Online passport renewal now more widely available, State Department says

Online passport renewal has officially become more widely available to Americans.

That comes after the State Department said Wednesday that it completed the full roll-out of the new online passport renewal system it has been developing. 

The department touted it as a “secure process that will save time and effort” for eligible Americans seeking routine renewal of their passports.

Online applicants must be at least 25 years old, reside in the U.S. and be looking to renew a passport that needs no biographical information changes and was issued during a certain timeframe, among other requirements, according to the State Department.

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The process involves filling out an application online with details about the applicant’s most recent passport and travel plans. The person must also provide a digital photo.

The State Department will also give people renewing their passports online the option to get emailed updates about their applications.

“We will notify you when your application is in process, approved, and when we send your passport,” the department said on its website. “We will also notify you if we need more information to process your application.”

Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the department was “embracing digital transformation to offer the most efficient and convenient renewal experience possible” with the full launch of its online passport renewal service.

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The State Department had previously rolled out an updated beta version of the system in mid-June. At the time, its website had indicated the testing would help “prepare for a full launch of the updated online passport renewal system” in the future.

Prior to that, there had been an earlier trial of online passport renewal in 2022.

People who do not qualify for online renewal service, such as those needing a new special issuance passport, who live overseas or require expedited processing, can renew their passports via mail and in person. 

The State Department’s website said routine online passport renewals and mailed renewals both take six to eight weeks to process.

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“Thanks to increased staffing, technological advancements, and a host of other improvements, the average routine passport is being processed today in roughly one-third the time as at the same point last summer, and well under the advertised six to eight weeks processing times,” Blinken said in a statement.

Processing times for expedited renewals stand at two to three weeks.