Tarrant County reopens two U.S. passport offices

Tarrant County is back in the passport business.

Two offices accepting passport applications re-opened Thursday, more than a year after federal officials shut them down.

And Tarrant County Judge Glen Whitley said this is just the beginning.

“We have three or four more that will be open when we are done,” Whitley said. “We think it’s a service folks appreciate.”

The first two offices to reopen — at Southlake Town Square, 1400 Main St. in Southlake and the Southwest Subcourthouse, 6551 Granbury Road in Fort Worth — will operate under Tarrant County Clerk Mary Louise Garcia’s guidance.

“Garcia said she chose to open offices in what historically have been the highest demand areas for the service,” according to a statement from the county.

Three employees will work in each office, which will be full-service facilities open from 8 a.m. to 2:15 p.m.

Employees will accept passport applications and take passport photos. No appointments are needed.

Closed last year

More than a year ago, Tarrant County’s six passport offices — then under the supervision of Tarrant County District Clerk Tom Wilder — closed. Wilder said the county couldn’t operate under new State Department conditions, which neither federal officials nor Wilder would reveal.

Problems between Tarrant County’s passport offices and federal officials began back in 2010 when Tarrant County was moved under the jurisdiction of the federal Dallas passport office.

State Department officials declined to say last year whether Wilder’s office violated any policies.

After Tarrant County’s passport offices shut down last year, post offices continued to accept passport applications. And earlier this year, the city of Fort Worth opened its own passport office at the Central Library.

This article includes information from Star-Telegram archives.

This story was originally published August 5, 2016 at 3:45 PM with the headline "Tarrant County reopens two U.S. passport offices."