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The US State Department announced on Wednesday that the online passport renewal system is now “fully available” to all citizens seeking to renew their U.S. passport. The system launched on June 12, 2024, as a beta program that opened daily at 1 p.m. ET and closed when it reached a certain number of applicants.
Now, anyone with an expired U.S. passport issued within the last 15 years can renew it online. The State Department estimates that the online application takes about 40 minutes, but if you have all your documents and payment information together, you can probably complete it in half that time. The big catch is that you need a MyTravelGov account to apply online — we’ll explain that below.
Learn everything you need to know about the new online U.S. passport renewals, including who qualifies and how to apply. For more travel tips, check out the best days and times to get cheap flights or the worst airlines for flight delays and cancellations.
How does the US online passport renewal system work?
Most US citizens are currently renew their passport by printing and completing the form DS-82and then that form with a new passport photo and a extension costs in the form of a check or money order. The online passport renewal system instead uses a website form and a payment system that accepts credit cards, debit cards, or online ACH transfers.
However, renewing your passport online does not mean that you will receive it earlier than normal. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is sticking to its “routine service” for passport renewals, whether they are online or by mail. That means you will receive your new passport within six to eight weeks, regardless of how you apply. If you need your passport sooner, you will need to apply by mail and pay an additional $60 for expedited service.
Who is now eligible to renew their US passport online?
The most important factors for renewing your passport online are:
- You are at least 25 years old.
- You live in the US (state or territory).
- Your current passport is or was valid for 10 years.
- Your current passport must be at least 9 years old and must have been issued within the last 15 years (2009-2015).
- You still have your current passport and it is not damaged.
In addition to the main admission requirements, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs provides a list of further restrictions for online renewal:
- You can only renew regular passports online, not special issue passports (such as diplomatic, official or service passports).
- You cannot change your name, gender, place of birth or date of birth from your previous passport.
- You must be able to pay for the online renewal using a credit card, debit card, or ACH transfer.
- You must be able to upload a new passport photo.
- You cannot travel internationally for eight weeks after submitting your online extension application.
This last restriction is important because your current passport, if still valid, will be cancelled immediately once your online renewal application is accepted.
If you do not meet the requirements for renewing your passport online, you will need to renew it by post or mail. in person at a passport office.
If I am eligible, how can I renew my US passport online?
Before you can apply for online passport renewal, you need to create a MyTravelGov account. This is done using the government agencies. login.gov system. If you do not have a login.gov account yet, you can visit the website MyTravelGov websiteclick on the blue To register button in the upper right corner and then click Create an account.
You will then be asked to enter an email address and your language choice: login.gov is available in English, Spanish, and French. After submitting your email address, you will be asked to verify it by clicking a link in an email from login.gov. You will then choose a password and your preferred form of multifactor authentication.
You will then need to provide personal information for the account, at a minimum your first and last name. Once you are done, you should be able to access the online passport renewal page. Touch the blue Start button at the bottom of the page to start the application. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs estimates that the online application process will take approximately 40 minutes.
To start the online passport renewal application, you will need the following:
- Your current US passport.
- A digital passport photo.
- Payment: Credit card, debit card, or your bank’s routing and account numbers for ACH transfer.
In the first part of the application you fill in information about your current passport, your legal name and whether you want a passport booklet, passport card or both. Then you upload your digital passport photoand finally your payment details.
MyTravelGov will send you two email verifications after you submit your renewal application: the first confirms your pending payment and the second confirms that payment has been received. You can sign up for email updates about your passport via the Department of State website one week after you submit your application. online passport status systemYou can expect to receive your new passport by mail within six to eight weeks.
The type of passport (booklet or card) you renew depends on what you currently hold.
Can I also renew my American passport online?
Passport cards are items similar to U.S. driver’s licenses that you carry in your wallet. They allow travel from the U.S. by land or sea to Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean. They are not valid for international air travel.
You can renew both passport booklets and cards online. In principle, you can renew any U.S. passport document that you currently hold. If you have an old passport booklet and a passport card, you can renew both at the same time. If you have one of them, you can only renew that specific document.
