How To Renew Your U.S. Passport Online In Under 15 Minutes

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Last Updated 14 hours in the past

After the launch of a profitable pilot program final fall, many Americans are actually capable of renew their passport on-line in 15 minutes or much less.

The U.S. Department of State started trialing the online renewal system final September with the objective of creating it a everlasting program in 2023.

In November 2022, the net renewal system opened as much as most of the people, and as of January 2023, it’s nonetheless obtainable.

Here’s what it’s essential learn about renewing your U.S. passport on-line:

Why Renew Your Passport Online?

Previously, the one solution to renew your passport was in-person or by mail. Renewing on-line saves plenty of time and is much less trouble.

Last yr, passport processing occasions stretched to 11 weeks or more on account of a backlog. This doesn’t embody mailing time and the estimated processing time solely started as soon as the company obtained your passport software.

This yr, the U.S. Department of State has shortened the processing time for passport renewals, partly due to the brand new on-line system.

Right now, you’ll be able to anticipate to attend 6 to 9 weeks for routine processing and 3 to five weeks for expedited processing.

Renewing your passport prices $130 for routine processing and an extra $60 for expedited processing.

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The value is similar whether or not you’re renewing your passport on-line, by mail, or in particular person. Since it’s the identical value and because it eliminates mailing time, renewing your passport on-line is by far the simplest possibility.

Who Is Eligible?

Not everyone seems to be eligible to resume their passport on-line. However, many Americans will be capable to, supplied they meet the next standards, which is supplied by the U.S. Department of State:

1. You are over 25, and your final passport had a ten yr validity.
2. Your final passport was issued lower than 15 however over 9 years from the date you’re going to submit your software. Your passport is allowed to be expired. 
3. You usually are not altering your gender, title, date or homeland.
4. You aren’t touring in another country for at the least six weeks from the date you’ll flip in your software. 
5. You are making use of for the standard passport as a vacationer solely. Special passports like diplomatic passports on-line.
6. You stay within the U.S. (territories depend as properly).
7. You bodily have your passport, and it’s in good situation and undamaged, and it isn’t misplaced or stolen.
8. You will pay on your passport with ACH out of your financial institution or with a credit score or debit card.
9. You are capable of add a JPG model of your passport picture.
10. You know that as quickly as you submit your software, you can not use your present passport for touring in another country as a result of it is going to be instantly invalidated.

Note that you’re solely capable of renew your passport on-line. If you’ve by no means had a passport, you can not apply for one on-line.

How To Renew Your Passport Online

If you meet all the standards above, you’ll be able to renew your passport on-line. It’s a easy course of that takes lower than 15 minutes.

All you’ll have to do is follow the steps on this page from the U.S. Department of State.

You might want to register for a MyTravelGov account, then wait as much as 24 hours for the “Renew Passport” button to look in your account.

At that time, you’ll fill out a easy software. You’ll want your previous passport readily available so you’ll be able to present your passport quantity, concern date, and expiration date.

You’ll additionally want a digital passport picture to connect. This simply must be a photograph of your self with dimensions of at the least 600×600 pixels in opposition to a plain white background. You can see the full photo requirements here.

After that, you’ll simply have to pay the $130 processing charge (add $60 for expedited processing) and wait on your new passport to reach!

All in all, the method takes not more than 15 minutes.

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This article initially appeared on TravelOffPath.com