Act FAST — You May Be Able to Renew Your U.S. Passport Online for a Limited Time

If you’re anything like us, you probably dread having to renew your passport.

You have to fill out that long application, gather all your documents, and mail or potentially trudge your way down to the local Passport Office to get it all taken care of — we’d rather ride “it’s a small world” ten times in a row. It’s about to be a whole lot easier for some travelers to renew their passports soon — but you’ll have to be quick if you want to be one of the lucky ones!

A test is underway that will allow an exclusive group of individuals to renew their United States Passports online. The U.S. Department of State is rolling out an online passport renewal pilot program for just 25,000 applicants in August.

This means that eligible applicants won’t have to mail in their paperwork and supporting documents, saving you time. But, after the pilot program ends, the online renewal portal is scheduled to launch to the public later on in 2022!

If you want to sign up for the pilot program, just know that applications are being accepted on a first-come, first-serve basis. You could still get the chance to renew online when the program opens up to the public, however.

Make sure you check to see if you meet the requirements to renew online as there are quite a few. You can see them below:

If you do meet the requirements — congrats! You’re able to apply to renew your passport online. You will have to create an account and follow the steps to complete your application online.

Ultimately, though, this is still a test and it may take time to process your application and then receive your passport. The website does indicate you’re able to track your application status but does say it may not arrive until two weeks after it’s been shipped. There’s always the option to upgrade to expedited shipping, though!

If you’ve already been looking to renew your passport, this might be a great time to do it as the online renewal service could save you time in the long run — but you’ll have to hurry or wait for the official program to roll out.

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