California Visa Company Goes Crypto: Now Accepting Bitcoin for Passport Services

Peninsula Visa Introduces Bitcoin Payments

In a bold leap towards the future, Peninsula Visa, a California-based visa and passport processing company, has announced that it will now accept Bitcoin as a payment method for select passport services. Backed by Coinbase Commerce, this move comes at a time when the U.S. State Department is beginning to restore normal operations following disruptions caused by the pandemic.

The Details of the Offer

As of November 6, travelers can opt to use Bitcoin (BTC) for various passport-related services, including renewals, name changes, and applications for second passports. For those who might not be aware, a U.S. citizen over the age of 16 is permitted to hold one primary passport, valid for 10 years, and an additional one, valid for 4 years.

Why This Shift Matters

Evan James, COO of Peninsula Visa, expressed that this payment method feels like “the right move at the right time.” With travel beginning to normalize, the convenience of using crypto might just be what travelers need to ease their passport processing worries. James believes this could not only streamline payments but also attract a new wave of tech-savvy travelers looking to flex their Bitcoin wallets.

State Department’s Recovery: A Glimpse into Passport Processing

During the pandemic, many State Department passport agencies faced closures, leading to significant delays in processing. A report from the LA Times indicated there was a backlog of nearly one million passports as of September 23. Fortunately, the agency announced on November 3 that they have managed to reduce standard processing times to 10-12 weeks and expedited services to 4-6 weeks. Compare this to the 1-week turnaround for urgent requests pre-COVID, and it’s clear the recovery is still underway.

The Wider Crypto Landscape in Government Services

While private businesses were quick to embrace Bitcoin for options like purchasing international flights, governments have been slower to adopt similar practices. A noteworthy incident occurred in June when a Venezuelan government agency briefly allowed Bitcoin for passport applications from citizens living abroad, only to deactivate the service the very next day. It seems that while Bitcoin is gaining traction in some areas, navigating the bureaucratic waters of government service payments is still a challenging task.