My Online US Passport Renewal Experience in 2024

Renewing your passport has traditionally been a hassle. However, starting June 12, 2024, the US Department of State launched a beta program that allowed US citizens to renew their passports online, initially limiting applications to 1,000 per day. As of yesterday (September 18, 2024), the program has officially launched and is no longer in beta!

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports/have-passport/renew-online.html

Now Available!

I renewed my passport a few weeks ago and my experience was stellar. The only challenge I faced was getting the online system to accept my digital photo. It has strict requirements, so make sure to follow all the instructions carefully. I paid the $160 renewal fee (Passport Book and Card) and off it went.

Timeline:

September 3rd: Applied Online and received “Your Passport Application Status – Payment Pending” email

September 5th: Received “Your Passport Application Status – Received” email

September 9th: “Passport Application Status” In Process email

September 10th: Passport Issued  **Note: Based on date in Passport Book**

September 11th: Mailed from HOT SPRINGS NATIONAL PARK, AR 71913 via Priority Mail **Note: Based on USPS tracking details**

September 12th: USPS Informed Delivery shows inbound package from “PASSPORT SERVICES/DOS HOT SPRINGS”

September 13th: Passport Book delivered. 10 Days, WOW!

Passport Book via Priority Mail

September 16th: Passport Card delivered via standard mail

Passport Card via Standard Mail

Conclusion: Renew your passport online for the fastest processing without having to pay for the expedite fees and passport photos plus all the paperwork.