TRENTON, N.J. — Mercer County Clerk Paula Sollami Covello announced that the County Clerk’s Office was awarded a perfect score for its passport services for the third consecutive year in its Trenton office.
Each year, the U.S. Department of State reviews passport offices within the U.S. The Mercer County Clerk’s Office must pass an annual inspection and audit by the Federal government for its management of passport applications and renewals.
The County Clerk’s Passport Services Office received a perfect score with zero penalties or deductions for managing passport applications and renewals. The report from the U.S. Department of State National Passport Center noted that the facility’s audit was “impressive and compliant with the Passport Agent Reference Guide.”
Sollami Covello praised her Passport Services Office, which is headed by Chris Tozour and supported by Aida Borges.
“The staff members are to be commended for their dedicated service, daily commitment to excellence, and a job very well done,” she said.
Customers can renew their passports at the Mercer County Clerk’s Office, located at 209 South Broad Street in Trenton. The County Clerk’s passport office can be reached at 609-989-6473; for Spanish, call 609-989-6131 or 609-989-6122. To schedule an appointment at the County Clerk’s satellite passport location, the Mercer County Connection, located at 957 Route 33 in Hamilton, please contact the office at 609-890-9800. All customers must have completed applications, money orders and checks along with documentation and copies prior to their appointment. Please note, the County Connection only serves first-time applicants, and you cannot renew your existing passport. Appointments are required.
If you plan to travel in the coming year, it is advised that you schedule an appointment now to renew your passport or passport card. The current wait time to receive a passport is 3-5 weeks for expedited services and 6-8 weeks from the time of submission for a regular application.
*Also, a note to those traveling to and from China. The U.S. CDC is requiring travelers from China to produce a negative COVID-19 test beginning Jan. 5, 2023. For more U.S. State Department advisories, you can visit https://travel.state.gov/content/travel.html *
For more information regarding passports, please visit the Mercer County Clerk’s website at https://www.mercercounty.org/government/county-clerk-/office-services/passports or call the County Clerk’s passport office at 609-989-6473; for Spanish, call 609-989-6131 or 609-989-6122.