U.S. State Department set to make online passport renewal available later this year
After several pauses, the U.S. State Department has announced it will open the portal for online passport renewal, possibly towards the end of 2023.
The online passport renewal option (OPR) was initially announced in late 2021. The online renewal option excited passport holders about bypassing long lines and not missing expiration deadlines.
The U.S. State Department launched the pilot in February 2022. This first run was exclusively for federal government employees and contractors. The program was officially open to the public in August 2022. According to Thrifty Traveler, individuals renewed more than 565,000 passports through the online portal during that expansion.
The online availability made the renewal process very appealing to travelers. However, travelers discovered that the process and wait time for their passport’s return was comparable to the traditional renewal procedures.
At the beginning of the OPR pilot, some travelers reported they received their renewals as quickly as two weeks. But as Thrifty Traveler states, the short turnaround time suffered as testing continued and capacity increased. The outlet noted some travelers reported that their “passport applications had yet to be assigned to a passport agency weeks or months after applying online.”
The U.S. State Department has not provided a reason behind the latest delay in March 2023 or set a date for the portal return, but they have ensured that the process has improved.
In a statement shared with Thrifty Traveler, the department spokesperson stated that based on customer feedback, they worked to “make the application process more mobile-friendly and will add a new photo tool to make it easier to upload a digital, passport-approved photo.”
They added, “The Department of State is committed to creating a positive experience for U.S. citizens who can benefit from applying to renew their passports online. Any new endeavor such as an online passport renewal tool requires intensive planning, testing, and revision. Our limited release has provided important information that we are incorporating to improve the customer experience.”
Currently, the State Department reports it will take 10 to 13 weeks for routine passport processing and seven to nine weeks even if you pay an extra $60 for expedited processing. The processing time doesn’t include shipping, which could take even longer. U.S. passports expire every ten or five years for children under 16.
Martie Bowser is a journalist and public relations professional in Charlotte, NC. She enjoys amplifying the voices of POC and women that fill a void within their community. Her favorite things to cover include “person of interest” pieces, small business highlights, pop culture commentary, entertainment features, and everything about Beyoncé. Her bylines can be found in Blavity, Black Excellence, Signature Bride, Black Wall Street Times, and HipHop Weekly. Martie can be reached via email at martiebowser@detourxp.com.