President Trump signed an executive order Tuesday directing the State Department to overhaul how Americans apply for and renew passports, replacing the current system of appointments, mailed paperwork and long waits with a streamlined online process.
The order, titled “Streamlining Access to Government Services Through America.gov,” ties into the administration’s broader America.gov initiative, a new government website intended to serve as a single hub where citizens can access federal programs and agencies.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio is leading the passport overhaul. Speaking at the White House Tuesday, President Trump credited him directly, saying: “As Secretary Rubio, who by the way is doing a fantastic job, will demonstrate, getting a passport once required appointments, paperwork, and months of waiting. Now, it’s done in a few simple clicks.”
Rubio described the goal in blunt terms: no printing forms, no drugstore photo, no appointment, no line, and no middleman charging Americans for something that should be freely accessible to them.
Under the planned system, applicants would complete the entire process online or through a smartphone, eliminating the paperwork and in-person steps that have long defined passport renewal.
Rubio also framed the passport itself as more than a bureaucratic form. “A passport is more than just a travel document,” he said. “It’s an expression of the unbreakable bond between the nation and the citizen.”
To reflect that, Rubio said the physical passport will change too. New passports will be shipped in gold-and-white packaging rather than the plain envelopes used today. “For something as important and dignified as the U.S. passport, it will arrive the way you would expect it to,” Rubio said.
The rollout of the new online passport system is expected in early 2027.
