HURRY: US State Launches Department Pilot Program to Renew Passports Online

Great news for those seeking to renew their U.S. passport with very little hassle.

The U.S. government is looking for 25,000 people to apply for a new online passport renewal portal. The portal will be open to a limited number of volunteers before it goes to the general public. You won't have to mail your renewal application to us if you're eligible. We are looking for up to 25,000 people to apply in August to test the portal. We will accept applications from volunteers on a first come, first serve basis. If you are not one of the first 25,000 people to apply, you may be able to renew online at a later date. Check this page for the latest news.

Someone just renewed his passport and this is good news. To have to go to the post office to print out the forms is a nuisance.

Here are the people who can Renew Online.

1. Your most recent passport is/was valid for 10 years, and you are age 25 or older.
2. Your recent passport was issued over 9 years ago (in 2013) but less than 15 years ago (in 2007) from the date you plan to submit your application. Your passport can be expired.
3. You are not changing your name, gender, date of birth, or place of birth.
4. You are not traveling internationally for at least five weeks from the date you will submit your application. Processing times for the online renewal service will be the same as those for renewal by mail. We will offer both routine and expedited service.
5. You are applying for a regular (tourist) passport. You cannot renew a special issuance (diplomatic, official, service) passport online.
6. 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.
7. You have your passport with you, and it is not damaged or mutilated, and you have not previously reported it as lost or stolen.
8. You can pay for your passport using a credit/debit card or an ACH (Automated Clearing House) payment transferring funds from your bank account.
9. You can upload a digital passport photo (.JPEG file format). Go to Uploading a Digital Photo for more information.
10. You are aware that your most recent passport will be immediately invalidated (canceled) when you submit your application and you cannot use it for international travel.

You may be able to renew by mail or in person if you don't qualify for online renewal. The Renew page has more information.

You need to follow these steps if you meet all of the requirements.

1. Create a MyTravelGov account.
2. Click the link in the ‘account verification’ email you will receive after creating your account.
3. Wait up to 24 hours for us to register your account.
4. Login to your MyTravelGov account and start your application. You should see an option to “Renew Passport” after 24 hours.”

You can call on Mondays through Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00p.m. The time is in the Eastern time zone. Email PPTOPR@state.gov for support on Saturdays and Sundays. On Mondays-Fridays, the time is Eastern. Emails about your account will come from MyTravel Gov.

It's good to know that they offer the same processing times for online and mail renewals. If you're traveling internationally in less than five weeks, don't renew online.

The State Department will be doing scheduled maintenance from Saturday, August 13th to Sunday, August 14th.

If you are one of the25,000 customers, please tell me how the experience was and how long it took.

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