Blinken

Getting a passport in the US can be quite the rigmarole, but it is about to get a bit simpler. The State Department has announced that online passport renewal is officially available to the public, following multiple pilot programs. In a statement, Secretary of State Antony Blinken credited increased staffing and technological improvements with fueling both this advancement and reduced passport waiting times.Until now, applying for a new passport required mailing a printed form, a passport-sized photo, a photocopy of a valid ID, a person's most recent passport and a check. Americans could also bring the documents to a passport…