En esta noticia
The United States passport is a fundamental and mandatory document for entering or leaving the country. Federal authorities establish strict rules on its validity, directly affecting citizens and foreigners when crossing borders.
According to the United States Department of State, there are clear limits on expired passports and those issued many years ago, which can prevent travel if certain requirements are not met.
The United States denies entry to the country to people with these passports
The United States passport has a 10-year validity period for adults, and once that period has passed, the document expires and loses validity for travel.
This means that no person can enter or leave the country with an expired passport, since it ceases to be a valid international identification document. In addition, many airlines and countries require the passport to have months of remaining validity, which reinforces these restrictions.
What happens with passports issued more than 15 years ago
One of the most important points of the regulation is that only passports issued within the last 15 years can be renewed.
This means that older documents are automatically excluded from the renewal system. In those cases, the person cannot complete a simplified procedure and must start a completely new process, as if applying for the passport for the first time.
In practice, this directly affects those who have very old passports, since they will not be able to use them or update them without carrying out a new in-person procedure.
Who can renew the passport and who cannot
According to the Department of State regulations, only those who meet all of these requirements can do so:
- Passport issued less than 15 years ago.
- Document in good condition.
- Issued when the person was 16 years old or older.
- Current name or with legal name-change documentation.
By contrast, those who have passports issued more than 15 years ago, expired beyond that period, or that do not meet these conditions must apply for a new passport.
Required documents to renew the passport in the United States
The renewal process requires presenting a series of essential documents defined by the federal government:
- Completed DS-82 form.
- Previous passport.
- Recent passport-style photo.
- Payment of the corresponding fee.
In the event of a name change, legal documentation proving it must also be submitted.