Sponsors
Ask me what this bill is really trying to do.
This is not an official government website.
Copyright © 2026 PLEJ LC. All rights reserved.
Bars the State Department from charging the routine fee to issue or reissue U.S. passport cards while still allowing fees for expedited processing. It also establishes an official short title for the Act.\n\nThe change removes the standard passport-card charge for applicants and reissuances, reducing an out‑of‑pocket cost for people who use passport cards for travel or identification. The Department retains authority to charge extra for faster service, and the legislation does not address passport books or other passport-related fees.
The bill saves money for standard passport-card applicants by eliminating the routine issuance fee while trading off reduced State Department fee revenue that could shift costs to taxpayers or degrade passport service, with expedited processing still available for a fee.
All passport applicants (including low-income individuals and the general public) can obtain or renew a passport card without paying the routine issuance fee, reducing out-of-pocket costs for people who only need standard service.
Travelers with urgent needs retain the option to pay for expedited processing, so those who need faster turnaround can still get priority service.
Taxpayers, other State Department programs, or passport applicants may bear indirect costs because removing the routine fee reduces Department of State fee revenue and could force reallocation of resources or lower service levels.
Travelers who need expedited turnaround still must pay expedited fees, so people who cannot wait will continue to face out-of-pocket costs.
Designates the Act's official short title as the "American Passport Card Accessibility Act."
Prohibits the Secretary of State from charging a fee for the issuance or reissuance of a passport card.
Exempts fees assessed for expedited processing from the prohibition, allowing the Secretary of State to continue charging expedited-processing fees for passport card applications.
Overrides section 1 of the Act of June 1, 1920 (commonly referred to as the Passport Act of 1920) to the extent necessary to implement the prohibition on routine passport card fees.
Primary effects fall on people who apply for or renew U.S. passport cards and on the Department of State. Applicants will no longer pay the routine passport-card issuance/reissue fee, which reduces a financial barrier—especially for low-income travelers and those who use the card primarily for land/sea travel or as an ID. The Department of State will need to update fee schedules, online forms, and public guidance and will collect less routine fee revenue; however, it can still collect expedited-service fees, so revenue from premium processing remains. The change does not modify passport-book fees, visa fees, or other consular charges, and it creates no new programs or federal spending obligations. Operationally the change is straightforward to implement but requires coordination with acceptance facilities and payment systems. Equity impacts are likely positive for populations for whom routine passport-card fees represented a meaningful cost, while fiscal impacts are modest and borne at the federal level.
Expand sections to see detailed analysis
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Introduced March 4, 2026 by Lauren Underwood · Last progress March 4, 2026
Referred to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Introduced in House