San Diego County to begin accepting passport applications by appointment only

County of San Diego Communications Office

San Diego County’s passport application service is now offering appointments and will soon be switching to appointments only.

Applicants can make appointments online, up to six weeks in advance. Customers can cancel and reschedule appointments online as well. In addition, they can receive text reminders for their appointment.

The service is provided by the county’s clerk of the board of supervisors. The office will no longer take walk-in customers starting March 5.

To make an appointment, visit the clerk of the board’s website, http://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/cob.html.

In addition, the office has extended its service hours. The new hours are 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding county holidays. The office is located on the fourth floor of the County Administration Center at 1600 Pacific Highway in downtown San Diego.

“The clerk of the board office is one of the busiest passport acceptance facilities in the county. It accepted 26,980 passport applications last year,” David Hall, clerk of the board, said. “The change will increase customer service and decrease wait times for passport applicants.”

A passport book is required for international air travel or for those who cross the international borders into Mexico or Canada. A passport card is often used in communities where crossing the border is a daily occurrence but can also be used at U.S. land and sea ports-of-entry for travelers arriving from Mexico, Canada, the Caribbean and Bermuda.

To quickly process a passport application, be prepared with an unsigned completed application; a proof of U.S. citizenship, such as a birth certificate, certificate of naturalization, or one of several other specific documents and a proof of identity, specifically a state- or government-issued identification or previously issued passport.

Applicants must provide an acceptable passport photo; the office provides passport photo services. Payment for acceptance fees must be in cash, check or money order only. Credit and debit cards are not accepted. All applicants must appear in person. Please note there are special requirements for children under the age of 16.

Free, three-hour parking is available at the county administration center. The parking garage entrance is on Ash Street between North Harbor Drive and Pacific Highway.

Additional information can be found on the Clerk of the Board’s website, http://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/cob.html.

Walk-in passport facilities are located nearby. Check the agency’s websites for hours of service or visit http://www.travel.state.gov.