US passports to arrive in ‘elegant’ gold and white envelopes, says Rubio. Check out the design here
Rubio also targeted the physical delivery of passports, criticising the current practice of mailing documents in plain, often damaged envelopes.
- Sep 30, 2026,
- Updated Sep 30, 2026 10:28 AM IST
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday targeted the physical delivery of passports, criticising the current practice of mailing documents in plain, often damaged envelopes.
He said new US passports will no longer arrive in “beat-up postal envelopes” but will be sent in “elegant gold-and-white packaging” that highlights the US seal and treats the document as more than “junk mail”.
During his remarks, Rubio showed visuals of upcoming passport designs, including a “Flight of the Eagle” edition expected in 2028 with a redesigned gold eagle emblem and premium packaging. The changes are part of a broader Trump administration push to improve the look and feel of government services under the America.gov initiative.
WATCH THIS: US Passport Gets Trump Photo? See the Special Design Behind America’s 250th Buzz
US Passport application to go online
During the same event, Rubio announced that Americans will be able to apply for their first passport entirely online through President Donald Trump’s new AI-powered portal, America.gov, starting in 2027.
Speaking at the America.gov launch event in Washington, DC, Rubio said the current system forces applicants to navigate multiple websites, visit offices in person and take passport photos at pharmacies or retail stores. Under the new plan, users will be able to complete the entire first-passport application on America.gov, upload their own photos, track status in real time and receive an estimated delivery date.
“The goal is that by the end of 2027 most Americans can apply for a passport or passport card on America.gov,” Rubio said, describing the change as a shift from a “1970s process” to a modern digital system. The portal, powered by AI tools including Google’s Gemini and SpaceXAI’s Grok, is intended to streamline access to federal services such as Medicare enrolment, student loan information and campsite reservations.
DO CHECKOUT: Trump targets ‘birth tourism’; wants evidence of parental citizenship for children’s passports
Event attended by tech, administration leaders
The America.gov launch was attended by Vice President JD Vance, CMS Administrator Dr Mehmet Oz, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and tech leaders including Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp. Trump signed an executive order titled “Streamlining Access to Government Services Through America.gov” to formalise the rollout.
While the online application system is slated for 2027, the upgraded packaging and design elements are expected to be introduced gradually as the State Department transitions to the new process.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday targeted the physical delivery of passports, criticising the current practice of mailing documents in plain, often damaged envelopes.
He said new US passports will no longer arrive in “beat-up postal envelopes” but will be sent in “elegant gold-and-white packaging” that highlights the US seal and treats the document as more than “junk mail”.
During his remarks, Rubio showed visuals of upcoming passport designs, including a “Flight of the Eagle” edition expected in 2028 with a redesigned gold eagle emblem and premium packaging. The changes are part of a broader Trump administration push to improve the look and feel of government services under the America.gov initiative.
WATCH THIS: US Passport Gets Trump Photo? See the Special Design Behind America’s 250th Buzz
US Passport application to go online
During the same event, Rubio announced that Americans will be able to apply for their first passport entirely online through President Donald Trump’s new AI-powered portal, America.gov, starting in 2027.
Speaking at the America.gov launch event in Washington, DC, Rubio said the current system forces applicants to navigate multiple websites, visit offices in person and take passport photos at pharmacies or retail stores. Under the new plan, users will be able to complete the entire first-passport application on America.gov, upload their own photos, track status in real time and receive an estimated delivery date.
“The goal is that by the end of 2027 most Americans can apply for a passport or passport card on America.gov,” Rubio said, describing the change as a shift from a “1970s process” to a modern digital system. The portal, powered by AI tools including Google’s Gemini and SpaceXAI’s Grok, is intended to streamline access to federal services such as Medicare enrolment, student loan information and campsite reservations.
DO CHECKOUT: Trump targets ‘birth tourism’; wants evidence of parental citizenship for children’s passports
Event attended by tech, administration leaders
The America.gov launch was attended by Vice President JD Vance, CMS Administrator Dr Mehmet Oz, NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman and tech leaders including Elon Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp. Trump signed an executive order titled “Streamlining Access to Government Services Through America.gov” to formalise the rollout.
While the online application system is slated for 2027, the upgraded packaging and design elements are expected to be introduced gradually as the State Department transitions to the new process.