Passport Place on the University of Louisville campus can help travelers with applications

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Waiting on a passport for your travel plans? An office at the University of Louisville can help.

In a release, UofL said its recently opened Passport Place in its International Center can help the public get a new passport or renew their current one, and you don't have to be a student, faculty or affiliated with the university. The office is a one-stop-shop to help navigate requirements for traveling abroad. It has the ability to process at least 100 passports a day.

The U.S. State Department is facing a massive passport backlog. Currently, the federal government is struggling to process 400,000 applications a week. An estimated 22 million passports are expected to be issued in 2023.

The Passport Place is open six days a week. It is located inside U of L's International Center at 2220 East Centennial Walk off Third Street.

During the week, paid parking is available in the Speed Art Museum Garage on Third Street. On Saturdays, the gated lot next to the center is open and parking is free.

Passport Place is open Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Fridays from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. No appointments are necessary, and walk-ins are accepted.

“For the same $35 fee charged at post offices and other facilities that provide passports, we can take your application and submit it much faster; all fees collected go to support international education at UofL," said passport acceptance agent Kristin Samer in a release.

Samer said the Passport Place’s ability to speed up the application process is probably because many don't realize it's there, but more people are finding out about it. The facility is included on the State Department’s list of offices where passport applications can be filed.

For details on what you need to apply for a U.S. passport, go to the U.S. State Department website, “How to Apply for a Passport” or contact Passport Place at 502-852-0300 or passportoffice@louisville.edu. Currently, the state department recommends you apply for your passport six months in advance of your trip out of the country.