During the shutdown of passport processing agencies (due to Covid), the US State Department had instituted a new exception. This leeway on expired passports is now about to end.
Expired US Passports Can Soon No Longer Be Used for US Travel
The exception was that cancelled US passports could be used to return to the US. This had to be done on flights that flew direct to the US from a foreign country and only worked with US passports. This was a nice exception for people who were not able to get their passports renewed due to the agency shutdowns and the delays in returning to the US during Covid.
However, now that most things are back to normal, the US State Department is ending this exception. As of June 30, US passport holders can no longer used expired US passports to return to the US. Passports are again being processed in a timely manner so if you have a passport that is set to expire soon, get it taken care of now!
You can always go direct to a US Passport agency for a passport to be issued in just days if you have travel coming up in the next couple of weeks. But, do not plan to leave the US with a passport that is set to expire! Also, remember that many countries require a passport to be valid for at least 3 or 6 months before the expiration in order to enter the country.
Attention U.S. citizens living abroad: after June 30, you may no longer use your expired passport to return directly to the United States. Contact your nearest U.S. embassy or consulate to renew your passport: https://t.co/I7R9MOYO0u pic.twitter.com/oTt2lN7ZyC
— Travel – State Dept (@TravelGov) June 17, 2022
