For U.S. passport applicants, the days of tracking down photo booths and waiting in endless lines at the post office are almost over.
Starting next year, Americans seeking their first passports will be able to apply entirely online, Secretary of State Marco Rubio announced on Tuesday. He was speaking at an event introducing America.gov, a new A.I.-powered website intended to answer Americans’ questions about the federal government.
“You’re not going any longer to some drugstore to get your picture taken behind a white screen,” Mr. Rubio said, according to a transcript of his comments provided by the State Department. Applicants will be able to take their passport photos on their personal devices at home, Mr. Rubio said, adding, “You can retake it until it’s the perfect shot.”
Currently, first-time passport applicants must submit printed documents in person at a passport acceptance facility such as a post office, a courthouse or a library. Adults renewing their passports can typically do so online.
Mr. Rubio said the department’s goal was to have “the vast majority of Americans” be able to apply for a passport online by the end of 2027.
At the America.gov event, held in Washington, Mr. Rubio also announced changes to the design of the U.S. passport, which will feature a larger and “more gold” seal on the front cover when it is introduced in 2028. Inside, the new passport, called “Flight of the Eagle,” will feature a series of images of an eagle. When the passport’s pages are flipped rapidly, the eagle will appear to flap its wings above depictions of significant moments in American history.
The design changes come after the State Department in July released limited-edition U.S. passports that feature President Trump’s image, which the White House referred to as “patriot passports.”
