The United States is committed to providing the highest levels of service to facilitate U.S. travel abroad. To lessen travel difficulties created by the global COVID-19 pandemic, the State Department, the Department of Homeland Security, and commercial airlines are working to facilitate the ability of U.S. citizens to use certain expired passports to return from abroad directly to the United States.

U.S. citizens currently abroad whose passports expired on or after January 1, 2020, may be able to use their expired U.S. passport for return travel to the United States until March 31, 2022. Certain criteria apply, and we encourage U.S. citizens to confirm their eligibility for traveling on an expired passport at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/traveladvisories/COVID-19-Country-Specific-Information.html prior to finalizing travel arrangements.

Recently expired U.S. 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 en route to the United States or to a United States territory.

The State Department also reminds U.S. citizens that, as of December 6, 2021, all air travelers, regardless of vaccination status, must show proof of a negative COVID-19 test result, taken no more than 24 hours of their flight’s departure to the United States.  For those wishing to renew their passport upon their return to the United States, current processing times can be found at https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/passports.html

For more information, please see our website at travel.state.gov.

For press inquiries, please contact CAPRESSREQUESTS@state.gov.