LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — The holidays often mean traveling to see family and friends. For Arkansans who travel out of the country, simply getting there may mean needing a valid passport.
Taking that trip to Grandma's house for Thanksgiving or Christmas isn't necessarily the hop, skip, and jump, it used to be. People can live just about anywhere in this digital age, so gathering for the holidays might take you through an international airport.
But are claims of a new online passport renewal option really true? A recent spike in Google searches shows people are curious to know if they can renew a passport online, or if they're looking at long lines and wait times.
So is it true that you can renew your passport online? Let's verify!
First, a short history lesson. In December 2021, President Biden issued an executive order meant to cut down on what he called "time taxes". This refers to the time Americans lose while waiting for government bureaucracies to deliver services.
The order called on the Secretary of State to create an online passport renewal experience, without the need to send documents through the mail.
A few pilot programs followed, and now, the government is testing out a newer online passport renewal system, open to anyone meeting certain criteria.
According to the State Department, users must first create an account called "My Travel Gov". Then, the application, photo upload, and payment can all be done online.
There’s no need to mail in your old passport, though it will be invalidated once you complete your application. Processing times are the same as mailed passports, but the online service gets rid of the wait for the postal service.
Routine passports take between 6-8 weeks, and expedited processing is not yet available.
So, we can verify that yes, online passport renewals are available to those who qualify— plus, Arkansans in a hurry have an added advantage.
There is an emergency passport center in Hot Springs offering same-day service for travel within 2-weeks without a visa, or 28 days, with a visa.
To see a list of the criteria for online passport renewals, click here. You can find out more about the emergency passport center here.