Need a passport? Rare, no-appointment event coming to NC to let travelers apply in person
If you need to get a new passport, there’s a chance to speed up the process and apply for one in person if you’re in the Triangle area.
After hosting previous special passport acceptance fairs in the fall, The Department of State announced that North Carolina Central University will be having two more again this month on Tuesday, Feb. 18 and Wednesday, Feb. 19.
The events are regularly held at different passport facilities across the country for first-time passport holders who want to apply in person — but there haven’t been many in North Carolina. At this time, the upcoming fairs at the local university are the only ones scheduled across the state through April.
Where is NCCU’s passport acceptance fair? Are appointments required?
The Durham passport fairs will be held at NCCU’s passport office next to the mail center.
The school’s passport facility — which offers service to NCCU students, faculty, staff and local community members — is located at 511 Nelson St. in Durham near the Student Union — with open street parking available and no reserved spots, the university’s website states.
Do you need an appointment for Durham’s passport fair?
No. According to the Department of State’s website, those interested can stop by anytime between 9 a.m. and 2 p.m.
What is needed to apply for a passport?
Most events are only for those who have never had a passport. So if you need to renew an expired one, you can do so online or by mail at any time, according to the department.
Here is a list of what you need when applying for a new passport book:
A passport application form (which can be used for applying for both a passport book and a passport card)
Evidence of U.S. citizenship that is original or a replacement with photocopy (birth certificate, Consular Report of Birth Abroad or Certification of Birth, certificate of naturalization, certificate of citizenship)
Physical photo ID and photocopy of it (Driver’s license, certificate of naturalization, certificate of citizenship, government employee ID, U.S. military or military dependent ID, U.S. permanent resident card, etc.)
Passport photo (color photo taken in the last 6 months) Full list of photo requirements can be found online at travel.state.gov.
$130 application fee for passport books, $30 for passport cards and a $35 execution fee. Application fees for children 16 and under are $100 for passport books and $15 for passport cards.
When and how quickly will you get a passport?
For the special passport acceptance fairs, facilities do not issue passports, but will mail off applications to the U.S. Department of State for routine and expedited processing times.
According to the department’s website, it can take about four to six weeks for routine service and two to three weeks for expedited service, along with up to two weeks for applications to arrive at a passport agency or center and up to two weeks for your completed passport to be sent back.
If you need a passport even quicker, specifically in less than two weeks, you should make an appointment at a passport agency or center.
More information about the special passport acceptance fairs and the passport application process can be found online at travel.state.gov. If you need to reach out about the upcoming fairs at NCCU, you can call 919-530-7272 or email passportservices@nccu.edu.
Passport gender marker changes are no longer allowed
Under a recent executive order signed by President Donald Trump, passports must reflect the administration’s definition of sexes as only male or female.
This includes new passports for first-time applicants who are no longer allowed to use their gender rather than their sex assigned at birth, the Associated Press reported. Travel documents, including passports, can no longer have an “X” gender marker, preferred by many nonbinary people who don’t identify as male or female.
Passports with “X” markers will be valid until they expire or are renewed, NBC reported.
This story was originally published February 11, 2025 at 11:08 AM with the headline "Need a passport? Rare, no-appointment event coming to NC to let travelers apply in person."
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