Have an expired or soon to be out-of-date U.S. passport? There’s a new way to renew it
More U.S. citizens can now renew passports fully online thanks to a move by the State Department to reduce government red tape.
The new service, rolled out Sept. 18, permits Americans to pay, upload a photo and complete an application online, Assistant Secretary for Consular Affairs Rena Bitter said in a telephone news briefing.
There's no longer a need to show up in person or mail documents. The new system is available to "those who are seeking to renew an adult 10-year passport that has expired within the last five years or will expire in this coming year," she said.
The online procedure is not yet available for children.
How the new passport tool works
To use the new tool, go to the State Department's website .
Click on "Get a U.S. Passport."
On the next page that pops up, go to the column titled "Get or replace a passport" and click on "I'm an adult renewing online."
A new page will open that asks you to answer a few questions to confirm your eligibility and to create your account.
Processing takes six to eight weeks, Bitter said, but likely less.
"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," Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement announcing the change, crediting technology advancements and increased staffing as the reasons.
In June, Blinken said the State Department would open six new passport offices in coming years for those who require in-person service.
The move to online renewal, from an executive order signed by President Joe Biden, is a secure process that will save Americans time and money, the State Department said.
Bitter estimated that up to five million Americans a year will be able to use the new service. In 2021, amid the COVID pandemic, the State Department had a backlog of passport renewal applications and average processing time reached 18 weeks.
Worldly Americans?
The change comes as more Americans are heading overseas and requesting passports. Europe has seen record numbers of U.S. citizens visit for two straight years.
"More Americans than ever are traveling abroad, and we've seen a huge increase in demand for passports over the last few years," said Bitter, a former consul general in Ho Chi Minh City who also had posts in Bogota and Mexico City.
In 2023, about 161 million Americans had valid passports. That's nearly twice the figure from 2007. Last year, the State Department processed nearly 10 million passport renewals, she said.
Early attempts at online passports
The online service has undergone testing since February 2022, with the State Department processing more than 750,000 online renewal applications.
At the same time, improvements were made to the photo tool, and services will now be available 24/7.
Still, there are some limitations. The online service is not available for people who require an expedited renewal of their passports. And U.S. citizens living overseas won't be able to use it for now.
The State Department advises if you have urgent travel or have to travel due to a life-or-death emergency, the best option is still to make an in-person appointment at a passport agency or center. You can reach the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778.
"This is a first step," Bitter said. "We want to see how this goes and then we'll start looking at ways to continue to make this service available to more American citizens in the coming months and years."
