Photo: Tetra Images / Tetra images / Getty Images
The U.S. State Department has announced the full rollout of an online system for renewing adult passports, offering a more efficient and convenient alternative to the traditional paper application process. The new service, which was initially launched in a public beta version in June, is now available 24/7.
According to the State Department, the online renewal process still requires applicants to meet the standard requirements, such as uploading a passport photo, paying the necessary fees, and renewing within a specific timeframe. Passports that have expired within the last five years can be renewed online. However, the online renewal service is currently only available for adult passports, and only those residing in the U.S., including its territories, can use the online renewal service.
Rena Bitter, assistant secretary of consular affairs, stated that the processing time for renewing passports remains at six to eight weeks, regardless of whether the application is made online or by mail.
"The benefit of online passport renewal is that it's a more convenient service," Bitter said. "We just want to make sure that we give the American people a choice to be able to do either."
The introduction of the online renewal service comes after the State Department faced significant delays in processing passport renewals in 2021 due to COVID-related staffing shortages. Despite a drop in demand, the wait time for passport renewal reached up to 18 weeks. However, the State Department announced that processing times had returned to normal by 2023.
According to the State Department, 48% of Americans had passports in 2023, a significant increase from just 5% in 1990.