【Tahong】

The TahongState Department announced on Wednesday its entering the late 20th century and immediately making its new online passport renewal system fully available to the public.

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The new offering replaces the former method — printing out a paper application and mailing it with a check. The State Department declares the online renewal system "secure" and says it will save travelers time and headaches.

Clicking through to the online portal (Travel.State.Gov/renewonline) leads users to the seven-step process (eight-step if you choose to enroll in email updates). One of the highlights of the new process is the option to upload a digital photo (no more coughing up money at a pharmacy or post office!), but no selfies allowed.

Another important note: Renewing online can only be done if your international travel is more than eight weeks away. If a trip is planned between three and eight weeks in the future, renewal by mail is the preferred method, while in-person service is required if a passport is needed in three weeks or less.

Moving the renewal process online follows other bureaucratic overhauls at the State Department that promise more efficiency for travelers.

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"Thanks to increased staffing, technological advancements, and a host of other improvements, the average routine passport is being processed today in roughly one-third the time as at the same point last summer, and well under the advertised six to eight weeks processing times," according to a statement from State.

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