The Saturday events are designed to remind customers that the local post office is a convenient place to apply for passports, a document now required under more stringent overseas travel regulations and a form of identification that can meet stricter government application rules, said U.S. Postal Service spokesman Carl Walton.

Applicants are encouraged to print an online application found at www.usps.com/passport and complete it beforehand. They must also provide:

* Proof of U.S. citizenship: a certified birth certificate issued by a city, county or state; a previous U.S. passport; a certificate of citizenship; or naturalization papers.

* Proof of identity, which must be either a previous U.S. passport; a naturalization or citizenship certificate; a valid driver's license, government identification or military photo identification.

* Two identical color passport-sized photographs of the applicant, which are available at the Post Office for $15.

Passports for applicants 16 and older cost $100, while passports for those 15 and younger cost $85.

The Apex Post Office is at 501 W. Williams St. and will hold its passport fair in the lobby from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 2. The Zebulon Post Office is at 139 E. Vance St. and will hold its event from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Aug. 9.