RENEWING your passport just got a whole lot easier, thanks to a new State Department pilot program.
The US State Department launched an online passport renewal system on Wednesday.
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Americans can now apply for a passport without leaving home.
“The goal of online passport renewal is to save Americans time and effort by making it more convenient to renew their U.S. passports,” said a senior State Department official. ABC news.
However, there are some issues with when and how applications can be submitted.
The portal only opens for a limited time each day, starting at 1pm EST, and closing when the department reaches its daily limit.
The number of applications is limited so that the State Department can monitor the success of the system.
The renewal system is expected to last for the next few months.
A permanent online portal will be launched once the department reviews the progress of the pilot system.
A similar program was initially launched in December 2021, through an Executive Order signed by President Biden.
“When a disaster survivor, single parent, immigrant, small business owner, or veteran waits months for the government to process the benefits to which they are entitled, that lost time is a significant cost not only to that individual, but in the together, for our nation as a whole,” Biden said of the initiative at the time.
More than 500,000 Americans signed up through the online portal during its first phase, according to the State Department.
WHO CAN REGISTER?
Americans must meet 10 requirements to apply for passport renewal online.
Criteria include:
- The candidate must be over 25 years old and have a passport valid for 10 years
- The applicant must be renewing a passport issued between 2009 and 2015, or between 9 and 15 years from the date of submission of the application
- The applicant cannot change their name, gender, date of birth or place of birth
- Applicant cannot travel internationally for at least 8 weeks after submitting application
- The applicant cannot renew a special issue passport
- Candidate must live in the USA
- The applicant must have a passport that is not damaged
- The applicant must be able to pay for passport renewal
- Applicant must upload a digital passport photo
- The applicant should be aware that the current passport will be canceled once the renewal application is submitted
Those who do not meet the criteria but still wish to apply for passport renewal can do so by post or at a passport agency.
Current processing time for those who applied on or after December 18, 2023 is 6-8 weeks, or 2-3 weeks for expedited applications.
Steps to renew a passport online
To renew your passport through the state’s new pilot program, follow the steps below:
- Confirm you meet all criteria
- Create an online account with the Department of State
- Launch an application
- Have your passport at hand to enter all the information
- Confirm travel plans
- Upload profile photo
- Pay for renewal
- Sign up for email updates and track your subscription
NEXT STEPS
Those who qualify to renew their passports online must create an account on Department of State.
Americans will need their current passport to enter their application information.
A digital photo in JPEG format is also required for the application.
Lastly, applicants must pay to renew their passports online.
Renewing a passport book costs $130, while a book and card costs $160, according to the Department of State.
Applicants can sign up for email updates with the department to track the status of their applications.
Processing times are not faster online, but it saves applicants the hassle of mailing in their renewals.
For more travel hacks, check out these stories about new airline rules introduced this month and a Florida condominium resort offering August travel deals.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
