For those who will be renewing their passport soon, there is a Next Generation Passport available which offers improved security features to help protect your identity and make counterfeiting or altering more difficult.
What is the Next Generation Passport?
The new passport is a modernized U.S. passport book which the Department of State started issuing in 2021. While their previous electronic passports (ePassports) are secure, the Next Generation Passport book (NGP) uses new technologies to produce a more robust passport with enhanced security features, such as a polycarbonate data page, laser-engraved personalization, and updated artwork. They are only issuing the NGP for passport books.
The most noticeable changes to the new passport book are the polycarbonate data page and the location of the endorsement page (now page 3). Visa pages have also been updated with detailed linework and ink colors that showcase imagery of U.S. architecture, history, culture, landscapes, and traditions.
The standard size of the Next Generation Passport is 26 pages. If you frequently travel internationally and need more visa pages, you may choose the larger, 50-page book when you apply. The ePassport has 28 pages in the regular-sized book and 52 pages in the larger book.
Passport books and cards remain valid for international travel until their date of expiration. You may continue to travel with their your current ePassport book or card without a problem.
For more information on the Next Generation Passport visit the Department of State webpage and for information on how to apply for a passport click here.