Americans can now renew passports online. Canadians are still waiting

Americans can now renew their passports online, the U.S. government announced Wednesday — a service Canadians are still waiting for more than a year after it was promised.

The U.S. State Department said its online renewal system is now fully operational, after successfully testing it in pilot programs this summer. It will be available to adults whose passports have expired within the past five years or will expire in the coming year, but not for new passport applications, children’s passports, or renewals outside the U.S.

“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,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a statement.

The department said it estimated that about five million Americans would be able to use this service a year.

Ottawa announced in May 2023 that starting that fall, Canadians with simple passport renewals would be able to apply online, pay fees and upload the necessary documents and passport photos on a secure government website.

But the season came and went without an announcement or any change to the passport renewal website, which still allows only renewal applicants to choose in-person or mail-in applications.

A spokesperson for Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) wouldn’t provide a timeline for when the service will be available when asked by Global News.

“Online passport renewals are not available at this time; however, the Government of Canada is committed to offering secure online passport service options for Canadians in the near future,” a spokesperson said in an email Wednesday.

In November, when Global News asked IRCC