After the success of a limited pilot program for online passport renewal this summer, the U.S. State Department says it plans to fully launch an online passport-renewal option for the general public early next year.
The shift, which for many will eliminate the need for piles of paperwork and hours spent waiting in line at passport offices, is meant to offer relief after the pandemic created two years of extensive delays and backlogs for passport seekers.
The majority of U.S. passports can currently be renewed by mail, but the process requires applicants to print and manually fill out multiple documents, and then send them in along with printed photographs and a check or money order to cover fees. For time-crunched applicants who need their documents in six weeks or less, the options are even more limited. Last-minute passports can only be obtained after an appointment at one of the State Department’s 26 official passport centers and passport agencies, where passports can be renewed in person and obtained the same day for a $60 expediting fee.
On its website, the State Department urges applicants not to renew online if they are traveling internationally in six weeks or less, as their current passport will become invalid as soon as they submit their renewal application.To join the pilot program for online passport renewal, applicants must create an account at MyTravelGov, a process that requires a valid email address.