Can I Still Enter the United States With My Passport Which is Expired?
Question: I am currently in South America and I did not notice that my passport expiration date passed. Can I still enter the United States with my current passport status?
Answer: The U.S. will not allow any American citizen to exit or enter the U.S. via air without a valid passport. If you plan to return with your expired passport, you may not be given permission to enter the U.S. You should take care of this matter before entering the country. You can do it by visiting a U.S. Embassy or Consulate.
Unfortunately, U.S. Embassies and Consulates in foreign countries do not offer expedited passport services. However, processing of U.S. passports in foreign countries usually takes a shorter period of time. That is when comparing the time to process in the U.S. Usually, the processing time for U.S. passports in foreign countries is about three to four weeks in comparison to four to six weeks in the United States. This will vary from country to country so make sure and confirm with that countries processing time.
You can obtain a passport quicker if there is a valid emergency. The passport you will receive in case of an emergency will only be valid for one year, unfortunately. After getting this passport, you must go through the process of renewal in one year.
You can apply for an emergency passport at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate as well.
For a list of U.S. Embassies and Consulates, use the following link.
