The U.S. Department of State on Wednesday announced that Americans can now renew their passports online, bypassing a mail-in method that could take many weeks.
“By offering this online alternative to the traditional paper application process, the Department is embracing digital transformation to offer the most efficient and convenient passport renewal experience possible,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement in announcing the change.
The new system now allows renewal applicants to submit their applications and payment through a secure website, rather than printing out and sending paper applications and checks by mail.
An update to the State Department’s website on Wednesday shows that its portal to renew passports online is now operational.
However, the State Department warns that the online renewal process has limitations, including the timing, the age of the passport holder, and the type of passport.
Requirements to Renew
The online portal requires that U.S. citizens create an account, have had a valid passport for 10 years, and be aged 25 or older. They are also required to be currently residing in the United States and have their passport on hand. It cannot be “damaged” or “mutilated,” the website says.
The passport holder needs to be able to upload a digital passport photo of themselves and pay with a debit or credit card. The passport cannot be reported stolen, according to the website.
A U.S. citizen can perform an online renewal if the State Department issued the passport between 2009 and 2015, or more than nine years ago but less than 15 years ago, the website said.
The individual also can’t travel for at least eight weeks from the date the passport renewal application is submitted because the State Department can only offer routine service, it added.
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