Postal Rates Increase as of Monday; Passports, Required for All Out-of-Country Travel as of June, Available Through Post Office

The price of a first-class stamp is going up. As of Monday, a first class mail stamp will increase two cents to 44 cents, and the price of a postcard stamp goes up a penny to 28 cents. The U.S. Postal Service will not increase the rate on the first class additional ounce price, which remains at 17 cents. The postal service still offers the Forever stamps and, if purchase prior to May 11 at today’s price the Forever stamp will forever be honored, with no need for additional postage. For more information on postal changes, see the U.S. Postal Service’s website at usps.com.
The postal service also offers passport applications and, as of June 1, all U.S. citizens leaving the country will be required to have a passport book, passport card or other document approved by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security when re-entering the United States, including both land and sea borders. That said, all those leaving the country must have a passport to return home as of June. As of this time, processing of a routine passport can take up to six weeks from the date of application.