The United States Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, announced this Tuesday that starting in 2027, American citizens will be able to apply for their first passport completely online, without having to visit any office.
The announcement, released by the State Department, was made in the context of the launch of America.gov, the new artificial intelligence-driven platform initiated by President Donald Trump to centralize federal services in a single portal.
The end of the bureaucratic "maze"
Rubio described the current process challenges candidly: “Today, if you need to obtain your first passport, that’s where the labyrinth begins. You need to know which form to print, schedule an appointment, and then go wait in line.”
This complexity, he noted, has created a parallel business that harms citizens.
"Today, there is an entire industry built around taking advantage of every stage of the process. Some of these sites charge you for forms that are free. Others charge you for appointments that are also free. And after taking your money, they also acquire your most sensitive personal information," he pointed out.
How will the new system work?
The new process, developed in partnership between the State Department and America.gov, can be fully completed from a mobile phone or a computer.
The system will integrate with Login.gov, the federal government's digital identity platform, so that the applicant's data will be automatically pre-filled.
One of the most striking features is the ability to take the passport photo directly from your own device at home, and retake it as many times as needed.
Rubio summed it up with a straightforward phrase: “Without printing forms, without being held hostage for a photo at the pharmacy, without an appointment, without a line, without a middleman you’re paying for something that should be available to you.”
Once the process is completed —with the data, photo, and payment of the fee— the passport will be sent directly to your home.
According to EFE, in a report reproduced by Infobae, the State Department currently sends out tens of millions of passport envelopes each year.
A new passport for 2028
Rubio also announced that a complete redesign of the document will arrive in 2028, featuring enhanced security measures and a more robust and dignified presentation.
“In 2028, a beautiful new United States passport that carries 250 years of America within it”, he specified.
The secretary criticized the current packaging—an ordinary envelope—as unworthy of the most important identity document a citizen can receive, placing the reforms within a broader perspective.
"The United States passport says something very simple. It says that anywhere in the world: 'I am American, and my country stands behind me.' American citizenship is something sacred, and the symbols and documents that uphold it must reflect that," he noted.
America.gov and federal modernization
This Tuesday, Trump signed an executive order that requires all federal agencies with more than 100,000 annual users to integrate their services into America.gov, a platform that uses artificial intelligence to assist citizens with their processes in natural language.
Phase two of the platform, scheduled for early 2027, will allow users to request and track processes such as Social Security, passports, and Medicare directly through the system.
The announcement coincides with a recent increase in the cost of the Cuban passport: Cuba recently set the price at 200 dollars or euros for adults, an amount unattainable for most Cubans amid the economic crisis affecting the island.
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