Whenever you are thinking about vacationing somewhere internationally, the first thing you should do is check your passport, especially the expiry date. Even if you think it's a while away from expiring, even if you just used it, even if it's a pain to find it. Trust us: If your passport expires and you need to travel, you'll be faced with a host of problems that no one wants to deal with.
But we all make mistakes sometimes. It’s easy to get caught up in vacation plans and book flights before you’re sure your passport is still available. The best of us have been in situations where you have everything planned out and are ready to go, but at some point in the near future, before your trip, you check your passport and realize it has expired.
If this happened a few months ago, you're probably fine - you can just renew. Even if this happened a few weeks ago, it doesn't matter - sure, you'll spend more money on an emergency renewal, but it'll work out. But what if it happened a few days ago? Well, that’s another story.
Something to note when traveling with your passport: If you are traveling on an international flight, your passport must never expire. In fact, it won't even come close to expiring: For travel to almost every other country, including Canada and Mexico, you won't be able to fly if your passport expires in the next six months. So not only do you need to make sure your passport has not expired, but you also need to make sure it does not expire within six months of the date of travel.
If you do notice that your passport has expired or is about to expire, is it worth still heading to the airport and trying to catch an international flight? In a word, no. Indeed not. Airport security will almost certainly not let you on the plane, and you'll just end up wasting a lot of time and money. If for some strange reason you are able to board a plane using that passport, don't forget that coming home from a foreign country can be a very different story. Do you really want to be stuck in another country without a passport? Probably not.
However, if you are flying domestically, an expired passport is not an issue as long as you have another valid form of U.S. identification (such as a driver's license). You don’t need a passport to fly within the United States, just a valid ID. Therefore, if your passport is your only ID and it has expired, it is invalid and cannot be used. But if you have another photo ID, such as a driver's license, that's no problem.
What should you do if you're on an international flight and just realized your passport is bad? You have two options: try to get an expedited passport in time, or cancel and reschedule your trip. If you want to get an expedited passport, it's possible - it just takes some time and effort on your part.
Once you find out that your passport has expired, try to make an appointment with the US Passport Office (provided you are more than 18 hours but less than two weeks away from your flight). If you are unable to do this, go to a passport agency immediately. Be prepared to wait in long lines and possibly do some begging. You should also be prepared: In some states, you'll need proof of travel within 14 days. You'll also need to pay a fee, which may vary but will probably be around $170. Check the official government website for a list of agencies, as not every state has them.
Expedited passport processing should be possible, but if you try to do so before your flight departs, there is no guarantee that you will get your passport in time. So, it’s best to err on the side of caution! Keep an eye on your passport expiry date to avoid getting yourself into trouble.
