By April of 2020, many Americans felt moments of panic as their passports neared expiration while COVID-19 stranded them overseas. These travelers saw flights canceled and the travel industry all but shut down. In addition to travel coming to a halt, the U.S. Passport agency scaled back massively. The agency stopped issuing passports altogether while renewal applications fell months behind. The combination of these problems left many Americans overseas with an expired passport, unable to renew or get home. In May of 2021, the State Department announced those travelers would still be able to enter the country. As long as their passports expired on or before January 1, 2020, they are valid.
State Department extends the measure
In response to continued COVID impacted travel and residual backlog at the U.S. Passport Agency, the State Department is extending the measure allowing travelers to return to the U.S. using the expired passports. They are working closely with the Department of Homeland Security to facilitate travel back to the country and help Americans get home, regardless of the date on their documents.
The same strict parameters that existed in May are still in place for the extension. An expired passport cannot be used for travel outside of the U.S., only for returning. This measure is only to be used by those whose passports expired on or before January 1, 2020, or what the State Department calls the “COVID era.” All travelers with an expired passport must use it to return to the United States before March 31, 2022, when the measure expires. And lastly, as it has been for a long time, all travelers must show proof of a negative COVID test within 24 hours of departure.
To see if you are eligible and to stay up to date on all travel requirements, check their website at travel.state.gov.
