Online passport renewals now available for US travelers

As travel restrictions continue to ease and more people are considering international travel, the U.S. State Department has made a significant move to streamline the process of passport renewals. Starting today, U.S. travelers can renew their passports online, marking a significant advancement towards digitizing a process that was traditionally paper-based.

According to a report by The Wall Street Journal, this online service will enable eligible travelers to complete their application without the need for mailing documents, with an expected return of their passport in six to eight weeks. The move comes after the State Department initially tested online passport renewals in 2022, before taking the program offline in 2023 for further enhancements.

While the online renewal service is open to the public, it is currently in beta or trial mode. This approach allows the State Department to make necessary changes based on user feedback and process evaluation. The program will initially allow a limited number of people to renew their passports each day, with spots for renewal opening at around 1 p.m. Eastern time.

The introduction of online renewal is aimed at addressing the long delays experienced by travelers during the pandemic. These renewals are not eligible for expedited processing, however.

In terms of eligibility, the online renewal is not available to everyone. Applicants must be 25 or older and already have a valid passport that was valid for 10 years and issued between 2009 and 2015. In addition, travelers cannot update biographical information such as name, gender, or date of birth using the online option.