AUSTIN, Texas — Over the weekend, the USPS Passport Fair at the Round Rock Frontier Station was a success, with over 300 people lining up.
The idea came from lead clerk Oanh Chau, who has been in the business for 18 years and pretty much knows everything about processing passports.
"I can process 60 passports per day," Chau said.
After realizing passport appointments at the Frontier Station location were booked for the next four to six weeks, she made a plan.
"Through her idea, we decided to have a passport fair," said Jose Lopez, supervisor at the Round Rock Frontier Station. "She saw that there was a need in the community."
Lopez helped her make it happen over the weekend, and it was a success.
With babies and fans in hand, Lopez said more than 300 people showed up and some had to be turned away.
"We did the math, and we saw 118 applicants in eight hours," Lopez said.
Lopez said a location in Killeen held a similar event and saw 126 applicants on Saturday.
Karlee Beeardall was one of the lucky ones to make it through the line in Round Rock.
"So I got there at around 7:10 a.m., 7:15 a.m.-ish, and then I was there until about 1:30 p.m.," Beeardall said.
That's over six hours in line.
"I work[ed] 12 hours, no lunch, no break," Chau said with a laugh. "I was helping one lady and I said, 'Can you let me go to get a bite of my sandwich because I feel so hungry.'"
It wasn't just Central Texans flooding through the doors.
"We had people from Del Rio come and stay in line at 6 in the morning, from Dallas-Fort Worth area," Lopez said. "It was just the need is huge right now."
The U.S. State Department wrote in a March 24 update that it's seeing historic application numbers, with a processing time of 10 to 13 weeks now that more people are traveling after the pandemic.
Chau said that the timeframe has yet to improve.
"It was worth it," Beeardall said. "I'm glad I got it."
Chau was happy to help.
"I love my job," she said. "I love working with customer service."
All she asks is that before you come, make sure to read the passport application rules thoroughly.
"Make sure you bring everything," Chau said. "I promise you it doesn't take too long, [about] 10 minutes."
The Round Rock Frontier Station doesn't plan to host another fair until the fall, but it accepts the first 10 walk-ins at 8 a.m. every day during the week. Other USPS locations are doing the same – just call to confirm beforehand.