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Traveling with expired U.S. Passport
5 MINUTE READ
June 22, 2021

U.S. citizens can use their expired U.S. passports to return to the United States through December 31, 2021. This applies only to U.S. citizens whose passports expired on or after January 1, 2020.

Expired passports cannot be used to travel from the United States to an international destination or to travel to a foreign country for any length of stay longer than an airport connection in route to the United States or United States territory.

U.S. citizen travelers can use an expired passport if they are currently abroad seeking to return to the United States, they are flying directly to the United States, a United States territory, or have only short-term transit through a foreign country. Moreover, the expired passport must be undamaged and in their possession and was originally valid for 10 years. Or, if they were 15 years of age or under when the passport was issued, their expired passport was originally valid for 5 years.

You qualify for this exception if all the following are true:

  • You are a U.S. citizen.
  • You are currently abroad seeking direct return to the United States.
  • You are flying directly to the United States, a United States territory, or
    have only short-term transit (“connecting flights”) through a foreign
    country on your direct return to the United States or to a United States
    Territory.
  • Your expired passport was originally valid for 10 years.  Or, if you were 15
    years of age or younger when the passport was issued, your expired
    passport was valid for 5 years.
  • Your expired passport is undamaged.
  • Your expired passport is unaltered.
  • Your expired passport is in your possession.

You do not qualify for this exception if:

  • You wish to depart from the United States to an international destination.
  • You are currently abroad seeking to travel to a foreign country for any
    length of stay longer than an airport connection en route to the United
    States or to a United States territory.
  • Your expired passport was limited in validity.
  • Your expired passport is a special issuance passport (such as a diplomatic,
    official, service, or no-fee regular passport).
  • Your expired passport is damaged.
  • Your expired passport is altered.
  • Your expired passport is not in your possession.

Please be advised that currently, routine passport processing in the United States can take 10-12 weeks. If you need a passport in less than 10-12 weeks due to international travel plans, you can pay an additional $60 fee to expedite your passport, which will shorten the processing time to 4-6 weeks.

Better yet, renew your passport at U.S. Consular Section Vienna. Passport renewals here take just 7-10 days to process and return to you, with no additional expedite fee. And if you are renewing an adult 10-year passport, you can renew by mail! Please see our website for information on how to renew your passport before traveling. For specific questions, please e-mail ConsulateVienna@state.gov.