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PROPOSED RULECOMMENTS CLOSED OCTOBER 27, 2026

Passports: Expanding Online Passport Renewal Overseas

State Department

The Department proposes to amend 22 CFR 51.21 by consolidating requirements for persons applying by mail and online in the United States and overseas. This proposed change includes expanding online passport application availability to qualified applicants located in foreign countries. In addition, the Department is proposing to remove the requirement that an applicant's most recently issued passport must have a year or less of remaining validity to qualify to submit an online passport application. Finally, the Department is proposing technical corrections to 51.8(b) to change "on-line" to read "online" for consistency.

Published August 28, 2026Document 2026-17655

What happens next

The comment period closed on October 27, 2026. The agency now reviews the comments. If it goes ahead, it publishes a final rule in the Federal Register that responds to significant comments. We link it here when it appears. See what is open for comment now.

Covered in

From the Federal Register as of November 3, 2026. Deadlines can change; the official document governs. Not legal advice.

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