Prior post was actually in reference to US Passport card and whether any new security features are available not in current card design.

Missed that part, but the passport book vs. passport card thing has been brought up more than once in this threads and the mods have pointed to a more relevant thread (Are there plans to update the design of the US Passport Card) on previous occasions as a place where that discussion is more relevant.

Moderator's Note
 

Folks,

For indexing and future search purposes, please discuss possible changes and/or security improvements of the US passport card in the following thread:
Thank you,

TWA884
Travel Safety/Security co-moderator

Folks, to the extent we are speculating or guessing, we should probably state that.

Quick update. No word officially on the next gen passport. I have been told that there really is no visibility on when it will be released. Could be next year, but it also might not be released next year. There is nothing concrete over at the Dept of State, which is the most important agency for this.

This is so frustrating, not because I'm interested in what the design will be like, but because this is a standard procedure in the life of a passport that other countries have no issues coping with, but not the US, which instigated the new phase in passport technology and security!

The next generation of US passports is not being issue even as of today. Not for diplomatic passports, not for official passports, and not for ordinary passports.

I really see no good reason for there to be any rush to put out a new version of the passport books at this time. Most of the issues related with confirming identity and citizenship don't require a passport version update. And the most common form of US passport misuse is no longer related to fraudulent border-crossing use due to "less secure" version of a passport. So the question is why increase the costs for US citizens to travel across borders -- which is what the new version passport will mean -- when it's not really resolving much of any pre-existing issues and it's not going to really be much of a pre-emptive strike against any developing issues.

Personally, I have given up on the endeavor. I need to replace my passport and I have stopped putting it off. Getting one soon.

No word officially, but was able to scrounge up this circumstantial information:

https://law.justia.com/cases/federal...0121/36178/37/

So the next gen passport was tied up in litigation until late spring of last year.

We also know that:

https://govtribe.com/award/federal-i...-saqmma17d0163

https://govtribe.com/award/federal-c...-saqmma17f4828

The contract and order for equipment has been made. Order performance period was extended by one year to end 1/17/2020.

Based on prior GPO guidance that it was going to be early 2019 for the initial rollout of diplomatic and officials passports (https://www.gpo.gov/docs/default-sou...nce-report.pdf, page 10), it looks like the litigation threw off the timeline by about a year. So my guess is we are looking at Q4 2019 to Q1 of 2020 for initial rollout of next gen diplomatic and official passports. And maybe around 2021 for the general rollout for public tourist passports. Speculation on my part, but it makes sense in light of currently available information.

https://www.gpo.gov/docs/default-sou...2_2019_new.pdf

"In FY 2020 and FY 2021, GPO will continue to make investments needed to support the State Department’s next generation passport program."

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/...5hhrg30357.pdf

"We are in the process right now of getting ready to produce what is called the Next Generation passport. This passport, for the personalized page, will have a polycarbonate card sewn into the binding of the book. To personalize it, the State Department will laser engrave the information on that card. This is an advanced anticounterfeiting device."

I think 2021 is a good bet for the mass availability of the next generation US passport. But I do think we will get an official announcement sometime around the end of 2019 to sometime in 2020.

https://www.state.gov/documents/organization/277155.pdf

Next Generation Passport – GPO and the Department of State are working on the development of the Next Generation Passport. GPO plays a key role in the development of the final design, construction, and security features found in the Next Generation Passport and will ensure that the right equipment, trained personnel, and processes are in place to support the Department of State’s Next Generation Passport goals. In FY18, GPO’s Security and Intelligent Documents business unit produced more than 16 million passports and 3.9 million other Federal secure credentials. The first Official and Diplomatic NextGen Passports are scheduled to be issued in the first quarter of fiscal year 2020. These passports will incorporate new security features including a polycarbonate-based data page and alpha-numeric book numbers, which have required the development and testing of new production processes and techniques at the same time GPO has been producing substantial quantities of its existing secure identification products for Federal clients. In the months ahead, GPO will be working on the roll out of the NextGen Official and Diplomatic Passports and will continue building the capacity for the production of NextGen Tourist Passports.

https://www.gpo.gov/docs/default-sou...nce-report.pdf

Does laser engraving also mean a black & white photo on the ID page (like a NY driver's license), and a color photo elsewhere? It would be neat if they could use color laser engraving though, as the tech exists now.

Meanwhile, I appreciate all these continued updates. While I've given up 3 years ago, I can at least rest assured that my next renewal in 2026 will probably get an updated version!

Based on the Solicitation and contracting documents, I am thinking they are just doing the black & white. The US State Department began this process back in 2014/2015 and the passport is based on the tech from that period, which is now one generation behind.

I would bet on a late 2020 for the rollout of the Next Generation Tourist passport, with it becoming the solely issued version by 2021.

Haven't they been using this technology since they started issuing passport cards? Those have been in circulation for 10-11 years as far as I know. Based on the sparse info I could find about NextGen passports, their technology will be similar to that of passport cards, which, again, have been in circulation for over 10 years. So, I really don't understand where all this drama about the new long-anticipated passports came from. For God's sake, my 10-year Ukrainian passport, which was made of polycarbonate plastic and incorporated laser-engraved picture, micro-perforations, and tactile printing has already expired, and we are still waiting for the NextGen US passports.

I really want to get a nextgen passport, but I can't afford a 1.5 year gap in international travel. So, it is the crappy 2007-version for me then.

It is an embarrassment, which is why there has been no information from the Department of State since 2017. I will remind everyone that the US implemented this biometric requirement and is at least one generation behind the curve as it stands right now. Maybe two by 2020/2021. A large portion of this can be attributable to bureaucratic incompetence and inability to get things done on time and on budget. Very much a manifestation of the wider dysfunction we are seeing in government. The new passport will be an upgrade from the now 12 year old design. But it will be a clear step or two behind the designs coming from Europe and Asia. Very disappointing.