Renewing US passports, one of the most annoying red tape involved in visiting other countries, is about to get a lot easier this year. On Wednesday, June 12, MyTravelGov — the website for the US State Department’s Bureau of Consular Affairs — relaunched its online passport renewal system.
MyTravelGov first introduced online passport renewals in 2022 and had many windows open for the pilot program before it closed in March last year. For this restart, an unspecified number of applicants can apply each day during a “limited time window at noon Eastern.” Once the limit is reached, the program will be closed until the next day.
Learn everything you need to know about the new US passport renewals online, including who’s eligible and how you can apply. For more travel tips, check out how to plan your trip with AI, how to pack your carry-on perfectly, and how to avoid airline baggage fees.
A limited number of people can apply for US passport renewals each day.
How does the new online US passport renewal system work?
Most US citizens currently renew their passports by printing and filling out the DS-82 form, then mailing that form with a new passport photo and a renewal fee 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 credit cards, debit cards, or online ACH transfers.
However, renewing your passport online does not mean that you will receive it faster than usual. The State Department is sticking to “routine service” for passport renewals, whether online or by mail. This means you will receive your new passport within six to eight weeks, regardless of how you apply. If you need your passport sooner than that, you’ll need to apply by mail and pay $60 more for expedited service.
Who is eligible to renew their US passport online?
The most important qualifying factors for renewing your passport online are:
- You are at least 25 years old.
- You live in the US (state or territory).
- Your current passport is 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 mutilated or damaged.
Along with the main eligibility requirements, the State Department provides a list of further restrictions for online renewal:
- You can only renew ordinary passports online, not “special issue” passports (such as diplomatic, official or service passports).
- You cannot change your name, gender, place of birth or date of birth from your previous passport.
- You must be able to pay for the renewal online using a credit card, debit card or ACH transfer.
- You must be able to upload a new passport photo.
- You cannot travel internationally for eight weeks after submitting your online renewal application.
This last restriction is important because your existing passport, if still valid, will be canceled immediately once your online renewal application is accepted.
If you do not meet the eligibility requirements to renew your passport online, you will need to renew it by mail or in person at a passport agency.
If I qualify, how can I renew my US passport online?
Right now, MyTravelGov is accepting a limited number of online passport renewals each day (including weekends) around noon ET. However, several news outlets, including Thrifty Traveler, are reporting that the window will open each day at precisely 1:00 PM ET.
Before you can apply for a passport renewal online, you’ll need to create a MyTravelGov account if you don’t already have one. Visit the MyTravelGov website, click on the blue Sign in button in the upper right corner, then click Create an account. This will begin the process of creating an account with login.gov, the US federal government’s authentication system.
You’ll then need to enter an email address and language of choice — login.gov is available in English, Spanish and French. After you submit your email address, you’ll need to verify it by clicking on a link in an email message from login.gov, after which you’ll choose a password and your preferred form of multi-factor authentication.
You will then need to provide personal account information, at least your first and last name. Once done, you should be able to access the online passport renewal page. Hit the blue Start button at the bottom of the page to start the application.
If the online passport renewal application window is not open, you will receive a message that you will need to come back and try again tomorrow. If you are lucky enough to start the application, you will need the following items:
- Your existing US passport.
- A digital passport photo.
- Your credit card, debit card, or routing and bank account numbers for the ACH transfer.
In the first part of the application, you will enter information about your current passport, your legal name, and whether you want a passport book, passport card, or both. You will then update your digital passport photo and finally your payment information.
MyTravelGov will send you two email confirmations after you submit your renewal application — the first will confirm your pending payment; the second will confirm that payment has been received. One week after you apply, you can sign up for email updates about your passport using the State Department’s online passport status system. You should expect to receive your new passport in the mail within six to eight weeks.
You can renew any form of US passport you currently have.
How about renewing your US passport card online?
Passport cards are objects that look a lot like US driver’s licenses and can be carried in your wallet. They allow travel from the US by land or sea to Canada, Mexico or Caribbean countries. They are not valid for any international air travel.
You can renew passport books and cards online. Basically, you can renew any US passport document you currently hold. If you have an old passport book and a passport card, you can renew both at the same time. If you have one or the other, you can only renew that specific document.