Renewing Your Passport? Here’s How To Do It Online

Do you have an upcoming international trip and need to renew your old passport?

Forget about wasting half a day at a passport agency or sending out a bunch of forms by mail. Renewing your passport just became much easier with the U.S. State Department’s new online renewal program.

Read on to learn more about how the process works and if you qualify!

Who’s Eligible To Renew Their U.S. Passport Online?

Online renewal is only available to certain U.S. Citizens. Those who don’t qualify must do everything by mail.

Here are the Department Of State’s requirements for online renewal:

Be a U.S. Citizen that’s 25 or older
Have a passport with a 10-year validity period
Have a digital passport photo taken within six months
You have a debit or credit card to pay for your renewal
You’re applying for an ordinary tourist passport
You’re based in a US state or territory
Your old passport was issued between 9 and 15 years ago (2009-2015)
You’re not traveling for at least six weeks after you submit your initial application
You’re not changing your name, gender, birthday, or place of birth
Your passport’s undamaged, and you haven’t reported it lost or stolen

How Does The Process Work?

The renewal process is fairly straightforward, but you should start it when you’re not rushed. Here’s what you need to do in a nutshell:

Go to the Department of State’s official website and see if you meet the requirements.
Create a new MyTravelGov account or sign in if you already have one.
Once ready, click the “Renew Your Passport” button and enter your personal information. You have 30 days to submit it before the system deletes it.
After you enter everything, the system will check if you’re eligible. If everything looks fine, you can upload your digital photo, sign your application, and pay the renewal fee.
Keep an eye out in the mail for your new passport. It should arrive between six and eight weeks.

After you’re finished, you should receive two emails. The first shows your pending payment, and the second confirms it once it goes through.

You can also enroll in free email updates to stay on top of your application status!

Can US Citizens Living Abroad Renew Online?

No, anyone living abroad won’t be able to qualify for an online passport renewal, at least not for now.

If you’re in another country and need to renew your passport, you can do it by mail or at the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

However, keep in mind that only some countries have the mail option. Look up your nearest one’s details to see which methods are available.

How Long Do I Have To Wait For A New Passport?

Most passport renewals take around six to eight weeks to process.

But if you have a trip coming up, you may ask for expedited service for an extra $60 or a one to two-day delivery for an additional $21.36.

You can also mail in your application or schedule an appointment at your nearest passport center to process your document as fast as possible.

Can I Renew A Passport Card As Well?

When you complete your application, you have three choices: a passport book, a passport card, or both.

However, you must have the document you wish to renew before starting the process. In other words, a passport renewal won’t get you a new passport card and vice-versa.

To apply for a document the first time, fill out the necessary paperwork and apply in person at your nearest location.

Will Online Passport Renewals Help With Delays?

Getting a passport in a decent time frame has been nearly impossible during and after the pandemic. Applications are up 30-40%, and it’s not rare to see people wait up to 13 weeks for their documents.

Thankfully, the online renewal program could bring some much-needed relief. Now that people can apply online, it’ll ease the pressure on an overstretched Department of State, and waiting times can slowly return to normal.

The Bottom Line

Renewing a passport has never been easier. With a few clicks of a button, you can fill out your application, upload a photo, and receive your new document in a few weeks.

Ready to renew your passport and book your next trip? Start your application now!