A new U.S. passport design is expected to arrive in 2028, and it could influence when some Americans choose to renew. The proposed booklet features expanded historical artwork, a larger gold national seal and a portrait of President Donald Trump shown in a preview of the design.
The important caveat: The State Department has not confirmed that Trump’s portrait will appear in the final standard version. The agency also hasn’t announced when the current design will be phased out.
What could change?
The planned “Flight of the Eagle” passport is expected to feature:
• A new historical design: Illustrations spanning American history, including the nation’s founding and space exploration.
• A larger gold seal: A more prominent Great Seal on the cover.
• An animated eagle effect: Artwork designed to appear as though an eagle is flying when the pages are flipped quickly.
• A standardized booklet: One 38-page format rather than multiple page-count options.
The new passport is also expected to arrive in a presentation box instead of the traditional envelope.
How to get the current design
If you prefer your existing passport design, renewing before the transition may be worth considering. Eligible adults can renew by mail using Form DS-82 or through the online renewal system, subject to each method’s requirements.
For mail renewal, the source lists a $130 fee and estimated routine processing of four to six weeks. Expedited processing costs an additional $60, with estimated processing of two to three weeks. Mailing time can add several weeks.
Online renewal has additional eligibility restrictions and cannot be expedited.
Remember that renewing early means giving up the unused validity of your current passport. Your replacement adult passport will generally be valid for another decade.
The smarter take:
Don’t renew solely because of a design preview unless you’re comfortable losing the remaining validity on your current passport. The final design and transition date remain uncertain. If avoiding the proposed portrait is important to you, check the latest State Department announcements before deciding when to apply.