Online passport renewal is back, but only for a limited number of applicants and a limited period of time.
The State Department reopened the online renewal portal this week, which will accept a limited number of daily applicants. The program will run during the next several months, the State Department said, so it can monitor the system's performance, calling it a beta release that is a standard part of the software development process.
The portal will open every day at midday and accept a limited number of applications, an amount that was not disclosed. Among the requirements to apply online are that the passport being renewed was valid for 10 years; applicants are 25 or older; and no travel is expected for at least 8 weeks from the date of application as the program does not offer expedited processing.
The State Department launched a similar program in 2022 that closed more than a year ago. The travel industry has long lamented the growing wait for new passports, which were taking up to eight weeks to process in the last year.