Renewing Your Passport Just Got a Lot Easier Thanks to This New Change

The Department of State announced today the official launch of their digital passport renewal service. Now, instead of printing a paper application and mailing it in along with a check, Americans can renew their passports through a secure process saving not only trees, but time and headaches. It’s important to note that applicants must be eligible for the process: they must be at least 25 years old, currently live in a U.S. state or territory, have a passport that was issued between nine and 15 years ago, and have that old passport with them. Applicants must not currently plan to change their name, gender, date of birth, or place of birth.

Processing times for online applications are the similar timeframe as those for paper applications, however. The State Department says applicants should not plan to travel for at least eight weeks after submitting. It’s also worth noting that expedited service is not available with the digital option. (For that, we recommend using a concierge service like we did with It’s Easy.)

The new program is part of President Biden’s Executive Order entitled Transforming Federal Customer Experience and Service Delivery to Rebuild Trust in Government. Americans can apply on the State Government website by first creating account, then following the instructions listed. There is also a video which walks travelers through the process.

“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,” they said in a statement. “Thanks to increased staffing, technological advancements, and a host of other improvements, the average routine passport is being processed today in roughly one-third the time as at the same point last summer, and well under the advertised six to eight weeks processing times.”

You can apply for your digital passport online here.