are the parents or guardian;
• Show valid identification;
• Sign and take an oath before an authorized passport acceptance agent.

If the second parent is not available to sign, the appearing parent must do all of the above and:

• Present evidence that he/she has sole custody of the child; or
• Present a completed “statement of consent” form (DS-3053), which must be notarized.

Children between the ages of 16–18 must appear with a parent or legal guardian who can sign their passport application. Furthermore, the applicant will need:

• Proof of U.S. Citizenship;
• A social security number;
• The parent to produce photo identification showing the same last name as the child (guardian must bring guardianship papers). If the last name on the parent’s ID is different from the applicant, additional documentation will be required.

Fees

Passport Book:  $80 cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover or money order payable to “U.S. Department of State” (for children under the age of 16) or $110 cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover or money order payable to “U.S. Department of State” (for age 16 - 18) and an additional $25 agency processing fee.

Passport Card:  $15 cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover or money order payable to “U.S. Department of State” (for children under the age of 16) or $30 cash, check, Visa, MasterCard, Discover or money order payable to “U.S. Department of State” (for age 16 -18) and an additional $25 agency processing fee.

Expedite the Passport Process

The processing time for passports is four to six weeks from time of application to time of return. The Office of the Monroe County Clerk is only responsible for processing the passport application. You will receive your passport in the mail directly from the Passport Agency.

If you wish to receive a passport sooner than the U.S. Department of State’s national service commitment of 4 to 6 weeks, you may pay an expedite fee of $60 per application plus additional fees to overnight your application to the Department of State and return to you upon completion.

An expedited passport is 10-14 business days from time of application to time of return. If you do not receive your passport within the time schedules listed above, please contact the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778 (TDD 1-888-874-7793) or by e-mail.

 

If you are traveling in less than 14 days, you may schedule an appointment with a passport facility to have your application processed. There are facilities in Buffalo, New York City and Boston that accept appointments. Please call the National Passport Agency at 1-877-487-2778 to schedule an appointment. Proof of travel is required to make an appointment and expediting fees will apply.

Amend or Change a Passport

To amend information or to change a name on a passport, you must fill out a “Passport Amendment/Validation Application.” When completed, mail the form with your passport and supporting documentation to the National Passport Processing Center address listed on the application. Supporting documents could include an original marriage certificate, court ordered birth certificate, or other documentation that would support the name change, correction or amendment. No processing fees are required.

Download a Passport Amendment Application from the U.S. Department of State website.

Renew a Passport by Mail

You may be eligible to renew your passport by mail and save a processing fee. To be eligible you must be able to submit your most recent passport and you must have been at least 16 at the time your most recent passport was issued, plus it must have been issued less than 15 years ago. In addition, you must currently use the same name as on your most recent passport or submit your marriage certificate or court order if your name has changed.

You will need to complete form DS-82, Application for a US Passport by Mail, and submit your completed application, your most recent passport, two identical passport photos with a white background taken within the last six months, and a check or money order for $110 payable to “Department of State” to the National Passport Processing Center directly by mailing to the address listed on the application.

Download a Passport Renewal Application from the U.S. Department of State website.