The Commemorative Passport Is Everywhere Now, Except Online

The State Department has updated how Americans can get its new commemorative passport, a limited-release book tied to the country’s 250th anniversary that was unveiled in September. It is now available to request nationwide, but with one notable restriction: it cannot be requested through online passport renewal, the option the department has offered since September 2024.

Instead, applicants must attach a completed commemorative passport request statement to a paper application, either Form DS-11 for first-time and in-person applicants or Form DS-82 for mail renewals. Those can be submitted at any of more than 7,500 acceptance facilities or by mail, so the extra step is paperwork rather than a trip to a special office.

There are two other routes. Travelers can book an in-person appointment at a passport agency or center, and all of them can issue the commemorative book. Proof of urgent international travel is only required for those leaving within two weeks who need expedited processing. The department is also holding passport application events, with listed dates in places such as Tucson, Arizona, on November 7, and in Vermont the following week; passports requested at events arrive by mail.

Regular fees and processing times generally apply. For anyone who simply wants the standard passport, nothing changes, and online renewal remains available for it. The practical takeaway is for people who want the commemorative design: plan for a paper application and check the department’s event list if a local appointment is hard to find.

Sources: TheTravel