How do you know your passport has limited validity?
- Issued in the U.S., it looks like a regular passport and carries an endorsement explaining the limited validity.
- Issued abroad, it has a purple cover instead of blue and says “Emergency Passport” on the outside.
- The letter that came with it explains why it was limited and what to do next.
Some foreign destinations may not accept a limited-validity passport. Check the entry and exit requirements of your destination before you travel.
Why does the State Department issue one?
- You have had multiple passports lost, stolen or damaged.
- Your application had an unresolved issue before urgent travel, such as a photocopy of a child's notarized consent instead of the original, or not enough evidence of a name change.
- You could not submit primary evidence of U.S. citizenship in time.
- You could not get a replacement naturalization or citizenship certificate in time.
- You received an emergency passport abroad, valid for 1 year or less, to get back to the United States.
How do you get a full-validity passport?
| Why it was limited | How to replace it | Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Multiple passports lost, stolen or damaged | Form DS-11, in person | Regular passport fees |
| Application issue or missing citizenship evidence, issued less than 1 year ago | Form DS-5504, by mail | No fee unless you expedite |
| Missing naturalization or citizenship certificate, issued less than 2 years ago | Form DS-5504, by mail | No fee unless you expedite |
| Emergency passport issued abroad less than 1 year ago | DS-5504 or DS-11, as your letter says | No fee on DS-5504 unless you expedite |
| Any of these, past the time limit | Form DS-11, in person, or DS-82 for an emergency passport if you are eligible to renew | Regular passport fees |
Send your limited passport, 1 passport photo and the document you were missing, such as the original notarized consent, your name change documents or your evidence of citizenship.
Miss the time limit and you pay regular fees again: $130 for an adult book, plus the $35 acceptance fee on DS-11.
Need it replaced before another trip?
Expedited service adds $60 to a DS-5504 or DS-11 application. At our office at 11041 Santa Monica Blvd, Suite 309, we check that you have the right form and documents, take your passport photo and expedite the application.
Limited-validity passport questions
How long is a limited-validity passport valid?
Only for a temporary period, shorter than a full-validity passport. Your expiration date is printed in the passport. An emergency passport issued abroad is valid for 1 year or less.
Is it free to replace a limited-validity passport?
Often, yes. If you qualify for Form DS-5504 and apply within the time limit, there is no fee unless you want expedited service for $60. Otherwise you pay regular passport fees.
Can I travel on a limited-validity passport?
Yes, until it expires, but some foreign destinations may not accept it. Check your destination's entry and exit requirements first.
What does an emergency passport look like?
It has a purple cover instead of blue and says “Emergency Passport” on the outside. U.S. embassies and consulates issue them for urgent returns, such as after a lost or stolen passport abroad.
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Want us to handle it?
Call (818) 501-6400 or walk in to our West Los Angeles office. We check your documents and expedite your application.
Call (818) 501-6400Global VIP Services is a private expediting company, not affiliated with the U.S. Department of State. You can apply directly with the government.