The Double Win:
Obtain a Passport, Gift a Scholarship
The journey starts as a small, blue booklet with blank pages ready for fresh ink. Once opened, a world of opportunity awaits.
The U.S. Passport can bring walks through the columns of the Parthenon, views of the Mona Lisa in the Louve, hops with kangaroos in the land down under, and treks through the Lapland for a reindeer safari.
As one begins planning the trip, setting aside a vacation fund, and dreaming of adventure, a crucial first step is applying and obtaining a passport. While the process can seem overwhelming and complex for many, the U.S. Passport Acceptance Facility at Lenoir Community College (LCC) is making the application experience enjoyable, but most importantly, attainable.
“I am helping someone obtain a life goal,” said Charles McIntrye, senior passport acceptance agent. “They are checking an item off their bucket list or going on their first cruise after having worked their whole lives. It is meaningful to me to help them with the process.”
“People often feel daunted by the process of obtaining a passport,” he added, “but, we’re going to help you get through this.”
The U.S. Dept. of State designated LCC as a Passport Acceptance Facility in 2013. Individuals can apply for a passport directly through the Office of Institutional Advancement. Services are available for individuals requesting a passport for the first time.
There are five requirements to obtain a U.S. Passport:
1. Complete a U.S. Passport Application.
2. Provide a certified birth certificate or original Certificate of Naturalization with photograph attached.
3. Provide two passport photographs.
4. Present a valid driver’s license, military ID or government employee ID.
5. Provide two forms of payment (checks or money orders only).
“We go through the entire application with the applicant. Once we go through the application line by line and make sure it is as good as we can make it, at that point, we take and attach their photo and collect the fees. We place them under oath, witness their signing of the document, and it goes out in the mail to Passport Services,” said McIntyre.
Applications are available at the Passport Acceptance Facility, and agents are readily available to answer questions and guide you through the steps. Requirements for passport photographs are specific. Upon request, agents can take applicant photographs on site and ensure they meet federal regulations.
All fees associated with the application and issuance of a U.S. Passport are federally mandated. The U.S. Dept. of State does charge for the issuance of passports, and the cost varies by routine or expedited service as well as regular or overnight return. The cost for a routine issuance of an adult passport book, with no overnight delivery, is $130. The cost for an expedited issuance of an adult passport book, with no overnight delivery, is $160. An execution fee, made payable to the local agency administering application, in this case the LCC Passport Office, is also required by the U.S. Dept. of State.
The passport application execution fee is set at $35; however, each agency or organization that serves as an official passport office may designate how the execution
applicant.
fee is kept and used. For example, if you obtain a passport through Staples, the company keeps the fee as another profit stream for the retail giant. If you obtain a passport through the Passport Acceptance Facility at LCC, the LCC Foundation applies the fee towards student scholarships, helping the very people in your community.
One of the biggest reasons we started doing a passport business is because $35 is mandated by the federal government as the fee to stand before a passport agent.
For your first passport, you are required to appear before a passport agent. We take that $35, and it goes into our scholarship program. I like to tell people, ‘It’s a win-win.’
They get to come to a family-friendly environment, and it also helps a student get an education,” said Jeanne Kennedy, executive director of the LCC Foundation.
“Most people get a good feeling when they learn how their fee is being used. They realize they are getting more out of this than just a passport by getting to help someone they may never meet,” said McIntyre.
The LCC Foundation averages between $72,000 - $99,000 in net profits a year from the passport execution fees, noted Kennedy. Scholarships are available for curriculum,
“I like to tell people, ‘It’s a win-win.’ They get to come to a family-friendly environment, and it also helps a student get an education,” said Jeanne Kennedy.
workforce development, and continuing education students.
“We really try to meet our students wherever they are and whatever program they are in,” said Kennedy. “Last year, thanks to our dedicated, generous donors and the passport office, we were able to give out $539,000 in scholarships.”
For this academic year, 1245 students received scholarships at LCC. “It makes a big difference in a student’s life to be able to receive money to help them through college,” Kennedy added.
The Passport Acceptance Facility at LCC is open Wednesday thru Saturday from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. – 3 p.m. Citizens should arrive no later than 2:30 p.m. The office is walk-in only and does not accept appointments. An individual does not need to be a resident of Lenoir County to apply for a passport at the LCC location. The passport office has three full-time and four part-time staff to assist applicants.
“Most passport facilities are appointment only with only so many slots per day,” said McIntyre. “We offer walk-ins only, with a flexible staff and Saturday hours, to accommodate everyone who needs a passport.”
McIntrye and Kennedy recommend obtaining a passport at least six months before a planned international trip. Applicants can expect a processing time of four to six weeks
by the federal government with new passports arriving via the U.S. Postal Service. Supplied citizenship documents are returned separately by mail.
The LCC Foundation and the Passport Acceptance Facility at LCC are not branches of the U.S. Postal Service. While agents follow procedures and mail applications to the federal government, applicants requesting overnight mail delivery to the federal Processing Facility must obtain and pay for their mailing envelope before arriving at LCC. Applicants should remember that information on the application and birth certificate must be the same. Any individual applying for a passport must be present, including children. Both parents must be present for a child to obtain a passport. Additional steps must be taken for children who have deceased or incarcerated parents, or for those who have adoptive or foster parents. Adult passports are valid for 10 years while minor (children 15 and under) passports are valid for 5 years. Adult passports are renewable, minor passports are not. Call the Passport Office to discuss or visit www.travel.state.gov online for more information.
The Passport Acceptance Facility is located on the main campus of LCC at 231 Hwy 58 South in Kinston. LL
Terms to Know:
Process Time:
Routine (4-6 weeks)
Expedite (2-3 weeks)
Mailing times not included.
Requirements:
p Completed application using black ink
p Certified documentation (birth certificate or naturalization
certificate)
p Two passport photographs
p Valid driver’s license, military ID or government employee ID
p Two forms of payment (check or money order)
Step 1: Acquire one of two official certificates:
p Certified birth certificate
pOriginal Certificate of Naturalization (with photo attached)
Step 2: Acquire one of three identification cards:
p Driver’s license
p Military ID
p Government Employee ID
Step 3: Establish two payments:
p Passport Payment:
A check or money order is accepted.
Make payable to the U.S. Dept. of State.
Full name and date of birth on applicant must be printed or typed on the front of the check.
p Processing Service Payment:
A check, money order or exact cash is accepted.
Make payable to the LCC Foundation.
Step 4: Acquire two passport photographs.
p If photographs are not acquired in advance, images may be taken at the LCC Passport Office.
Step 5: Arrive at the Passport Office at Lenoir Community College during business hours.
Step 6: Complete an application for one of the following:
p Passport Book
p Passport Card
p Passport Book and Car
Step 7: Present all required documentation and fees to the Passport Agent.
Step 8: Allow up to six weeks for delivery of passport book and return documents.
Dept. of State Passport Book & Card Fees: (for adults and children 15 &