Back in May of 2021, and most recently, in March of 2022, U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued guidance to U.S. citizens permitting their use of expired U.S. passports. U.S. citizens have been allowed to use their passport that expired on or after January 1, 2020, to return to the U.S. This temporary form of relief was put into action in response to the significantly lengthy waiting period to renew a U.S. passport from abroad. It sought to lessen travel difficulties created by the global COVID-19 pandemic. However, this policy has now come to a halt, as of June 30, 2022.
On June 29, 2022, CBP advised officials to turn away U.S. citizens presenting an expired U.S. passport overseas. If you are boarding a flight into the U.S. with an expired passport, you will now be directed to contact the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate to apply for a renewal.
If you wish to re-enter the U.S. with an expired passport and it is an urgent matter, we suggest reviewing the nearest Embassy’s website for information on how to request an emergency appointment.
Please contact our office if you have any questions or concerns regarding this new announcement. We would love to hear from you.
