You Can Now Renew Your Passport Online
The U.S. is making passport renewal service fully available online, the State Department announced Wednesday. That means that you no longer need to print application forms and send a check by mail.
The Department of State said that this is “a significant step forward in ensuring that Americans can more easily access passport services.”
The program has been in beta testing for almost two years. But even now, there are some eligibility rules to qualify for online renewals.
The State Department’s website for online passport renewal recommends not having travel plans within eight weeks when renewing a passport, to allow for processing time. Only routine service is available online at this time, and the time it takes to get a passport will be the same as renewing by mail.
If you are traveling in less than 8 weeks, you need to renew by mail. And if you need your passport in less than 3 weeks, make an appointment to renew in person at a passport agency or center.
There are other rules to qualify for online-passport renewal, such as being over the age of 25, must live in the United States or a territory, and that the passport renewed falls within a certain time frame.
The Department of State says that “hanks 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.”
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card is the old king of travel rewards cards. Right now
bonus_miles_full
Learn more about this card and its features!
Opinions, reviews, analyses & recommendations are the author’s alone, and have not been reviewed, endorsed or approved by any of these entities.
Can people who have a second American passport (the short version) renew online?