Americans who want to avoid seeing President Donald Trump's face in their passport may have only a slim window to apply for a first document or a renewal. Fresh details about the next-generation design have come to light, though the State Department has not confirmed that the president's image will appear on the final version.

The details surfaced during a September 29 State Department livestream held to launch America.gov, a new government services website. Secretary of State Marco Rubio presented a grid of passport pages during the broadcast, and in the top left corner of that grid a portrait of Trump appeared among the pages of the redesigned passport. According to Forbes and a new report from Travel Noire, the design is intended to replace the standard U.S. passport beginning in 2028.

Until now, Americans hoping to keep Trump's image out of their travel documents had a straightforward workaround: a commemorative passport issued this summer to mark America's 250th anniversary, which features the president's likeness, was available only to travelers who specifically requested it. Because adult passports are valid for 10 years, however, a standard passport issued within the coming year could remain in use well into the 2030s and still carry Trump's image. There may be a way around that outcome, but it requires applicants to move quickly and plan deliberately.

The 2028 passport, which Rubio has will be called "Flight of the Eagle," is a single 38-page book whose artwork traces 250 years of American history. When the pages are flipped rapidly, a bald eagle appears to fly above the historical scenes, and somewhere in the book Trump's face allegedly appears. Unlike the opt-in commemorative edition, this book is intended to become the default travel document — meaning the artwork would stay with each adult holder for the full 10-year life of the passport.

The State Department has remained quiet about the final design, but David Alwadish, founder and CEO of the passport and visa service ItsEasy.com, told Forbes that the Trump image shown in Rubio's livestream preview looks like a fixed feature of the 2028 book. He cautioned that travelers who do not want the new design "probably have a narrow window to apply." The government has not said whether every passport issued after a set date will carry the new look. Under longstanding practice, however, passports already in circulation remain valid until their printed expiration dates even after a redesign, so a new look typically reaches travelers one renewal at a time.

Travelers can renew their passports before the new design takes effect in 2028, but eligibility rules apply. For mail-in renewals, applicants must hold a 10-year passport that was issued within the past 15 years and that they obtained when they were at least 16 years old. The current passport must be undamaged and must never have been reported lost or stolen. Applicants must submit Form DS-82, their existing passport, a photograph that meets the official photo guidelines, and the $130 renewal fee. Anyone applying under a name change must also provide supporting documentation. Applicants who fall outside those criteria — for instance, anyone whose book was issued more than 15 years ago or who was under 16 at issuance — cannot use the mail-in process and must apply in person instead.

Online renewals come with tighter restrictions. Applicants must be at least 25 years old and hold a passport that expires within one year or expired less than five years ago. Travelers with international trips planned within the next six weeks cannot apply online, and online renewals do not qualify for expedited delivery. Standard processing and shipping take up to four weeks, while expedited delivery takes up to three weeks. The online channel, which the State Department opened to the public in 2024, is therefore best suited to travelers with flexible timelines.

Those departing within 14 days can request an urgent passport appointment at an in-person agency. Online applicants whose travel plans change can call 877-487-2778. As 2028 approaches, the unanswered questions — the final artwork, the exact date the new book becomes standard, and how applications filed mid-transition will be handled — are the details to watch for from the State Department.