U.S. passports can now be renewed online, State Department announces

The State Department announced Wednesday that Americans can now renew their adult passports online, fully rolling out a system that bypasses the traditional method that required printing out a form and mailing a check.

"By offering this online alternative to the traditional paper application process, the Department is embracing digital transformation to offer the most efficient and convenient passport renewal experience possible," the State Department said in a statement. "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."