The United States is making its passport renewal process a little easier, giving passport holders the option to renew them fully online, the State Department shared on Wednesday.
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While the old process included printing out application forms and sending a check through the mail, the new process will be much smoother for those in the 21st Century.
The new travel.state.gov/renewonline website gives passport holders the ability to renew online. However, there are some requirements that must be met first, including being 25 and older, having had a valid passport for 10 years, currently possessing the passport, and being in the United States or a U.S. territory.
The passport you are trying to renew should not expire within more than one year or have been expired for more than five years. The website does not allow those looking to renew the ability to update information that’s in the passport.
The State Department recommends that those who use the website do not try to renew their passport within eight weeks of travel to allow for processing time.
Estimates from the department suggest that up to 5 million Americans will now be able to take advantage of the new online renewal service, which is available 24/7.
The move comes as more Americans have been applying for passports and passport renewals. Last year, the State Department said it produced 24 million passport products, with about 40% being solely renewals.
Secretary of State Antony Blinken has commented on the new website, saying it’s a “significant step forward in ensuring that Americans can more easily access passport services.”
“The Department of State is making our new online passport renewal system fully available to the public today, a significant step forward in ensuring that Americans can more easily access passport services,” Blinken said.
Through the new online service, passports are expected to be distributed “in roughly one-third the time as at the same point last summer, and well under the advertised six to eight weeks processing times,” according to Blinken.
The payment process for the online renewal is through debit or credit. A digital photo is required to be uploaded.
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