The U.S. passport is changing in two stages. Starting next year, you'll be able to apply for your first passport entirely online, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said at the America.gov event on September 29, 2026. Then in 2028, the State Department plans to issue a redesigned passport book in a single 38-page size.
If you already hold a passport, you don't need to do anything yet. State's own design page says passports issued with older designs are still secure and can be used for international travel, as long as they aren't expired or damaged. Here's what changes, when, and who it affects most.
What the State Department Announced
The first change is how you apply. Today, an adult getting a first passport, or anyone who doesn't qualify to renew, must apply in person at an authorized acceptance facility. In his September 29 remarks, Rubio said that starting next year, Americans will be able to apply for their first passport entirely online.
In the demonstration, he signed in with login.gov, and the information the government already holds filled in, so there was no retyping. The passport photo is taken on your phone at home or uploaded from your device, and you can preview it inside a mock-up of the finished passport and retake it until you like it. You pay online, with no printed forms and no appointment, and after you apply you get real-time status and an estimated delivery date.
Rubio also set a wider target: by the end of 2027, the State Department's goal is for the vast majority of Americans to be able to apply for a passport or a passport card on America.gov.
The second change is the book itself. Rubio presented what he called the 2028 U.S. passport, designed with the National Design Studio. On the new cover, the words "United States of America" sit at the top and the Great Seal is larger and more gold. Inside, the page artwork follows an eagle's flight across American history, from Lexington to the Wright brothers, Iwo Jima and the Artemis splashdown, and the eagle appears to fly when you flip the pages.
Passports will also arrive in new packaging instead of the current mailing envelope.
One Book Size: 38 Pages
The detail that matters most for frequent travelers came earlier, in a notice the State Department published in the Federal Register on April 20, 2026. Today, State issues two passport book sizes, a 26-page book and a 50-page book. With the next redesign, which the notice says has an anticipated rollout in 2028, every passport book moves to a single 38-page size. The Emergency Passport is the one exception and stays at 12 pages.
State's reasoning, per the notice: 92 percent of people applying for a passport book request the 26-page version, and a 2024 feasibility study found a 38-page book would increase efficiency and reduce waste in production. For most applicants, the notice says, the change means more visa pages than they get today.
Why This Matters for Travelers
If you've always ordered the 26-page book, the 2028 book gives you more room. If you're someone who fills passports with stamps and visas, the notice is direct about the trade-off: some frequent international travelers, U.S. citizens living abroad and special-issuance passport holders "will need to renew more frequently once the 50-page option becomes unavailable."
State paired that with a planned upgrade to its Online Passport Renewal platform that would let overseas applicants renew online, which it expects may ease some of that burden.
The online first-time application also takes aim at a real problem. Rubio said an entire industry has grown up around the passport process, with some sites charging for forms and appointments that are free and then collecting sensitive personal information. State's renewal page carries the same warning today: the only official place to renew a U.S. passport online is opr.travel.state.gov, and sites claiming otherwise may be fraudulent, even if a company has "Gov" in its name.
What You Should Do Now
The current rules on State's site still apply as of September 30, 2026, so plan around them:
- First passport before the online launch? Apply the current way, in person at an acceptance facility. Our guide to how long passport renewal takes covers the in-person DS-11 steps and timing.
- Renewing now? You can renew online if you meet every requirement on State's page as of September 2026, including that you're age 25 or older, your passport was valid for 10 years, it expires within a year or expired less than five years ago, and you aren't traveling for at least six weeks. Online renewals can't be expedited. If you're short on time, see our fast passport renewal options.
- Already applied? Track it on State's official tool; our passport application status guide explains what each status means.
- Stick to .gov sites. State's renewal page says to check that you're on a website ending in .gov, not .com, .us or .org.
If your passport has several years left, the redesign on its own isn't a reason to renew early, since State says older designs stay usable as long as they aren't expired or damaged. The practical question is whether a 38-page book will hold your trips once the new book ships and you renew. For eligibility on the online first-time application, check travel.state.gov when State opens it.
Sources
- U.S. Department of State: Secretary of State Marco Rubio at President Trump's America.gov Event (September 29, 2026)
- U.S. Department of State, Bureau of Consular Affairs: United States Passports Moving to Single-Sized Passport Book (Federal Register notice, April 20, 2026)
- Travel.State.Gov: Design and Security of our Documents
- Travel.State.Gov: Apply for a U.S. Passport
- Travel.State.Gov: Renew Your Passport Online
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