Now, go back to the MyTravelGov website and enter your credentials. On the next page, enter a time-sensitive, single-use code sent to your email. Then, select three security questions and provide the corresponding answers to end the initial login process.
Now you wait. (Remember this step for later!)
There is a section labeled Welcome to MyTravelGov on the home page, where you will see the option to apply for a consular birth abroad. This is not the form you want to fill out, but this is where the blue color is Passport renewal button will appear after your account is fully registered.
The Website FAQ estimated delay of up to four hours between account creation and registration completion. It took about an hour and a half before the option to renew appeared for me. Try again in a few hours if an error message appears when you first click the renew button.
After clicking Renew Passport, tap the button in the top right corner that says Start a new app. Go through the following pages to confirm your eligibility and review the disclaimer. Before moving on to the next step, go ahead and find a copy of your expired passport.
Enter the requested information from your passport. If you have a passport card in addition to your passport book, fill in information from both. Eligible people will be asked to share more information about their travel plans, choose a passport type, confirm their personal details and upload the appropriate selfie. Depending on when you try to renew online, you may have to wait until more positions are available next month.
You can save your application once you get started, although you must complete the entire application process in less than a month. Need more time? Just start a new application.
How much it costs?
The online renewal fee is similar to the one you would pay at a physical location. A passport costs $130, and a passport card costs $30. Note that if you have only one type of passport and you want the other, you are required to purchase both. For example, if you have an expired book and just want to get a card, that can’t be done online. You can buy the book or buy both for $160.
How long will it take to arrive?
Now for the biggest wait of them all. The website reads: “Our processing times are a range.”
From the date you submit your application, it can be about two weeks before the submission goes into effect in the system. Then the passport can arrive 7 to 10 weeks later. You may be offered the option of paying an extra $60 for faster results, which can reduce the waiting time to a few weeks.
While there is a way to see status of mail applications online, it is currently not working for digital renewals. With that in mind, you can expect four email updates to arrive in your inbox to notify you when an application is received, processing, approved, and shipped. Make sure to double check your spam folders.
While it’s not a pleasant experience, the sooner you stop procrastinating and renew your passport, the better.
