The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced Americans with a US mailing address can now apply for passport renewal through her websiteinstead of having to print a physical copy and mail it with a check. Applicants can upload a photo, fill out the accompanying form and make a payment entirely online.
This effort is part of President Biden’s executive order to modernize government services and make them more accessible to Americans.
In a blog postThe State Department said it has also made other changes to speed up the passport renewal process, including adding more staff and pushing for technological advances to shorten wait times. It now takes about a third as long to approve a renewal passport, often within the promised six- to eight-week window, compared to last summer, the agency said.
The service is available to applicants aged 25 or over with a passport valid for 10 years that has expired in the last five years. The change also applies only to regular tourist passports.
For first-time passport applications, however, adults will still need to print and mail in a physical form or visit various processing facilities in person. Check out our how-to to find out how the service works.
