A trial program by the US State Department will allow a limited number of travelers to renew their passport online and get a new one in six to eight weeks.
Beginning on Wednesday, June 19, a beta test of the online process will open seven days a week at 1 p.m. Eastern time. The system will accept a limited number of applications each day and then close. But the number of applications accepted each day will grow over time, as the system proves effective, the State Department promises.
The online system is not meant to expedite the processing of passports and it will not be faster than mail-in applications, except for the time saved in the mail.
To be eligible, travelers must be applying for a passport renewal, and not their first passport. Applicants must be 25 or older and have a passport issued between 2009 and 2015 that was valid for 10 years at the time of issuance; live in the United States; and pay with a valid credit card.
Users of the online option cannot update biographical information such as their name, gender, or date of birth.
For more information or to apply, go to Renew my Passport Online (state.gov).
