Close to one billion travelers visited foreign destinations in the first three quarters of 2016 according to the World Tourism Organization, that’s four percent more than the prior year — and the U.S. Postal Service is ready to prepare travelers for such future excursions.

You know you need a passport to travel abroad but did you know that, because of the passage of the Real ID Act, Maine residents may need a passport for domestic air travel beginning in 2018?

Now is the time to plan that trip of your dreams. To make it easier to apply for a U.S. Passport, the Boothbay Harbor Post Office is hosting Passport Days with no appointment necessary on Friday and Saturday, March 31 and April 1.

Just stop by the Boothbay Harbor Post Office at 15 Oak St. between 8:30 a.m. and 4 p.m. on March 31, or between 8:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. on April 1, no appointment is necessary. Postal clerks can even take your passport photo if you do not have one.

Boothbay Harbor Postmaster Lesley Blethen says “With routine passport processing times of six weeks, it’s never too early to start planning for that next vacation. And we’re here to help.” She cites USPS.com as an excellent resource for getting passport paperwork and locating other acceptance facilities across the nation.