RENEWING your passport just got a whole lot easier, thanks to a new pilot program from the State Department. The US Department of State released an online passport renewal system on Wednesday. Americans can now apply for a passport without leaving their home.
"The goal of online passport renewal is to save Americans time and effort, making it more convenient to renew their US passports," a senior State Department official told ABC News . However, there are a few catches for when and how applications can be sent. The portal only opens for a limited window on each day, starting at 1 pm EST, and closing when the department has reached its daily threshold.
The number of applications is limited so that the State Department can monitor the system's success. The renewal system is expected to last over the next several months. A permanent online portal will be launched once the department analyzes the progress of the pilot system.
A similar program was initially launched in December 2021, via an Executive Order signed by President Biden . "When a disaster survivor, single parent, immigrant, small business owner, or veteran waits months for the Government to process benefits to which they are entitled, that lost time is a significant cost not only for that individual, but in the aggregate, for our Nation as a whole," Biden said of the initiative at the time. Over 500,000 Americans applied through the online portal during its first stage, per the State Department.
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