Getting a U.S. passport is about to be so easy you can do it from your couch.
Last week, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced plans to move the passport application process completely online by 2028. It’ll be a significant change from the current system, which requires new applicants to sign printed DS-11 forms at an authorized location—such as a post office, library, or regional passport agency—and pay a $35 facility fee in addition to the $130 application fee. (There will be no facility fee for online passport applications.)
As of 2024, the U.S. passport renewal process fully migrated to an online system. The new procedure would mean that all U.S. passport applications, including those submitted by first-time applicants, can be completed digitally without the need to make an in-person appointment.
“Being able to apply from the comfort of home removes a major barrier and could open up international travel to more people. I wouldn’t be surprised if we start to see an increase in passport applications as a result,” Points Path managing editor Jennifer Yellin tells Afar.
Nevertheless, David Alwadish, founder and CEO of passport and visa expediting concierge company ItsEasy.com, cautions that the new process will not entirely eliminate the need for an in-person appointment—especially when travelers need a rush passport. And there are other concerns regarding the businesses that will be impacted.
“This will not eliminate in-person appointments when passports are needed most urgently. Currently, no one knows how long it will take for the government to approve, issue, and mail an online passport,” Alwadish told Afar in an email interview. He noted that he’s also concerned about the more than 8,000 post offices, courthouses, and libraries “that depended upon their government-paid $35 per-person revenue.”
What the passport changes mean for travelers
Making the passport application process easier is a move that’s being applauded by international travelers.
“Getting your first passport used to mean drugstore photos and post office appointments. Moving it online next year is a smart move by the State Department, and real-time tracking means you won’t have to wonder where your passport is in the process,” culinary expert and frequent traveler Jennifer Zyman says.
As passports become more widely used beyond international travel, such as for boarding domestic flights now that the government’s Real ID requirement is in effect, Liz Brumer-Smith, travel journalist and content creator with Eat See TV, expects even U.S. citizens without international travel plans might consider getting them. “It seems there’s a move to have passports be our primary identification as of late,” she says, noting that everyday citizens may opt to get a passport even if they’re not using it for traveling abroad.
Another added benefit for travelers: The new system will give travelers more flexibility when choosing a passport photo. Currently, first-time applicants must submit a printed picture along with their documents at a passport facility. (Those applying for a passport renewal online can submit their photo online.) Under the new rules, all travelers applying for a passport will be able to upload photos taken on their phone and preview how they will look on the printed passport before settling on a final image.
The new U.S. passport design
In addition to the shift to a digital application process, the Department of State is also giving the physical passport a design update. Rubio announced a new look that includes an enlarged U.S. emblem on the booklet cover and an illustrated eagle flying through the inner pages. “The Great Seal is larger, it’s more prominent, it’s more gold,” he said during the announcement.
Additionally, the passport will move from the current option of choosing between a 26-page or a 52-page book to a universal 38-page book for all.
For now, no major changes to the passport renewal process are imminent. Online renewal is already available to travelers 25 and older with passports that are expiring within one year or expired less than five years ago. However, the State Department is considering a proposal to allow citizens to renew their passports while living abroad and remove the requirement that their current passports be set to expire within the year.
“For those who already have a valid passport, there’s no reason to renew solely for the new design. It’s essentially an aesthetic change, and your existing passport remains valid,” Yellin advises.
