County Clerk's Division to No Longer Accept Passport Applications

January 10, 2011

Tulare County Assessor/Clerk-Recorder Roland Hill announced today a regulation from the United States Department of State will halt the Tulare County Clerk’s Division in Visalia from being a passport acceptance facility. The Clerk’s Division will no longer accept passport applications on January 31, 2011.

Hill said the regulation, as part of the Federal Passport Acceptance Program, prohibits facilities that issue birth records from being an approved passport acceptance facility – a location where residents apply for passports. After residents fill out their applications, the paperwork is sent on to the United States Passport Services, who ultimately issues the passports. There are 14 passport acceptance facilities throughout Tulare County.

In 2003, the U.S. Department of State stopped designating new passport acceptance facilities that also issued primary birth documentation, unless the two functions were physically separated and acceptance agents could not create, amend or issue birth documents. In 2003, Tulare County, and other jurisdictions, was grandfathered into the Passport Acceptance Program pending future actions.

In October 2010, the U.S. Department of State notified jurisdictions that facilities that issued birth certificates could no longer be a passport acceptance facility.

“This new regulation now causes us to be out of compliance in our Clerk’s Division and so we’re going to have to cease being a passport acceptance facility,” Hill said. 

Hill said passport applications taken at the Clerk’s Division has been reduced by nearly 50 percent – from 1,230 in 2008 to 630 in 2010 – in the past two years. Hill credits access to the 14 other locations in Tulare County where residents can apply for passports for the decline.

Passport Acceptance Facilities:

City of Visalia – Human Resource Dept
707 W. Acequia Ave.
Visalia, CA 93277
(559) 713-4300
Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Visalia Post Office – Town Center Station
111 W. Acequia Ave.
Visalia, CA 93291
(559) 732-2445
Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
*Photos taken here. By Appt only

Goshen Post Office
6901 Ave. 305
Goshen, CA 93227
(559) 651-1420
Monday - Friday 9 a.m. -1:30 p.m.; 1:30 p.m. – 4 p.m.
*Photos taken here

Cutler Post Office
12749 1st Drive
Cutler, CA 93615
(559) 528-3379
Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
*Photos taken here

Dinuba Post Office
2225 South K St.
Dinuba, CA 93618
(559) 591-1070
Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.
*Photos taken here

Woodlake Post Office
310 N. Valencia
Woodlake, CA 93286
(559) 564-5508
Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.; noon – 3 p.m.
* Photos taken here

Three Rivers Post Office
40857 Sierra Dr.
Three Rivers, CA 93271
(559) 561-4261
Monday – Friday 9:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
*Photos taken here

Exeter Post Office
135 South D St.
Exeter, CA 93221
(559) 592-8162
Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
*Photos taken here

Farmersville Post Office
382 N. Farmersville Blvd.
Farmersville, CA 93223
(559) 747-5629
Monday – Friday 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
*Photos taken here

Lindsay Post Office
262 E. Honolulu St.
Lindsay, CA 93247
(559) 562-9295
Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
*Photos taken here

Porterville Post Office
65 W. Mill Ave.
Porterville, CA 93257
(559) 783-8307
Mon–Fri 9:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.; Sat 10 a.m.- noon
*Photos taken here

City of Porterville – Clerk’s Office
291 N. Main St.
Porterville, CA 93257
(559) 782-7464
Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Tulare Post Office
340 E. Tulare Ave.
Tulare, CA 93274
(559) 686-1135
Monday – Friday 9 a.m. – 11 a.m.
*Appointment Only   *Photos taken here

City of Tulare – Clerk’s Office
411 E. Kern Ave.
Tulare, CA 93274
(559) 684-4206
Mon – Fri 9 a.m. – noon; 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.