U.S. Passports Can Now Be Renewed Online, State Department Announces

The U.S. State Department revealed on Wednesday that adult U.S. passports can now be renewed online, eliminating the need for the previous process, which required applicants to print forms and send checks by mail.

In a statement, the State Department explained, “By offering this online alternative to the traditional paper application process, the Department is embracing digital transformation to offer the most efficient and convenient passport renewal experience possible.” They also noted that “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.”

The online renewal system, which began as a public beta in June, is now fully operational and available around the clock.

Although the method for renewing a passport has changed, the requirements remain the same. Users must upload a passport photo, pay the associated fees, and meet certain deadlines. Just like with the mail-in process, only passports that expired within the last five years are eligible for online renewal.

Currently, this online option is only open to adults residing in the United States or its territories. Children’s passports, as well as those of Americans living abroad, cannot yet be renewed through the new system.

Rena Bitter, the assistant secretary of consular affairs, informed the media on Wednesday that passport processing times are still between six to eight weeks.

“The benefit of online passport renewal is that it’s a more convenient service,” Bitter emphasized. “We don’t expect to have a different service standard for people who apply online versus people who apply by mail. We just want to make sure that we give the American people a choice to be able to do either.”

In 2021, due to staffing shortages related to the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues, the time required for passport renewals surged to 18 weeks, despite lower demand. By 2023, with more Americans traveling internationally again, the system became further strained. However, the State Department later announced that processing times had returned to normal.

As of 2023, about 48% of U.S. citizens possessed passports, a notable rise from just 5% in 1990, according to the State Department.

{Matzav.com}