US EditionState Department orders nonprofit libraries to stop processing passport applications
The State Department cited federal law barring nonprofits from collecting passport fees, affecting about 1,400 libraries and risking service loss for working families and rural residents.
- On Friday, Feb. 13, 2026, the U.S. Department of State ordered nonprofit libraries to stop passport processing, informing them they are no longer authorized as of this Friday.
- The State Department said federal rules bar non-governmental groups from collecting passport fees, noting federal law and regulations clearly prohibit non-governmental organizations from retaining these fees; the spokesperson did not explain why now or how many libraries are affected.
- Lancaster Public Library officials say passport services generate more than $60,000 annually, with daily applications rising from 6 to 8 up to about 10 to 12, prompting expanded staff and hours.
- About 1,400 mostly non-profit public libraries could be affected, the American Library Association estimates, while a bipartisan group of lawmakers has urged the White House to delay enforcement and proposed legislation to preserve services.
- Advocates warn the order will shift burdens to post offices and courthouses, risking layoffs and rural service cuts, as the State Department noted 99% of the population live within 20 miles of a processing location.
42 Articles
42 Articles
Tulsa World
Some libraries ordered to end passport services
NORWICH, Conn. — The U.S. State Department ordered certain public libraries nationwide to cease processing passport applications, disrupting a longtime service that librarians say their communities rely on.
Why did libraries stop processing passports? #travel
Public libraries ordered to halt passport services A recent directive from the U.S. State Department instructed certain public libraries to stop accepting passport applications, interrupting a commonly used local service. For years many libraries served as passport‑acceptance facilities—an…
Nonprofit libraries ordered by State Department to stop processing passport applications
The agency, which regulates U.S. passports, began issuing cease and desist orders to not-for-profit libraries in late fall, informing them they were no longer authorized to participate in the Passport Acceptance Facility program as of Friday.
Associated Press News
State Department orders nonprofit libraries to stop processing passport applications
The State Department has ordered nonprofit public libraries to stop taking passport applications, cutting off a popular local service.
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