CHESTERFIELD COUNTY, Va. -- There’s a new opportunity to apply for or renew your passport through the United States Postal Service in North Chesterfield.
USPS officials held a grand opening for their Mega Passport Center with a ribbon cutting at the Bon Air Branch Thursday morning.
One customer, who applied for a passport for next year’s Aruba trip, said she was in-and out in about 15 to 30 minutes.
“You put in your zip code, and it comes up with the different post offices. But every one was filled. I tried every month to get an appointment and I lucked out with today,” said Fronie McCombs.
Artwork and photographs from around the world line the walls of the customer service area located on North Pinetta Drive.
The center is designed as a one-stop-shop to fulfill your passport needs from applying for a new passport, renewing your old one, and getting your picture taken on-site.
Acting Richmond City Postmaster Heather Anderson said the grand opening is good news following the postal services’ year marred with slow service, COVID outbreaks, and massive delivery delays or missing packages.
“It has been a struggle to service our customers and maintain our employees’ safety and health. It has impacted our employees and that has in return impacted some of our customers not only in Richmond city but the nation,” she explained.
Within last few weeks of operations, the North Pinetta Drive location has surpassed both the USPS passport locations in Prince William County and Virginia Beach in terms of revenue.
“If you come here, we are socially distancing and we have sanitizing stations. You can make appointments or walk right in,” Anderson stated.
Customers can still fulfill their passport needs at the 1801 Brook Road location.
The Bon Air site is open Mondays, Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. It is closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
USPS is also hiring at least 100 city carrier assistantswith a starting pay of $18. The agency is also in need of rural carriers, city carriers and well as clerks in customer service and plant operations.
