Emergency United States passports are issued to those applicants who have immediate travel and cannot wait to receive a regular full-validity passport before traveling. To apply for an emergency passport, you must apply in person at the Embassy with all the required documents and fees. Evidence of the need for immediate, emergency travel should also be submitted with the application.
Emergency passports are normally limited in validity and cannot be extended.
You can discuss your travel plans at the time of your appointment to determine whether an emergency passport is appropriate. The application process and fees are the same as for a regular passport.
Not all countries recognize an emergency limited validity U.S. passport as a valid travel document for visa-free travel so you may be refused boarding and/or entry by immigration officials. We strongly recommend that you learn about your destination before you travel. Pay close attention to entry and exit requirements.
Replacing an Emergency Limited Validity Passport
If you have been issued an emergency limited validity passport and you need to replace it with a full validity passport, please follow the instructions below.
Required Documents
- Form DS-5504 available online here or as a PDF (4 MB)
- Your current emergency limited validity passport
- One passport photograph 2”x2” or 5cmx5cm. Additional information on passport photos is available here.
Fees
There is no fee required to replace an emergency limited validity passport with a full validity passport if it was issued within the year prior to the new application and it did not have any restrictions at the time of issuance.
