The State Department has proposed changing 22 C.F.R. 51.21 to remove the one-year expiration window for online renewal eligibility. The proposal is not in effect, and it does not require current passport holders to renew early.
The department published the proposal on August 28, 2026, as Federal Register document 2026-17655. It would consolidate requirements for applications submitted by mail and digitally, and remove the rule that an applicant’s most recently issued passport must have a year or less of validity remaining to qualify.
It also proposes a technical edit to section 51.8(b), replacing “on-line” with “online.” The notice describes a proposed rule, not a change travelers can use now.
Travelers weighing an early application face a separate pressure: some destinations require passports to remain valid beyond the dates of a trip. A planned redesign, expected in 2028, is another reason travelers may be considering timing, but older valid passports do not need replacement solely because their appearance changes.
Current digital eligibility still limits when travelers can apply
Under current instructions, an applicant’s passport must expire within one year or have expired less than five years ago, along with other conditions. Applicants must be 25 or older, have a recent passport in their possession and have no international travel planned for the next six weeks.
The department’s online instructions set out the existing eligibility requirements. The proposed rule would remove the one-year remaining-validity condition, but the material does not provide a date when a final rule would take effect.
The action appeared in the Spring 2025 Unified Agenda as RIN 1400-AF97, “Passports: Online Passport Renewal,” at Final Rule Stage. Its timetable listed “Final rule | 11/00/2025.” The agency later published a proposed rule.
Mail and in-person applications follow separate eligibility rules
Mail applicants must have received their most recent passport at age 16 or older, apply within 15 years of its issue date and send that passport with the new application. Applicants who do not meet renewal requirements, including those whose passports were lost or stolen or issued more than 15 years ago, must apply in person.
Children under age 16 cannot renew a passport. They must apply for a new one. Adult passports issued on or after February 1, 1998, to applicants 16 or older are valid for 10 years; passports issued to children under 16 are valid for 5 years.
Overseas renewals can follow different local procedures. At the U.S. Embassy in Seoul, DS-82 applications must go through Ilyang courier service, while appointments are reserved for DS-11 applicants. Processing takes approximately 4 weeks from receipt.
Entry rules can make an unexpired passport inadequate for travel
Travel-planning guidance counts more than 70 countries with rules requiring passports to remain valid for three or six months beyond a traveler’s trip dates. The Schengen Area requires three months of validity after departure. State Department country guidance lists six-month requirements for Norway and Switzerland.
Six-month rules also apply in many countries in Asia and the Middle East, including Egypt, India, Indonesia, Thailand, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates and Vietnam. The reference point varies by destination; it may be the first or last day of a trip, or the date of a visa application.
A December 12, 2025 STEP alert from the U.S. Embassy in Turkey urged U.S. citizens to check passport validity and renew if needed. It cited processing times of four to six weeks and the entry rules imposed by many countries. The U.S. Embassy in Seoul advises renewing approximately nine months before expiration.
Processing speed depends on the service selected
Routine processing takes 4–6 weeks, not including mailing. Mailing can add up to 2 weeks. Expedited processing takes 2–3 weeks, excluding mailing, and adds a $60 fee to the standard application charge.
| Service | Processing or delivery | Cost or instruction |
|---|---|---|
| Routine | 4–6 weeks, plus mailing time | Standard application fee |
| Expedited | 2–3 weeks, plus mailing time | $60 expedite fee |
| Faster return delivery | 1 to 3-day delivery | $26.87, paid by separate check or money order |
Applicants seeking faster return delivery must make the separate payment payable to the U.S. Department of State. The department says not to send a prepaid return envelope. At an acceptance facility, applicants can pay for USPS Priority Mail Express shipping to send their application; costs vary by location.
Digital applications do not guarantee faster service, and applicants cannot request expedited processing through that route. The department’s passport service page lists the processing options.
The 2028 redesign will not invalidate older passports
The redesigned passport is expected in 2028. The department says older-design passports remain secure and valid for international travel if they are not expired or damaged. Travelers do not need to replace a valid document just because its design changes.
For adults 16 and older, a first-time application costs $165, including a $130 application fee and a $35 execution fee. Adult renewal costs $130. A child under 16 must apply in person; the fee is $135, made up of a $100 application fee and a $35 execution fee.
The department identifies opr.travel.state.gov as the only authorized digital renewal site. It warns that other sites, including ones with “Gov” in their names, are unauthorized, may charge additional fees and can put personal information at risk.
Urgent travel requires an appointment within set windows
Travelers departing in less than 3 weeks can seek an appointment at a passport agency or center within 14 calendar days of international travel. The window is 28 days for applicants who need a foreign visa.
An emergency appointment may be available to someone who must travel abroad in the next 14 days because an immediate family member outside the United States has died, is dying or is in hospice care, or has a life-threatening illness or injury. Walk-ins are not allowed, and appointments cannot be transferred.
The proposed rule lists Jennifer Tinianow as the Department of State contact at 2201 C Street NW, Washington, DC 20520. The listed phone number is 202 485-8800, and the email is passportofficeofadjudicationsgeneral@state.gov.
