Update, 8/22/24: DansDeals readers report getting their passport just a week after renewing it online! Post your experience in the comments below.
Update, 6/13/24: Online passport renewal is back! My current passport is from an online renewal done in February 2022, so it’s great to see this option restored again. Note that the service is in beta release.
Update, 12/20/23: An insider tells DansDeals that the US State Department is close to launching a new online passport renewal platform! The new platform will address some of the bugs that led to the shutdown of the original platform back in March. As with the previous system, this will only be for passport renewals, so it won’t work for kids’ passports as they need a new application each time.
Additionally, many readers report that passport renewals are now taking just 1-2 weeks, and that it’s not currently worth paying for the expedite fee.
Originally posted on 12/19/23:
The US State Department reports that passport processing has finally returned to pre-pandemic times. Regular processing is back to 6-8 weeks and expedited processing is back to 2-3 weeks.
You can also schedule urgent appointments online here, with new batches of appointments apparently being released at midnight. That’s a big improvement over the phone system.
But even now I was able to find appointments in New York City and Buffalo.
But what’s wild is this tidbit. When I was a kid in 1990, only 5% of Americans had a passport. That number has climbed to a whopping 48%!
Pretty incredible how international travel has reached the masses over the past generation. Now if only they would bring back online passport renewal and make it easier to obtain kids’ passports and not expire them every 5 years.
Wild statistic in this State Department release about passport processing times returning to pre-pandemic levels: “In 1990, only five percent of Americans had a passport. Today, that number is 48%” pic.twitter.com/XooGpya6Bb
— John Hudson (@John_Hudson) December 18, 2023
HT: chff and youG, via DDF
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114 Comments On "Online Passport Renewals Are Back And Better Than Ever! Readers Report Getting Passports Just 1 Week After Online Renewal!"
All opinions expressed below are user generated and the opinions aren’t provided, reviewed or endorsed by any advertiser or DansDeals.
Filed for my Daughter’s passport on 11/30. Got it back 12/13 and was not expedited
Same here I filed in the Post Office, regular delivery and got it back 2 weeks later
Same! I renewed my son’s at the post office in November and received it in the mail exactly 3 weeks later. I did not pay for expedited.
Same with me, not expedited. Couldn’t believe my eyes.
Same. I mailed my renewal on the 1st and got it back on the 16th! I’m impressed. Not expedited.
Same
Sent in a passport on May 10, got it back June 14. Was not expedited.
I wouldn’t be surprised if that number is a mistake.
Until they have dynamic updating photos, how can you not expire kids passports in 5 years?
5 years is an eternity for a child. The picture is completely outdated after 2 years, nevermind 5.
OK, so why 5? Is the 1 month old photo worth anything for my 3 year old now?
You’re right, should be every 2 years until age 12. But with a $25 fee, not the ridiculous price they charge.
Exactly. So 5 really is an arbitrary number. A baby is a different person 4.5 years later.
They had to draw the line somewhere so of course it’s going to be arbitrary. It’s easier to take my kids for a passport renewal than to the pediatrician and they only need an appointment once every 5 years so I’m certainly not complaining
Getting pediatric care can be easier than to get than an in-person US passport appointment — depends on where and when and priorities/values. When a family has multiple kids and — on top of everything else — is also dealing with school calendars where skipping class for a passport appointment isn’t everyone’s idea of legit grounds for school absence, even the 5 year validity limit can be a nuisance compared to a 7 or 10 year validity.
Unfortunately given what the USG has pushed other countries to do over the years, and given our own legal and administrative structures and also the costs in doing as indicated hereafter, it’s not like it would be wise to even go to conditionally-issued passports where the US CBP does a pre-departure or post-arrival review to finalize a passport relying upon a passport or remote passport application approved conditionally by the US State Department.
At least one country in the last 7 years has dropped the validity of children’s passports down from 5 years to 3 years. It’s a real nuisance, and they even recently raised the passport prices by about 25%.
I hope we don’t go down that road with US passports for children — especially since some countries want 3 or 6 months validity remaining on the passport beyond the trip.
Unfortunately online passport renewal for most US minors won’t be allowed unless and until there is an allowance for remote AV interviews of the custodial parents and remote review of the child and of primary documentation of US citizenship and identity.
Sent in my renewal application via mail on Monday with expediting, and received the new one the following Friday.
Seen this last week. Waiting for 2 weeks before my flight to get an appt. But There goes me easily getting one now that the dans world knows about it
That’s not a hard workaround.
It’s not exactly a secret that Dan’s telling the world. It’s literally right there on the their webpage.
https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/get-fast.html
Amazing that appointments for rush passports can now be made online.
There’s absolutely no reason that one should have to pay $500+ to these people who booked all the appointments. It’s time to put them out of business.
Yu Yu.
Let’s hold our horses as the U.S. is still much slower than most other countries. In Canada wait times are 10-20 days U.K. 3 weeks. So while this is definitely a move in positive direction we still have room for much much more improvement.
We’ll take what we can get. The grass is always greener on the other side
In 1990 you didn’t need a passport to go to Canada.
There is NO WAY 48 percent have passports. I would bet my life on it
You better stay away from the casinos. It’s all about where you live, who you know and how much they make. In the rural there’s people who haven’t been out of state or more than a few hours from home. But to be honest I don’t know anyone who doesn’t have a passport anymore. Even kids.
Also all this is during October-December when processing times are generally faster
In NYC its extremely difficult to get new passports or renewals for children. Non of the most offices have availability online and when they do it’s weeks away and long lines.
Come to Lakewood.
I’m looking for 3 slots in Lakewood, I have to wait weeks
Why lakewood
Try to book an appointment to this Post Office:
Bush Terminal Retail – Post Office
775 4TH AVE STE 2, BROOKLYN, NY 11232-1415
Most of the times you can get an appointment within a week or less.
I used it many times in last few years.
Got within 3 weeks for my son about a month ago. And in under 2 weeks for my spouse last week.
Both non expidited
Don’t pay to expedite! I sent it in November 28 got new passport December 11, that’s 2 weeks! Amazing
What about Global Entry?
I also just got after 10 days not expedited
I applied for renewal of my passport expedited with Fedex on Wednesday November 22 (day before Thanksgiving). I received the new passport Friday December 1.
How many immigrants came to USA in the last 30 years.? I would assume they travel most…..
That definitely helps the stat.
Define immigrant. Someone who came to the US legally using the quota system? Yes, they have passports. Someone who crossed the border illegally? Don’t even have any form of ID let alone a passport.
WWYD
Son’s passport expires within six months
He turns 16 one month before it expires so I want to wait until he is 16 to renew (so he can get a 10 year book and to save on fees and not have both parents attend when he applies)
25-50% chance we need to travel before it expires but most countries require a passport with six months validity
I would wait til plans are more concrete but either way I would probably be going to the UK or Israel which only require passport validity for the duration of the stay not 6 months
Israel officially asks for 6 months because tourist visas are usually valid for three months and can be renewed.
But even if they would really let you in with less time remaining no airline will take the chance because they are responsible if you get turned back by Israel authorities.
I’ve seen people denied boarding at JFK with 3-4 months left on the passport.
I always found that to be one of the dumbest things ever. My passport functionally expires 6 months before it actually expires.
First of all, I have plane tickets with specific travel dates that fall within the timeframe that my Visa is valid. The counter to that is that something may come up and cause a change to my travel plans. So we refer to:
Second of all, there’s an embassy where I can either renew my passport or get a special limited-use passport.
The Israeli Gov’t does not officially ask for 6 months: https://www.gov.il/en/service/group_entry_to_israel
Neither does the UK Gov’t
Not sure why the airlines would need to be more frum than the gov’t but I guess that wouldn’t stop them.
Nice to hear as I need to renew my passport this year. We did my wife’s in 2022 with the new online system and it had some hiccups — I had to beg for them to get the passport back to her after 7 weeks of processing as we were about to fly overseas. Is online renewal working now? And if you use it, can you keep using your existing passport as they process the new one? That would make my life easier, as I don’t want to revisit the bad experience with my wife’s passport (having to strategically time the application and worrying whether we’ll get it back in time for my next trip).
DoS PPT has made significant efforts including getting adjudicators out of retirement to help with the backlog.
Do not pay for expediters.
Will it be quicker than the old system? Was very frustrating that online renewals took longer that mail. (Should be much faster).
I mailed mine in, check got cashed 12/12. Status as of today is approved and being printed
What does “very” close mean for the online renewals? As in this week, or next week? I’m able to mail in a renewal but will wait if the online system is imminently returning.
Also when people are saying renewals are taking 1-2 weeks, from when are they counting? The day they mail in the renewal application or from when the tracking system online shows that the application is processing or something else?
It sounds like that’s the goal, yes.
From the day they mail it in.
How close to expiration does your passport have to be for an appointment? Is it only based on travel within 14 days?
While my current passport has 6+ months of validity, I have upcoming work travel that will bump into that timeline. I’d like to renew way before that becomes an issue, but don’t know if that’s possible unless your passport is at the 6 m. point?
How long does it take them to send back my old passport?
While I received my new passport in just 2 weeks I’m waiting already 4 weeks for my old passport, why do they hold on to it?
Mine took 3 weeks (regular processing), sent it in end of Oct. Even though it says it only accepts “personal checks”, I sent a business check, I have enough business checks to renew my passport for the next 300,000 years.
Any DP on children renewal time frame?
I Applied in November. It took 3 weeks.
Any way to apply for 3 kids without waiting a few weeks for a appointment?
I had a baby recently and need to get back to Israel. I can’t see any available urgent appointments in my area, Brooklyn. Can anyone help me with this?
The big jump in passports (5-48%) is a bit misleading, because back in 1990 you didn’t need a Passport to go to Canada (this changed circa 2009). That probably accounts for a significant amount of that jump.
I can’t wrap my head around only 5% of people having passports in 1990. Either international travel has increased exponentially since then, or else the bureaucratic state has increased its reach exponentially, or both.
My grandfather (who survived the gulags in Siberia and fought the Nazi’s in WW2) was of the opinion that it was incumbent on every Jew to have a valid passport (and a go-bag) at all times, as one never knows when the will of our host country may change and we need to flee. And he was not the worrying type.
Exciting! Will the online renewal system allow for name change?
@Dan any updates regarding this? I have been waiting to re-new, and would love to renew online of possible.
Was wondering the same thing. Can this “insider” give us an update?
“Very close” means a whole month Dan?
You expect the feds to run on time? 😀
On time would’ve been the “end of 2023” I’m just curious what your “insider” is saying
I’ve been pushing off renewing my passport once I saw this post. I’m not sure how long this will be. @Dan, can you advise if you think this will be within 2/3 weeks from now? If not, I would probably try and renew it the old way for now. thank you.
Will this be resumed in March? (It has been about a year now)
Any update on online renewal’s?
They’re now saying that as soon as you apply for renewal, your current passport will become invalid, and international travel will not be possible until your new passport is received.
Wasn’t one of the benefits of online renewal the ability to not have to lose use of your passport for the duration of the renewal? Did I misunderstand that, or is this new for the current iteration of online renewal?
I believe this was the same restriction as last go-around.
IIRC, there was similar language when online renewal applications were first opened to those with government relationships in the initial trial.
For my ordinary US passports, I have often done the renewal applications in-person at missions abroad while keeping the passports in my possession for continued use. Then when I go into the embassy/consulate to pick up the newly-issued passport, the consular side cancel my old passport and hand me the new one. They would rather not have to do this, but they can do it for in-person applications for in-person pick-ups at US missions abroad.
“When I was a kid in 1990, only 5% of Americans had a passport. That number has climbed to a whopping 48%!”
Years ago, kids didn’t get their own passport, they were included on one of the pages of the parent’s passport. So, a family of 7 like mine, would have had only 2 passports when they travelled overseas. Today they require 7 passports for the same family.
US passport possession levels would be way below what they are today if not for the US Government’s misnomered “Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative” requiring passports for flights where previously a birth certificate and driver’s license was ok for road, boat and even flight trips where kids accompanied by US passport/US state DLs-holding relatives could come and go for without passports or IDs of their own.
Can you get a passport card when renewing online?
its still in beta form and they only let a certain amount of applications per day. once that number is reached applications are closed for the day.
US passport possession levels are way up because of the misnomered “Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative” and the “required” “ID to fly” and other “security” nonsense following in the country from 9/11. They are also way up as the proportion of Americans with foreign family and friends ties is at record levels. They are also way up because international flight deals can make domestic flight travel look expensive in comparison.
I miss the days of going back and forth to Canada with just a regular old DL or US birth certificate copy. Did that even after 9/11. it was 25 years ago that I flew from the US to Mexico and back with just a state DL and the US state birth certificate. But given what goes on nowadays and given a lack of trust in the government or in what the government will turn out to be, the drive to have a passport has risen.
IMPORTANT: Website says that once you apply your old passport is invalidated (even though you still have possession). I thought the benefit of this was that you could keep using your old passport while the agency takes their time.
Apparently not. Seems like people may get tripped up on that
*******
In order to quality for an online passport renewal, applicants must:
• Be U.S. citizens and residents ages
25 and older who have already had an existing passport for 10 years; the passport must still be in the applicant’s possession (and not previously reported lost or stolen. It can, however, be expired.)
• Not be changing their name, gender, date of birth or place of birth for the new passport.
• Live in a U.S. state or territory.
• Be applying for a regular tourist passport.
• Be able to upload a recent digital photo.
• Be able to pay the renewal fee online with either a debit or credit card.
*******
Isn’t it noteworthy that this time around they are excluding our compatriots under 25 years of age even when such applicants most recently-issued US passports were done using DS-82 forms (and not DS-11)?
Anyone know if there will be an option to change your name through the online renewal when this fully rolls out?
Probably not given the nature of providing prood
Thanks Dan, submitted an online application on Friday 6/14/24, and received today that the application was approved and will get the passport on 6/24/24.
10 Days thats the way it should always be when paying $130.
this is what i am getting
Thanks for visiting! Our daily window for Online Passport Renewal has now closed. A limited number of individuals can renew their passports online each day during our public beta period. Please try again another day or visit travel.state.gov/renew to renew by mail.
For reference:
Mailed in my Passport renewal application on 6/11/24 with expedited request. Received new passport on 6/26/24
I applied on Aug 13 online for my passport renewal
I received it yesterday a week later
I did not expedite it!
The process was so easy
Thank you Dan for the tip
Submitted 2 applications on 8/2 at 2pm received both passports in the mail on 8/10 and did not pay anything extra for expedited or need to pay for passport photos just used cell phone pictures.
I did a renewal for myself online 7/24 received it 8/10. I then did a in person application for a baby on 8/7 and received it 8/21. Didn’t pay expedite on either
Can I file for a minor renewal online?
No, only adults
Filed: August 11, 2024
Received: August 22, 2024
Thanks Dan!
I applied for online renewal about 10 days ago. Got the passport a week later!
I tried to renew online, but the website was always overloaded and didn’t work (I tried several days in a row with no luck.) So I downloaded the form, took a photo, and mailed it “priority with tracking”, not expedited. It came (regular mail) 3 weeks later.
A month ago I helped my wife renew her passport, online, non expedited, via the beta website recently released. We signed in at 1pm on a Tuesday and were amazed to receive the passport 7 days later.via USPS ground mail.
Additionally the application allowed for uploading a digital photo which I took with my mobile phone. Initially it was rejected because of a dark shadow. I lightened the shadow via my phone and the photo was accepted.
Officially the application stated to expect receipt of passport in 4-6 weeks.
Awesome!
To all who are saying the website doesn’t allow to sign up:
It’s misleading because it says it opens at noon. But actually it opens at 1 pm daily. Try tomorrow at 1 pm.
I renewed online like 6 weeks ago. Recieved it in the mail around 10 days later.
can i renew online if passport expired a year ago?
Yes, See below
You can renew online if you meet all these requirements:
The passport you are renewing is or was valid for 10 years, and you are age 25 or older.
The passport you are renewing was issued between 2009 and 2015, or over 9 years but less than 15 years from the date you plan to submit your application.
You are not changing your name, gender, date of birth, or place of birth.
You are not traveling internationally for at least 8 weeks from the date you will submit your application. We will only offer routine service during this limited release, and the time it takes to get a passport will be the same as renewing by mail.
You are applying for a regular (tourist) passport. You cannot renew a special issuance (diplomatic, official, service) passport online.
You live in the United States (either state or territory). You do not qualify to renew online if you live in a foreign country or have an Army Post Office (APO) or Fleet Post Office (FPO) address.
You have your passport with you, and it is not damaged or mutilated, and you have not previously reported it as lost or stolen. Keep your most recent passport and do not mail it to us.
You can pay for your passport using a credit or debit card.
You can upload a digital passport photo.
You are aware that the passport you are renewing will be canceled after you submit your application and you cannot use it for international travel.
If you do not qualify to renew online, you may be able to renew by mail or in person at a passport agency or center.
can I do it online if I lost my passport?
or i need the physical passport to do so?
No!
I applied online for myself and got it in one week. I also applied for my wife by mail and it came in about three weeks. Although it’s not as fast as the online but it’s still pretty good given the history.
When they say you need to upload a digital passport photo does that mean they have you take a photo with your phone during the application or do you need to get a professional passport photo taken and have it scanned or digitized somehow?
Phone
bad news for Walgreens and CVS, they make a killing on those passport photos! (They even “generously” give you 2 prints, for the price you are paying)
I just received my 13 y.o. son’s first passport exactly two weeks after we applied in person at a library, and not expedited. In general, things must be going faster!
Received mine a week ago, 9 days after applying online. Was a fairly easy process. No fees for postage, or passport photo!
For child under 18 – must still go in person correct? And is it considered renewal?
Dan, the link to your original post says the minimum age is 16. Seems it’s 25 years old now, or am I not getting that right? I guessI guess they are considering anyone under 25, not an adult?
Was having trouble being able to apply online. Was never able to do it. Heard that slots open at 1pm Eastern Time. Tried the second it turned 1pm and was able to get in. Got my passport a week later.
Got it back after about 1 1/5 weeks. The big win was being able to take my passport photo on my phone so the whole process was very quick!
Oops, posted original as a reply to someone
I remember when the first OPR was out it was very difficult to upload self photos as they kept getting rejected; I wound up getting from a photo studio. Has anyone run into issues with the photo upload in this version?
I just tried it says I’m not eligible my passport was issued on October 2014, anyone know why I’m not eligible, do I have to keep checking or I’m not going to be able to do it
Applied for original passports at the post office 8/28. Passport agency received them 9/3. We got it back 9/8. 5 people all were done together. Got documents back 9/14
After getting a new passport do i need to update anything on global entry?
Was supposed to go to nizuc in cancun on Nov 17 2024
On nov 10 i realized my passport was expiring on the 13.
Opted to cancel cancun instead of rushing the passport renewal but renewed non expedited sugary night nov 10 anyway.
Got the passport back on Friday nov 15 before shabbat!