By RHEA-FRANCES TETLEY
Staff Writer
Recently the Crestline post office at 23921 Lake Drive has been offering additional services, to help the residents. One recent Saturday morning they held a passport Saturday where the postal workers were able to complete up to 60 walk-in passport applications that day from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Extra workers and equipment were brought in from other offices for the day, so postal services were unaffected. Application season for summer travel is already upon those who will need passports for foreign travel this summer.
When the doors opened at 8 a.m., there were already 15 applicants in line; they were quickly processed and out by 9:15. The post office had the ability to take photos but most passport applicant brought in their own photos to save costs.
The applications had to be filled out in black ink, and each applicant had to have a valid photo ID along with their birth certificate and any legal name changes. Children under 15 years of age had to be accompanied by both parents on the birth certificate. The passport application costs were the same as any other day.
The Crestline post office usually only makes appointments for up to four passport applications per week, on Saturdays from noon to 2 p.m., so this walk-in opportunity allowed people get a jump start on the travel season and get those passports applications properly filled out and sent in, while the rest of the country is in a deep freeze.
Postal Officer in Charge Luis Cervantes, who organized this passport Saturday event, said he hopes to coordinate another passport Saturday soon, as it was very successful and benefited so many. There will be notices posted in the post office when that date is chosen.
The applications completed at the post office were then sent in for approval by the federal government and the passports will be mailed to the applicants.
Cervantes, who has recently been assigned to the Crestline post office after the retirement of Crestline Postmaster Ken Cooper, is also seeking additional ways to make the post office experience better for the customers. If you have a suggestion, he requests you hand it to a postal clerk, when in the post office getting mail. He said he is open to all suggestions.
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