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

American travelers it’s going to be possible to renew soon their passports online.

The U.S. Department of State announced on Sept. 18 that a brand new system will likely be implemented that may bypass an outdated method that required passport holders to print a form and mail a check. In a press release, the agency said the brand new method will likely be more efficient. “By offering this online alternative to the traditional paper application process, the Department is embracing digital transformation to provide the most efficient and convenient passport renewal experience possible,” the statement reads.

“Thanks to increased staffing, technological advances and many other improvements, the average routine passport is now processed in about one-third of the time it took at this time last summer, and significantly less than the six to eight weeks announced.”

The public beta version of the brand new process was released in June 2024 and is on the market 24/7. For now, nevertheless, only adults and residents of a U.S. state or territory will give you the option to renew their passports online.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing shortages led to long wait times for passport renewals, so long as 18 weeks as demand fell. In 2023, as travel restrictions eased, demand surged and strained the system much more. It wasn’t until late 2023 that the department announced processing times had returned to normal. Agency data revealed that 48% of Americans had passports in 2023, up from 5% in 1990.

According to Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Rena Bitter the means of for Americans living abroad, those trying to renew a second passport and passports for youngsters. “This won’t be the last thing we do,” she said.

“We want to see how this plays out and then we’ll start looking at ways to make this service available to more American citizens in the coming months and years.”

She said that whatever the recent process, processing times are still expected to be six to eight weeks. “The advantage of renewing your passport online is that it’s a more convenient service,” Bitter said. “We don’t expect the standard of service to be different for people who apply online than for people who apply by mail. We just want to make sure we give Americans the choice to do both.”

Travelers will still need to pay to renew their passports via a secure websiteThe $130 fee will remain in place.