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The inconvenience of having to mail in your too-to-be-expired passport and having it sent back to you – a process than takes several weeks – is finally giving way to technology.
Under the direction of President Joe Biden, the U.S. State Department will soon be proving an online passport renewal option. It is scheduled to launch in early 2023. The online renewal option was created following an executive order from President Biden who said the government needs to “design and deliver services in a manner that people of all abilities can navigate.”
The system won’t be any faster than sending it in your passport but it saves a lot of time in having to gather everything and mailing it. That option is still available, as well. Those in need of a renewal or a passport in a hurry need to go to a passport office, which are in several major U.S. cities. Pro’s Tip: Make an appointment in advance.
On its website, the State Department urges applicants not to renew online if they are traveling internationally in six weeks or less, as their current passport will become invalid as soon as they submit their renewal application.
The online renewals come with the usual government frustrations with websites. There are multiple steps, and applicants must create a password, then enter a separate passcode sent via email. In the trial program which was launched in 2022 some applicants received error messages telling them they were ineligible for online renewal despite meeting all the requirements.
Here is the website to create your online passport account: MyTravelGov.
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