The U.S. State Department has announced that passport renewal via its website is officially open as of Wednesday, September 18, 2024.
Until now, when a U.S. passport expired or was close to expiration, American passport holders were forced to go through the laborious process of arranging to have new passport photos taken, printing government forms, and assembling an application packet (including a check, the old passport, and other identification documents) to mail to a distant government address. Then they waited. The ordeal was like applying for a new passport all over again.
All of that is in the past—including a good chunk of the waiting.
In late 2021, U.S. President Joe Biden signed an executive order calling for the creation of a digital renewal system that would allow Americans so simply request a passport renewal from the comfort of their own homes. "Every interaction between the Federal Government and the public, whether it involves renewing a passport or calling for a status update on a farm loan application, should be seen as an opportunity for the Government to save an individual’s time (and thus reduce 'time taxes') and to deliver the level of service that the public expects and deserves," the order stated.
By late 2022, the first beta version of the passport renewal system opened for testing to a small group of guinea pigs, and there was strict daily limit for applications. Following a few periods when the nascent system was temporarily withdrawn for tinkering, the finished passport renewal portal has finally been declared ready for everyone, without daily caps on participants, and for good.
Who is eligible to apply for U.S. passport renewal online?
To be eligible to renew online, You must be at least 25 years old; the passport you're renewing must have been issued between 2009 and 2015 but not more than 15 years ago; your name, gender, date of birth, and place of birth must all remain unchanged; and you must live in the U.S. at a U.S. address (and not be abroad).
The renewal portal, which explains eligibility requirements in more depth, can be found at this link.
The State Department also will not process a renewal online if you're scheduled to travel internationally within eight weeks. In that case, it would be wiser for you to pay an extra $60 to use a traditional expedited application, which allows for overnight delivery.
What items do you need to apply for an online passport renewal?
When you apply for passport renewal on the State Department's website, you'll fill in an online form that includes the details about your existing passport, including its number and expiration date. The passport must be expiring within one year or have been expired for less than five years.
You'll also need to provide a .jpg photo of your face, but it does not have to be professionally taken. You can simply take a shot against a bare wall if you want. The State Department's passport image guidelines are easy to follow—the instructions are crystal clear and when we applied, our images were instantly uploaded without a hitch.
Unlike the old days, when you had to pay by check, now you can pay by credit or debit card right from home.
You do not even have to mail your old passport back to the government anymore. The outgoing passport will simply be voided digitally—so make sure you don't confuse it for your new one after it arrives.
How long does it take to renew a U.S. passport online?
We tested the first version of the system two years ago, nearly to the day. The State Department informed us that we would probably have to wait 7 to 10 weeks to receive our renewed passport. (By October 2024, that estimate had dwindled to 4 to 6 weeks).
In fact, our online passport renewal took only 22 days from the moment we sent our application to the day our crisp new booklet arrived in our mailbox. Similar processing times have been reported widely by many of the 200,000 citizens who participated in the beta tests since.
If you sign up for emails about the status of your application, you'll be notified when your payment clears and you'll be provided with estimates for the new passport's completion. The State Department will also send you an email when it has mailed your new passport to you. (For us, delivery was by Priority Mail with the U.S. Postal Service.)
Can you renew a U.S. passport card with the online renewal system?
Yes. The system works the same for renewing passport cards.
However, if you want to apply for a U.S. your first passport or a passport card, you still have to go through the red tape of sending materials by mail; this new system only works for renewals.
