People in Lawrence like to skip the country.

Just ask Bill Reynolds, Lawrence’s postmaster. His office processes 3,000 new passports each year.

If you’re among the throngs of locals planning an international trip, you might want to get your passport by Aug. 19, when rates will increase from $65 to $80.

Though the U.S. Postal Service doesn’t keep official statistics on the number of passports it issues at each location, Reynolds said he thought most cities the size of Lawrence would issue only a few hundred passports each year.

“It’s really strange,” he said. “Most towns our size would not have that kind of volume.”

Reynolds attributes that high number to Kansas University. About 1,100 students study abroad annually, and faculty and staff also are always making international trips, he said.

It’s been about 10 years since passport fees have increased. That increase  from $45 to $60  also came with an extension on how often a passport must be renewed. It was every five years; now it’s 10.

Lawrence’s main post office, 645 Vt., offers passport services from 9 a.m. to noon and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Normal applications take five to 10 minutes to complete and are returned in six weeks.

Forms also are available at www.state.gov