The Commemorative Passport With Trump's Image Is Now Available Nationwide, but Not Through Online Renewal

The State Department has made its commemorative passport marking America's 250th anniversary available nationwide, while barring applicants from requesting it through the online renewal system that has been open to most adults since September 2024, according to the department's instructions as quoted by TheTravel.

"You can request a commemorative passport on your application submitted at one of over 7,500 acceptance facilities or by mail. You must submit a completed commemorative passport request statement with your DS-11 or DS-82 application to receive one," the department states. "You cannot request a commemorative passport through online passport renewal."

The passport, which the department has promoted as the "Patriot Passport," features an image of President Donald Trump, the first time a sitting president has been pictured on a U.S. passport, TheTravel reported. Its design also includes an eagle on each page that appears to take flight in a flipbook-style animation when the pages are riffled. Secretary of State Marco Rubio showed the design at a conference in Washington in September.

How to get one, and how to avoid one

The commemorative edition is opt-in. Applicants who do not submit the separate request statement receive a standard passport. The State Department's page on the commemorative passport says it is available through passport agencies and centers, at designated events, and with eligible in-person or mail applications, according to a summary of the department's guidance.

The department gives three routes, according to TheTravel: submit the request statement when applying in person with Form DS-11 or renewing by mail with Form DS-82; make an in-person appointment at a passport agency or center; or apply at a passport application event hosted by an agency or center.

"All passport agencies and centers can issue the commemorative passport. Proof of urgent international travel is only required if you are traveling within 2 weeks and need expedited processing," the department says. For events, "Regular fees and processing times will generally apply, and your commemorative passport will be mailed to you."

Upcoming events listed by the department include the Western Passport Center in Tucson, Arizona, on Saturday, Nov. 7, with no appointment required, and post office and town clerk events in Manchester Center, Stowe and Hardwick, Vermont, on Nov. 9, 12 and 13, which require appointments, according to TheTravel's reproduction of the list.

For New England residents, the nearest permanent option is the Boston Passport Agency, which, like all agencies and centers, can issue the commemorative book under the department's guidance. Appointments at agencies are generally reserved for travelers with urgent travel or other qualifying needs.

The department has not publicly explained why the commemorative edition cannot be requested online. Form DS-82 is used for mail renewals and is also the basis of the online renewal system; the commemorative option is limited to the paper version. TheTravel reported that it contacted the State Department for comment.

The restriction comes as the department has announced that, beginning in 2027, Americans will be able to apply for a new passport entirely online, TheTravel reported, and has introduced selfie-based photo submission for online applicants.

The design has drawn criticism from travelers who object to the president's image on a federal identity document, and some have said online that they would delay renewing, TheTravel reported. David Alwadish, founder of the passport and visa service ItsEasy.com, told Forbes that Trump's picture "appears to be non-negotiable" on the commemorative edition and that "the party in power in the next presidential term will determine whether this new Trump photo is short-lived or limited edition," according to TheTravel. Those remarks are his opinion and speculation, not State Department policy.

The Associated Press reported that passports with Trump's photo will be easier to get under the department's latest guidance.

The department has not said how many commemorative passports have been issued or how long the edition will be offered. It has also not confirmed what image, if any, will appear on future standard passports. A passport is valid for 10 years for adults, so a commemorative book issued now would remain in use well beyond the current administration.

The commemorative passport is a design option, not a new travel requirement. Existing valid passports remain valid, and travelers who renew online will continue to receive the standard book.