National Passport Day

Saturday was National Passport Day. UNCW held a passport fair to help first-timers apply and answer any questions.

National Passport Day was an effort to inform the public about changes in travel requirements.

As of June 1, US citizens will be required to have a passport if they plan to leave the country.

“Previously you could travel to Canada and Mexico without that; now with this Western Hemisphere Initiative, that has changed,” said Rita Gordon. “Everybody who is going to be traveling off US soil is required to have a passport.”

Passport officials at UNCW’s event processed 41 passport applications Saturday. They process about half that on a normal day.