Prepare for Summer Travel by Applying for Your U.S. Passport

With the summer travel season approaching, we encourage all U.S. citizens to check their passport expiration dates, apply for new or renewed passports ahead of planned travel, and be mindful of REAL ID requirements at U.S. airports for domestic flights starting May 7, 2025.  For U.S. citizens planning to go abroad, we encourage that you consult travel advisories and country information on travel.state.gov.

The U.S. Department of State continues to set passport processing records, efficiently and securely issuing more than 500,000 passports for American citizens each week in 2025.

Plan ahead:  Routine processing of U.S. passports takes four to six weeks and expedited processing takes two to three weeks, not including mailing times. 

Apply for a book and card:  Consider getting a passport book and a passport card.  Only the book may be used for international air travel, but both documents serve as official forms of federal identification and proof of U.S. citizenship. 

REAL ID:  Beginning May 7, 2025, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will begin enforcing REAL ID requirements at domestic airport security checkpoints.  Valid U.S. passport books and cards are one of several accepted alternatives to REAL ID and can be used for domestic air travel. Travelers should ensure they have a REAL ID or an acceptable alternative ahead of this deadline.  

Renew online:  The online passport renewal system digitizes the application, payment, and photo process for eligible passport renewals so there is no need to send anything by mail.  More than two million Americans have successfully renewed their passports online. Visit the Renew Online page — the only official site to submit your online U.S. passport application.

Enroll in STEP:  The Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STRP) is our free service that allows Americans to enroll your trip abroad so we can quickly contact you in case of an emergency.  Get real time email updates about health, weather, safety, and security wherever you are traveling.  

For information about U.S. passports, including special passport acceptance events, visit travel.state.gov or call the National Passport Information Center at 1-877-487-2778.