US Launches Online Passport Renewal Service

By COLlive reporter

Americans can now renew their passport online, as a pilot program became fully available to the public on Wednesday, the U.S. Department of State announced.

The department said it was “a significant step forward in ensuring that Americans can more easily access passport services.” Instead of printing a paper application and mailing it with a check, Americans can now renew their passports through a secure process that will save time and effort, they said.

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. 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.

Online Passport Renewal is available at Travel.State.Gov/renewonline

You have to meet a host of requirements to renew your passport online—your passport must have been valid for 10 years; you have to be 25 or older; you can’t change your name, gender, date of birth, or place of birth; and you have to live in the U.S., among other requirements. You also can’t travel for at least eight weeks from the date you submit your application, since the online renewal process only offers routine service.

You can see the full list of requirements here. If you don’t meet all the requirements, the department suggests renewing your passport by mail or in person at a passport agency or center.

A week after you apply, you can request to receive emails about the status of your application. The department will contact you when your application is in process, approved, and when it has sent your passport. If the department needs more information to process your renewal, it will also notify you.