Ernie Lee Magaha, Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller of Escambia County Florida is pleased to announce that his office now accepts Passport Applications on behalf of the U.S. Department of State. United States citizens planning international travel may apply for their passports Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Official Records Division, Escambia County Government Complex, 221 Palafox Place, Suite 110, Pensacola, Florida, 32502, Telephone: (850) 595-3930 .

For application forms, information on documentation required, fees, and a wealth of other passport and international travel information, visit the U. S. Department of State's website Travel.State.Gov, the only official website for passport information.

A passport is an internationally recognized travel document attesting to the identity and nationality of the bearer. In essence, it is a request on the part of the issuing government that officials of foreign governments permit the bearer to travel or sojourn in their territories and to afford them all lawful aid and protection.

The Clerk of the Circuit Court and Comptroller's Office is the local government agency that may accept applications for passports. That application is passed on to one of the passport services designated by the Secretary of State where it is reviewed and either issued or denied, and returned to the applicant by mail. During peak travel periods, this process may take ten to twelve weeks so allow plenty of time to receive your passport before you intend to travel.