Passport Book Consolidation to Single 38-Page Format
Summary
The U.S. Department of State is proposing to consolidate its passport book format from two sizes (26-page and 50-page) to a single 38-page book, planned for the Series B redesign rollout in 2028. Currently, 92 percent of applicants request the 26-page book, while 8 percent receive the 50-page book primarily due to policy practices for special-issuance and overseas applicants. The change is expected to increase production efficiencies and reduce waste at the Government Publishing Office.
This notice signals a practical consolidation of government document formats rather than a regulatory expansion. The change primarily affects operational efficiency at the Government Publishing Office and the Department of State rather than imposing new obligations on passport holders. Frequent travelers who rely on extra visa pages should monitor this development as they plan renewal cycles before the 2028 rollout.
What changed
The Department of State proposes eliminating the 26-page and 50-page passport book options in favor of a single 38-page book format with the anticipated Series B redesign in 2028. The Emergency Passport will remain a 12-page book. This change consolidates three existing book types into two.\n\nFrequent international travelers, U.S. citizens residing abroad, and special-issuance passport holders who currently receive 50-page books may need to renew more frequently once that option is discontinued, though they represent a small percentage of total applicants. The Department acknowledges this burden and notes that planned enhancements to the Online Passport Renewal platform for overseas applicants may help mitigate the impact. Stakeholders may submit comments on potential burdens through June 22, 2026.
What to do next
- Submit comments by June 22, 2026 at www.Regulations.gov using Docket Number DOS-2026-0496
- Contact Amber Long at AskPPTInternationalAffairs@state.gov or (202) 485-6520 for further information
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Apr 20, 2026GovPing captured this document from the original source. If the source has since changed or been removed, this is the text as it existed at that time.
Content
ACTION:
Notice.
SUMMARY:
The U.S. Department of State currently issues two passport book sizes—a 26-page book and a 50-page book. A determination was
made to shift
the U.S. passport book to a single-sized, 38-page passport book, with the release of the next redesign.
DATES:
Submit comments by June 22, 2026.
ADDRESSES:
You may submit comments by the following method: Comment on this notice by going to www.Regulations.gov. You can search for the document by entering “Docket Number: “DOS-2026-0496” in the Search field. Then click the “Comment Now”
button and complete the comment form.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Amber Long, Bureau of Consular Affairs, Passport Services, Modernization and Systems Liaison, tel.: (202) 485-6520, email: AskPPTInternationalAffairs@state.gov.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:
Currently, the Next Generation Passport (NGP) is available in 26-page and 50-page book sizes. Previously, the legacy ePassport
was available in a 28-page and 52-page book. The U.S passport Series B is being redesigned for an anticipated rollout in 2028,
and this will include a shift to a single-sized book with 38 pages. All passport book types will change with the exception
of the Emergency Passport, which will remain a 12-page book.
In 2024, a feasibility study was conducted on the impacts of moving to a single sized passport book. The results of the study
determined a 38-page book would increase efficiencies and reduce waste within the production of the passport at the Government
Publishing Office (GPO) and within the issuance process at the U.S. Department of State. On average, 92 percent of customers
applying for a passport book request the 26-page book. Of the 8 percent of customers receiving the 50-page book, most do so
due to a policy practice to issue 50-page books to special-issuance and overseas applicants. In other words, while some frequent
international travelers, U.S. citizens residing abroad, and special-issuance passport holders will need to renew more frequently
once the 50-page option becomes unavailable, the Department expects those applicants to make up a small percentage of all
passport applicants. Switching to a single-sized, 38-page book will allow more visa pages for the majority of applicants.
Planned enhancements to the Department's Online Passport Renewal (OPR) platform that will allow overseas applicants to renew
their passports online are also expected to introduce new efficiencies for those customers and may mitigate this burden.
The Department seeks input from stakeholders on the potential burdens of eliminating the 50-page book as an option. The Department
appreciates and values all feedback and will give due consideration to the comments received. However, at this time, the Department
does not plan to respond to the comments in the
Federal Register
.
Matthew D. Pierce, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Passport Services, Bureau of Consular Affairs, U.S. Department of State. [FR Doc. 2026-07670 Filed 4-17-26; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4710-06-P
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