Forget long lines and potentially monthslong wait times. Eligible U.S. travelers can once again renew their passports online.
The State Department on Wednesday began allowing a limited number of people to renew their passports online each day. Under the program, which is currently in beta testing, the department will issue a currently undisclosed number of spots at around 1 p.m. Eastern Time, seven days a week. The application site will be open until each day’s spots have been filled, and the State Department will gradually increase the number it accepts each day.
The government previously tested online passport renewals in 2022 before pausing it in March of last year. Since the pandemic, travelers have faced extensive delays in receiving their renewals; the new system is meant to assuage some of that. Here’s what to know about the new online process.
Who is eligible?
Not everyone can renew their passports online. Applicants must be 25 years or older, and the passport they are renewing must have been valid for 10 years and issued between 2009 and 2015. They also cannot be changing their name, gender, date of birth, or place of birth, according to the State Department’s website.
Additionally, applicants must be at least eight weeks away from the time of their next international trip, and must live in the U.S. They must also be able to upload a digital passport photo and pay for the renewal with a credit or debit card, among other restrictions.
Those applying for a passport for the first time must still do so in person.
How much does it cost?
Standard application fees apply to the online process. More information can be found on the State Department’s website.
How long does it take?
The State Department says processing should take around six to eight weeks—assuming applicants are eligible and fill out everything correctly. The online process is not currently available for expedited renewals.
What if I don’t qualify?
Travelers who don’t qualify for the online application can still send in their renewals by mail, or by visiting a post office. The State Department estimates wait times will be about the same for online and mail-in applications.
Just because an applicant isn’t able to submit their renewal on a certain date does not mean they are not eligible—they just might have missed that day’s window, and can try again the next.
How can I track my application status?
After receiving a traveler’s renewal application and payment, the State Department will send an email that confirms payment is pending, and another when it has received the money.
After that, travelers can track the application’s progress via the State Department’s online passport status system, which will indicate when it has been processed, approved, and mailed.
When will the official online application launch?
All the State Department has said so far is that the beta program will last “several months” to help it work out kinks and issues in the system.
