U.S. passport redesign
- The U.S. Department of State announced a move to a single‑sized passport book on April 20. - The redesign replaces the prior 26‑page and 50‑page options with a new standard 38‑page passport book. - The change is formalized in the April 20 Federal Register notice about United States passports moving to one book size. (federalregister.gov)
The United States is dropping its two passport book sizes and moving to one standard book with 38 pages. (federalregister.gov) The State Department published the change in the Federal Register on April 20, 2026. The notice says the current 26-page and 50-page books will be replaced with a single 38-page book in the next redesign. (federalregister.gov) The department now issues a standard passport book and, for people who travel often, a larger book with extra visa pages. Under the new plan, both options disappear and every passport book will use the same page count. (federalregister.gov) A passport book is the booklet travelers use for international flights and for visa and entry stamps. The State Department’s public guidance separately compares the passport book with the wallet-sized passport card, which cannot be used for international air travel. (travel.state.gov) The notice ties the page change to the passport’s “next redesign,” not to an immediate switch at acceptance facilities or online renewal. The Federal Register posting lists a public comment deadline of June 22, 2026. (federalregister.gov) The State Department has already been rolling out the Next Generation Passport, a newer book with updated security features and a redesigned data page. Its public passport materials say older valid passports still work until they expire. (travel.state.gov) For travelers, the practical change is simpler ordering: no choice between a thinner 26-page book and a thicker 50-page version. For the government, the notice frames it as a move to one physical format for future U.S. passport books. (federalregister.gov) Nothing in the notice changes who can get a passport, how to apply, or whether adults can renew by mail or online. The State Department’s passport pages still direct first-time applicants, children, and renewals through the same existing channels. (travel.state.gov)
