The U.S. State Department reported this week that, to better serve the growing number of Americans and citizens with U.S. residency who apply for a U.S. passport, it will open a new passport office in Orlando. The entity has not yet specified the date on which it will begin operations, although it is estimated that the process may take a little more than a year while the location is chosen and adapted according to the needs of customer service that are required.

Five other cities will have a passport agency: Salt Lake City (UT), Kansas City (MO), Charlotte (NC), San Antonio (TX) and Cincinnati (OH).

“Today, more Americans are able to travel abroad than at any time in our history. In 1990, only 5% of Americans had passports. Today, that figure is 48%. In fiscal year 2023, the Department of State issued more than 24 million passbooks and passport cards, more than ever before,” the entity reported.

To date, Florida has only one passport agency, located at Omni Center 1501 Biscayne Blvd, Suite 400
Miami, FL 33132, in Miami. Once the Orlando city comes into operation, citizens interested in requesting this document will be able to choose which of the two cities is closest to them to access this procedure.

Where will the passport office be in Orlando?

According to the information reported by different media, there is still no indication of the place where this new passport office in Orlando would be located.

“That process will be handled by the U.S. General Services Administration, which will decide where the passport agency’s office will be. They will listen to the recommendations of Orlando leaders, which will be determined by the community, public officials and other figures in the city,” said Congressman Maxwell Frost, who led this proposal before the State Department, quoted by Fox 35 Orlando.

What can you do in these offices?

According to the State Department, its passport agencies and centers “process passport applications received at the acceptance facility and by mail, and serve clients by appointment who have international travel within 14 calendar days or who need a foreign visa within 28 calendar days.”

The United States passport can only be applied for by those who have citizenship of this country, including foreign residents, including those who have decided to invest in Miami, and those who were born in this territory.

As for the hours in which the Orlando passport office could operate, these facilities generally operate from Monday to Friday, from 7:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., by appointment.

References

  • Infobae (2024). Orlando will have a new passport office, the second in Florida. https://www.infobae.com/estados-unidos/2024/06/19/orlando-tendra-una-nueva-oficina-de-pasaportes-la-segunda-en-florida/
  • Telemundo 31 (2024). New passport office opens in Orlando. https://www.telemundo31.com/noticias/local/oficina-pasaporte-orlando-florida/2282686/