More than a million people have renewed their US passports online. Here’s how to do it

The US State Department opened its online passport renewal system to all eligible citizens on September 19, and the program has been a resounding success so far. Secretary of State Antony Blinken recently announced that more than 1 million Americans have successfully renewed their passports online, and that normal passport processing times are now only four to six weeks.

Anyone whose U.S. passport issued in the last 15 years has expired can now renew it online. The State Department estimates that filing the online application will take about 40 minutes, but if you have all the paperwork and payment information, you can probably complete it in half that time. The big catch is that you’ll need a MyTravelGov account to apply online – we’ll explain more below.

Find out everything you need to know about the new online U.S. passport renewal, including who is eligible and how you can apply. For more travel tips, check out the best days and times to buy cheap plane tickets or the worst airlines for flight delays and cancellations.

How can I renew my US passport online?

Most U.S. citizens currently renew their passports by printing and filling out Form DS-82, then mailing that form with a new passport photo and renewal payment in the form of a check or money order. Instead, the online passport renewal system uses a website form and a payment system that allows the use of credit cards, debit cards, or online ACH transfers.

However, renewing your passport online does not mean you will receive it any sooner than usual. The State Department is maintaining its “regular service” for passport renewals, whether online or by mail. This means you will receive your new passport in six to eight weeks, regardless of how you apply. If you need your passport sooner, you will have to apply by mail and pay an additional $60 for expedited service.

Who can renew their US passport online?

The most important qualifying factors for online passport renewal are:

• You are at least 25 years old.
• You live in the United States (state or territory).
• Your current passport is valid or has been valid for 10 years.
• Your current passport must be at least 9 years old and issued within the last 15 years (2009-2015).
• You still have your existing passport and it is not tampered with or damaged.

Along with the basic eligibility requirements, the State Department provides a list of additional restrictions for online renewal:

• You can only renew regular passports online, not “special issue” passports (such as diplomatic, official or service passports).
• You cannot change your name, gender, place or date of birth from your previous passport.
• You should be able to pay for your renewal online using a credit card, debit card, or ACH transfer.
• You should be able to upload a new passport photo.
• You cannot travel abroad for eight weeks after submitting your online extension application.

This last limitation is important because your existing passport, if still valid, will be immediately canceled once your online renewal application is accepted.

If you do not qualify to renew your passport online, you will need to renew it by mail or in person at a passport agency.

Here are the steps to renew your US passport online

Before you can apply to renew your passport online, you’ll need to create a MyTravelGov account, which uses the government’s login.gov system. If you don’t already have a Login.gov account, you can visit the MyTravelGov website by clicking on the blue icon Login button in the upper right corner, then click Create an account.

You’ll then need to enter your email address and the language of your choice: login.gov is available in English, Spanish, and French. After submitting your email address, you will be required to verify it by clicking a link in the email from login.gov, at which point you will select a password and preferred form of multi-factor authentication.

You will then be required to provide personal information for the account, at a minimum your first and last name. Once you are done, you will be able to access the online passport renewal page. Hit the blue Start off button at the bottom of the page to start applying. The State Department estimates the online application process will take about 40 minutes.

To apply for your passport renewal online, you will need the following items:

• Your existing US passport.
• Digital passport photo.
• Payment – Credit card, debit card, or your bank’s routing and account number for the ACH transfer.

In the first part of the application, you enter information about your current passport, your legal name, and whether you want a passport book, a passport card, or both. You will then upload your digital passport photo and finally your payment information.

MyTravelGov will send you two confirmation emails after you apply for an extension: the first will confirm your pending payment, and the second will confirm that the payment has been received. One week after submitting your application, you can sign up to receive email updates about your passport using the State Department’s online passport status system. Expect to receive your new passport in the mail within six to eight weeks.

Can I renew my US passport online?

Passport cards are items much like a U.S. driver’s license that you can keep in your wallet. They allow you to travel from the US by land or sea to Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean. They are not valid for international air travel.

You can renew both passport books and cards online. Essentially, you can renew any US passport you currently have. If you have an old passport book and passport card, you can renew them at the same time. If you have a particular document, you can only renew that specific document.