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Services:

Real Estate Abatements
Real Estate Exemptions
Cl. 22 - Disabled veterans
Cl. 41C - Elderly person over 70
Cl. 41A - Deferral of taxes over 65
Cl. 17D - Surviving spouses
Cl 37 - Blindness
Cl 18 - Hardship
Excise tax bills: Abatements and adjustment
All forms can be obtained in the Assessors Office.
Street listing valuation books are in the Assessors Office also a copy is in the Melrose Public Library.

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Passports:

Changes to Passport Application and Fees as of 2/1/2008

Effective February 1, 2008, the U.S. Department of State made several changes to the passport application process.  The passport forms themselves have changed to accommodate application for the new Passport Card, a wallet-sized card that can be used for land or sea (but not air) travel to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean.  All foreign air travel or land or sea travel to any other foreign destinations will require the traditional Passport Book.

For first-time applicants, the application for both the Passport Book and the Passport Card (or either of the two by itself) is made on the newly revised DS-11 form.  Those who already have a valid passport or a passport that has expired within the past five years may use the new DS-82 mail renewal form either to renew their Passport Book or to apply for the new Passport Card or both.

There has also been a change in the fee schedule for all applications.  The State Department fee for Passports Books issued to adults is now $75.  The State Department fee for minors under age 16 is now $60.  The fee for the new Passport Card is $20 for adults and $10 for minors under 16.

There is a single execution fee of $25 per person paid to the Passport Acceptance Facility (The City of Melrose for those applying here) regardless of whether application is made individually for the Passport Book, the Passport Card or both together on the same form.  Applicants who qualify to use the DS-82 mail-in form pay no execution fee, only the $75, $60 or $20 State Department fee.

A change has also been made in the status of minors.  Previously a distinction was made between minors 14-15 years of age and those under 14.  That distinction no longer exists so all minors under 16 years of age applying for a Passport Book or a Passport Card must be accompanied by both parents.  If only one parent is available, a completed and notarized DS-3053 Statement of Consent form from the second parent will be required.  These forms are all available at the assessor’s office or online at http://travel.state.gov  

General Information:

On January 1, 2008, the City of Melrose Assessors Office became an official Passport Acceptance Facility.  New passport applications will be accepted in the Assessors Office between the hours of 9:00AM and 3:00PM Mondays through Thursdays.  No appointment is necessary.

If you are a first time applicant for a passport, your previous passport was lost, stolen or damaged, your previous passport has expired and was issued more than 15 years ago, your previous passport has expired and it was issued when you were under 16, or your name has changed since your passport was issued and you do not have a legal document formally changing your name, you must use application Form DS-11. You may go online to the U.S. Department of State website at http://travel.state.gov to download  the form.  The DS-11 application form is also available at the Assessors Office for those who do not have online access.

You must appear personally at the Assessors Office in Melrose City Hall to execute the application but to save time you may complete it in black ink before you arrive at the office.  DO NOT SIGN THE APPLICATION UNTIL INSTRUCTED TO DO SO AT THE OFFICE.  The law requires that all persons, including infants, must have their own passport; one form must be filled out for each applicant.  Note carefully the required documents listed below.  You must already have these documents in hand when you appear to file your application.  Without them the process cannot even be started.

Special Rules for Children:

To submit an application for a child under the age of 16, the child applying for a passport shall appear in person accompanied by both parents or the child’s legal guardian(s) and present all of the following documentation:

• evidence of the child’s citizenship (see #1 below)

• evidence of the child’s relationship to the parents/guardians AND

• parental picture identification (typically driver’s license or passport)

If only one parent appears you must also submit one of the following:

• second parent’s notarized written statement consenting to passport issuance for the child

• primary evidence of sole authority to apply (ex. court order of sole legal custody)

• a written statement (made under the penalty of perjury) explaining the second parent’s unavailability

Requirements for All Applicants:

1. Proof of Citizenship:

If you were born in the United States, then a LONG FORM birth certificate is required – the long form must be certified with a raised seal (no photocopies).

If you were born outside the United States, you may submit a previous passport (if you have one) or a Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship, Consular Report of birth abroad (if none available see instruction on page 2 of Form DS-11).

2. Proof of Identity:

Previous Passport (if you have one) or driver’s license, government employee identification Certificate of Naturalization, Certificate of Citizenship (if none available see instruction on page 2 of Form DS-11).

3. Two recent color photographs:

AAA, CVS and many camera stores provide passport photo service.  If you take the pictures with your digital camera, you must follow strict instructions (see page 2 of DS-11 #3).  The Department of State will reject applications where the photos do not meet these requirements.

4. Fees:

If you are 16 years or older:

The State Department processing fee is $63.00 and the State Department security fee is $12.00. Total for the U.S. Department of State is $75.00.  A check or money order should be made payable to the U.S. Department of State in the amount of $75.00.

The execution fee is $25.00 and is payable to the City of Melrose.  The execution fee covers the cost of processing and postage.

If you are 16 years or older, your passport will be valid for 10 years.

If you are under 16 years old:

The State Department Processing fee is $48.00 and the State Department security fee is $12.00. Total for the U.S. Department of State is $60.00.  A check or money order should be made payable to the U.S. Department of State in the amount of $60.00.

The execution fee is $25.00 and is payable to the City of Melrose.  The execution fee covers the cost of processing and postage.

If you are under 16 years old, your passport will be good for 5 years.

5. Expedited Service Fees:

You have the option to request expedited service.  The State Department advises that expedited requests will be processed in three workdays from receipt at a passport agency.  The fee for expedited service is an additional $60.00.

Therefore, if you are 16 or over, your total in a check or money order made out to the U.S. Department of State for expedited service is $135.00 and the execution fee remains at  $25.00 and is payable to the City of Melrose.

If you are under 16, your total in a check or money order made out to the U.S. Department of State for expedited service is $120.00 and the execution fee remains at  $25.00 and is payable to the City of Melrose.

Requirements By Age:

*Minors aged 16-17 who can present their own adequate identity documentation are not routinely required by law to submit parental consent as long as parental consent can be implied in some manner.  A parent’s check used as payment and/or the parents listed as emergency contacts imply parental consent.  The Passport Agency may specifically request written parental consent for a child 16-17 if it is not so implied on the application. Minors without adequate identification should be accompanied by a parent.  The parent must present his/her own identification and then sign the application.

**In addition to the fees cited above which are payable to the U.S. Department of State, there is a $25 execution fee for each applicant payable to the City of Melrose.  Fees for multiple applicants from the same family can be combined into a single check for each of the entities: the Department of State and the City of Melrose.  A single check cannot be submitted as payment for both entities.  An additional fee of $60 payable to the U.S. Department of State is required for expedited service.  Expedited requests will be processed within three workdays from receipt at a passport agency with delivery expected within three weeks.    Typical delivery time for non-expedited delivery is 4-6 weeks.  If a passport is needed within less than two weeks, contact the National Passport Information Center to make an appointment at the Boston office (1-877-487-2778).  Additional details can be found at http://travel.state.gov.

Passport Renewals:

Passport renewals do not require a personal appearance and should be done by mail directly with the National Processing Center.  Check the passport web site http://travel.state.gov to determine if you qualify for this easy means of renewal and to download the application.  If you do not have web access, the renewal application (DS-82) is available at the Assessor’s Office but you must fill it out and send it in yourself.  By doing so, you save the $25 execution fee.  To qualify for using the DS-82, your expired passport must have been issued within the past fifteen years and you must be able to submit it in good condition with your application.

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