Chris Carter retires as Jefferson County’s passport agent

FAIRFIELD – Jefferson County’s only passport agent is retiring after nine years on the job.

Chris Carter, who works in the Jefferson County Recorder’s Office, is stepping down from her post on Tuesday, Dec. 31 and handing the reins to another employee in the department, Jacklyn Smith. A going-away party for Carter is planned for 1-3 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 30 at the courthouse.

Carter is also the clerk in the Recorder’s Office, where she takes care of spreadsheets, indexing documents and mailing deeds. A resident of rural Ollie, Carter became the county’s passport agent because she wanted a change of pace from her former line of work, which was in health care.

“This was a little bit quieter and not as hectic,” Carter said about her transition into her job at the Recorder’s Office.

Carter said that she stays busy as the county’s passport agent since many Jefferson County residents travel internationally, especially compared to surrounding counties. In fact, she even gets a number of applicants from neighboring counties because several other counties issue passports from their post office, whereas Jefferson County issues them from its courthouse. She estimated that she processes over 300 passports a year.

Demand for passports has also gone up because of changes in federal law. American citizens did not previously need a passport to visit Mexico or Canada, but now they do. Carter said the purpose of a passport is to prove a person’s citizenship to the U.S. government when they’re trying to re-enter the country from abroad.

The Recorder’s Office used to allow residents to get passports by just dropping in, but Carter said that, after the pandemic, the office switched to an appointment system. She said residents can usually get an appointment in about a week, and then once they send in their passport application, the U.S. State Department will send them their passport in the mail in four to six weeks. The State Department also offers expedited processing for a special fee, and in that case citizens will receive their passports in two to three weeks.

Carter added that there’s a special “passport card” which is cheaper than a passport and allows a citizen to visit Mexico or Canada, but can’t be used for flying. She said this option is popular among American truckers who have to visit Mexico or Canada often.

Since 2016, the Recorder’s Office has offered to take passport photos in the basement of the courthouse.

“That’s been a challenge since I’m not a photographer,” Carter joked.

After her final day of work on Tuesday, Dec. 31, Carter is looking forward to spending her retirement gardening, traveling, and spending time with her grandchildren in Kansas City.

“They’re teenagers now, and I’ve lost a lot of time with them working,” she said.

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Call Andy Hallman at 641-575-0135 or email him at andy.hallman@southeastiowaunion.com