You Can Once Again Renew Your U.S. Passport Online

Renew Your U.S. Passport Online

The State Department reopened today its online passport renewal portal, bringing back a pilot program that had not been available for over a year.

The program will begin by accepting a small number of online applications each day, and that number will gradually increase up as time goes on to ensure the State Department “can track any issues that arise and address them quickly and continuously improve the experience for the American people.”

For now the program is available only for routine renewals, not expedited services.

How it Works

• Eligible U.S. citizens can now renew their passports online. We’re conducting a beta release of an updated online passport renewal system.
• You may not be able to start your application on the day of your choice. The system will open for a limited midday eastern time window each day, and will close once we reach our limit for the day.
• If you are unable to start your application, try again on another day. If you do not want to wait or do not qualify to renew online, you may also renew by mail now.
• During the next several months, they will  continue to limit the number of applications accepted each day to monitor the system’s performance in real time. 
• Full launch of the updated online passport renewal system is coming soon.

Eligibility

You can renew online if you meet ALL these requirements:

1. The passport you are renewing is or was valid for 10 years, and you are age 25 or older.
2. The passport you are renewing was issued between 2009 and 2015, or over 9 years but less than 15 years from the date you plan to submit your application. 
3. You are not changing your name, gender, date of birth, or place of birth.
4. You are not traveling internationally for at least 8 weeks from the date you will submit your application. We will only offer routine service during this limited release, and the time it takes to get a passport will be the same as renewing by mail. 
5. You are applying for a regular (tourist) passport. You cannot renew a special issuance (diplomatic, official, service) passport online.
6. You live in the United States (either state or territory). You do not qualify to renew online if you live in a foreign country or have an Army Post Office (APO) or Fleet Post Office (FPO) address.
7. You have your passport with you, and it is not damaged or mutilated, and you have not previously reported it as lost or stolen. Keep your most recent passport and do not mail it to us.
8. You can pay for your passport using a credit or debit card.
9. You can upload a digital passport photo.
10. You are aware that the passport you are renewing will be canceled after you submit your application and you cannot use it for international travel.

If you do not qualify to renew online, you may be able to renew by mail or in person at a passport agency or center.