September 20, 2024
We love a streamlined process!
American travelers will soon be able to renew their passports online, CBS News reports.
The U.S. State Department announced on Sept. 18 that a new system will be rolled out that will bypass the dated method that required passport holders to print out a form and mail in a check. In a statement, the agency says the new way will be more efficient. “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,” the statement read.
“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.”
The public beta version of the new process was released in June 2024 and is available 24/7. However, for now, only adults and those living in a U.S. state or territory will be able to renew their passports online.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, staffing shortages led to extensive wait times of up to 18 weeks for passport renewal as demand dropped. In 2023, as travel limitations diminished, the demand increased and further strained the system. It wasn’t until late 2023 that the department announced the processing time was back to normal. Data from the agency revealed that 48% of Americans had passports in 2023, a massive increase from 5% in 1990.
According to the Associated Press, Assistant Secretary of State for Consular Affairs Rena Bitter hopes to expand the passport renewal process for Americans living abroad, those looking to renew a second passport, and children’s passports. “This is not going to be the last thing that we do,” she said.
“We want to see how this goes, and then we’ll start looking at ways to continue to make this service available to more American citizens in the coming months and years.”
She did say that regardless of the new process, the processing time is still six to eight weeks. “The benefit of online passport renewal is that it’s a more convenient service,” Bitter said. “We don’t expect to have a different service standard for people who apply online versus people who apply by mail. We just want to make sure that we give the American people a choice to be able to do either.”
Travelers will still have to pay to renew their passport through a secure website. A charge of $130 will stay in place.
RELATED CONTENT: Here’s How The U.S. State Department’s New Passport Renewal System Works
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