Rubio unveils redesigned US passport in 'Apple-style' reveal
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio unveiled a redesigned American passport on Tuesday in an “Apple-style” product presentation as the government launched its new America.gov digital portal in Washington.
Rubio said the passport, developed with the White House National Design Studio, is expected to enter use in 2028 and has been redesigned “from cover to cover”.
“American citizenship is sacred and the symbols and documents that uphold it should reflect that,” Rubio said. The new design places “United States of America” above a larger gold Great Seal, while its interior features an animated eagle motif and imagery tracing 250 years of US history.
Rubio said the eagle appears to take flight as travellers flip through the pages, passing scenes ranging from the American Revolution to the US space programme.
The State Department also plans to allow first-time passport applicants to complete the process entirely online from next year through America.gov. Currently, first-time adult applicants must apply in person, while eligible passport holders can renew online.
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Launched on September 29, America.gov is an AI-supported portal designed to bring information and services from more than 29,000 US government websites into a single platform.
This story is written and edited by the Global South World team, you can contact us here.
