Americans Can Now Renew Their Passports Online Anytime

This is not a drill: Americans can now renew their passports online around the clock, avoiding the hassle of mailing in paper applications and check payments.

The Biden-Harris Administration and the U.S. State Department announced on Wednesday that online passport renewal is now fully available to all eligible Americans, following a soft launch in June.

“With more Americans traveling abroad than ever before, we’ve experienced a significant rise in passport demand,” Rena Bitter, assistant secretary for consular affairs, stated during a press briefing on September 18. “Our mission has always been to offer a secure and efficient passport service, so we’re thrilled to provide online renewal options now.”

This service enables American adults aged 25 and older to pay, upload a photo, and complete the application entirely online, with no need for in-person visits or mailing documents. It’s available for those renewing an adult 10-year passport that has expired in the last 5 years or is set to expire within the next year.

Bitter mentioned that an estimated 5 million Americans could use the service annually, highlighting that 24 million passports were issued in 2023, with approximately 40 percent being renewals.

Jason Miller, the deputy director for management at the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, explained to Dinogo that while online renewals will expedite the process for applicants—eliminating the need to visit a passport acceptance facility like a post office—the State Department still cites a processing time of six to eight weeks. He noted, however, that the department is improving its efficiency, as all applicants currently receive their passports before that estimated timeframe.

Bitter emphasized that while the government aims to minimize paper usage swiftly, modernization of the system is necessary before all Americans, particularly those under 25 and expatriates, can renew their passports online. She highlighted the primary objective of making the renewal process as user-friendly as possible.

Currently, there are some restrictions. Applicants must be located within the United States when applying and cannot change personal details (like name or gender). Those needing expedited renewals or with lost or stolen passports cannot apply online either. Additionally, individuals with a valid passport but lacking visa pages won't be able to renew online at this time. There is no set timeline for when these options might be available online.

Bitter stated, “We will broaden this initiative; this isn’t the end of our efforts. We want to monitor its progress and explore ways to extend this service to more American citizens in the months and years ahead.”

The fee for online passport renewal will stay at $130, and only credit or debit cards will be accepted as payment methods.

This new online renewal service arrives two years after President Joe Biden signed an executive order permitting U.S. citizens to renew their passports online. The State Department previously conducted two rounds of beta testing before today’s formal launch. In August 2022, a pilot program allowed over 500,000 eligible volunteers to renew their passports online, but it was paused on March 8, 2023. A soft launch occurred on June 12, 2024, offering a limited number of daily slots for online renewals, attracting around 200,000 participants who provided feedback, which Bitter noted helped enhance features like the photo upload tool and instruction clarity.

The online passport renewal service is just one of the initiatives the State Department is implementing to enhance convenience. In June, Secretary of State Antony Blinken revealed plans to establish six new passport agencies in the upcoming years, located in Salt Lake City, Utah; Kansas City, Missouri; Orlando, Florida; Charlotte, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas; and Cincinnati, Ohio.