Harris County District Clerk Chris Daniel (right) oversees the passport application process at a satellite office in Humble.[/caption]

The Harris County District Clerk’s office has extended the hours at several satellite passport offices, including offices in Humble, Spring and the Cy-Fair/Katy area.

The move was made after the new offices—which were all opened in 2015 within area libraries—proved to be popular among residents as alternatives to getting passports at the post office, District Clerk Chris Daniel said.

“When we chose where to open those offices, we looked at where the people were coming from at our downtown location,” he said. “They were driving all the way from Cypress, Katy and Kingwood just to avoid the lines at the post office.”

Each office now operates three days a month, up from one day a month, Daniel said. He said the extended hours were first tested as a pilot program to make sure wait times and overall traffic stayed within an ideal range.

“We tested it for a few days or a week here and there, and as it caught on as a successful action, we’ve expanded it,” Daniel said.

When residents apply for a passport through the county, they go through the same process they would at the post office, but they do not have to make an appointment, Daniel said. The average wait time at the downtown location, which is the busiest location, is 15 minutes, he said. Applicants typically receive their passports between 2-4 weeks after applying.

A fourth location also operates at the Clear Lake City-County Freeman Branch Library. A fifth satellite office is expected to open at the Pasadena Courthouse this fall, Daniel said.