As part of a package of ‘people-centered’ improvements in government operations outlined in a new executive order from President Biden, it will soon be possible to renew U.S. passports online, without paper forms, paper checks or a trip to a Post Office.
The order, which also mandates simplified procedures for dealing with other government agencies, comes without specifics so far, or a date, but it does have an order directing the State Department to come up with a new procedure that is secure but does not require physical documents, including dropping the requirement to include the expiring passport with the application, a situation that could leave travelers with no passport for weeks while waiting for the new passport to arrive.
Passport processing times in recent months have gone to as long as four months, although they are now stated as 8 to 11 weeks. Presumably eliminating the mailing time and physical paper-handling at the State Department’s Passport Agency should result in some shortening of the time, although the new physical passport will still need to be printed and mailed.
