Through a partnership with the Florida company RushMyPassport.com, NIC’s Gov2Go mobile app now offers to fast-track the issuing of passports within a window of three business days. According to a news release, Gov2Go users can apply for new passports, renewals, replacements, name changes and duplicates, with delivery options ranging from rushed (three business days) to standard (eight to 10), and they can track the status of their application through the app.
NIC Chief Technical Officer Brian Anderson said the Gov2Go platform has amassed more than 1 million unique user accounts to date, most of which are in a dozen states where NIC offers state-specific services, but the passport feature is available in all 50. He said the stringent requirements of passport applications are still in place, including having a photo taken at a designated location, but the app replaces a certain amount of bureaucracy involved in communicating and following the process.
“It’s a continuation of our focus to try to make it easier for citizens to interact with government, and that’s kind of the hallmark for us, of the Gov2Go platform in general,” he said. “We’ve been in government for 28 years at this point, and our focus on digital government continues to drive what we do in the Gov2Go platform.”
Anderson was unequivocal that this won’t be the last update of the Gov2Go platform in 2020, although he declined to elaborate on what else is coming. He said the company has 28 state contracts — up from 23 in 2012 — and while Gov2Go will continue to expand, it won’t subsume NIC's other services.
“We work with the state, but we have (the citizen as) a common customer in that equation,” he said. “Gov2Go could never replace (specific state initiatives such as NIC websites), at least not in the near future. There’s no plan for Gov2Go to take those over, because those are unique requirements of that partnership in those states.”
On partnering with NIC, RushMyPassport CEO Mosie Miller said in a statement that the company’s track record made it a viable partner.
“Gov2Go is the perfect partner for our passport services as they've built a great reputation as the one convenient place to take care of your interactions with the government,” Miller said. “Travelers can relax knowing they now have a trusted and secure way to get their passport fast.”
