It might seem like an expired passport wouldn't have any real use, but it does. Here’s what to do with an old passport—and why you should never just throw it in the trash.
What to Do with an Old Passport (Hint: Don’t Throw It Out!)
Updated on Dec. 16, 2024
When you’re issued a new credit or debit card, the first thing you might think to do is destroy your old one. After all, it’s either expired or soon-to-expire, no longer of use and could potentially lead to fraudulent charges if it falls into the wrong hands. So you grab those scissors and hack it into little pieces. But if you’re thinking that’s what to do with an old passport, think again. Expired passports can actually come in handy, even after you’ve renewed your passport and received a new one.
How, exactly? We spoke with Matthew Pierce, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Passport Services in the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Consular Affairs, and William Worster, a university lecturer of to find out. Read on for all the details about what you can do with that expired passport—and if you should ever toss it.
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What to do with an old passport
“An expired U.S. passport may be useful as proof of identity and citizenship for purposes such as obtaining a new U.S. passport,” says Pierce. But there are a few things you need to know about how to use it for these purposes and more.
Use it to get a new one
The biggest reason you need your old passport is so you can get a new one. “When you renew your passport by mail or in person, you must submit your most recent passport with your application,” says Pierce. “When renewing by mail, your most recent passport must have been issued within the last 15 years.” For online passport renewals, you’ll need to enter data from your most recent passport, which Pierce says needs to be expiring within one year or have been expired for less than five years.
Use it for proof of citizenship
“Generally, passports can be used as proof of U.S. citizenship, no matter how long ago they expired,” says Pierce. So if you ever lose your valid passport and need to apply for a replacement, you can send in your expired passport as proof of citizenship instead of your original birth certificate. You could also present it at a U.S. consulate abroad, expired passport in hand, and expedite the process of getting a new passport.
“If you can provide your old passport [when applying for a new one], it is easier for the passport agency to know you are a U.S. citizen and they can quickly issue the new passport,” Worster says. “If you don’t have the old passport, then it’s harder to prove you are a U.S. citizen. If you are ever in a rush to get a passport, keeping your expired passport can be very handy for that.”
Use it if it has visas
In addition to a valid passport, some countries require U.S. citizens to obtain visas, even for short-term travel. These are typically stamps or stickers affixed to one of the pages of your passport. (You can check a specific country’s visa requirement on the U.S. State Department website.) While some international visas will expire after 30 to 90 days, others are valid for longer: For example, India’s current visa is valid for up to five years, and as of 2025, Brazil will require a visa, which will be valid for 10 years. So you could conceivably have a passport that expires before your visa does.
“If you have a valid visa in your old [expired] passport, check with the foreign embassy or consulate that issued the visa to see if you can still use it,” says Pierce. “If you are able to use the valid visa that is in the old [expired] passport, you must travel with both your new and old passport.” He adds that the biographical information in your old [expired] passport must match that of your new passport.
Is there ever a situation when you should destroy your old passport?
The U.S. State Department advises people against disposing of their old passport. But Pierce says that while there’s no penalty for destroying an old passport, there’s also no real incentive to do so. “Generally, passports can be used as proof of U.S. citizenship, no matter how long ago they expired,” he says. So it’s just a good idea to keep your old ones as backup. And don’t forget that passports are a snapshot of your past travels. It’s fun to look at the stamps and visas from all the countries you’ve visited and reflect on your adventures.
How to destroy an old passport
If you really feel the need to destroy an old passport—such as if it belongs to a deceased relative—there are a few things to note before you just throw it in the trash. “Keep in mind that most modern passports are made to be very durable and are difficult to destroy,” Worster says. “They are deliberately made this way so that they are not accidentally ruined or easily forged.”
Plus, biometric passports, which have been issued in the United States since 2007, contain chips with personal information that are even more difficult to effectively destroy and pose a risk of identity theft if they fall into the wrong hands. Instead of trying to cut it up or burn it, the most secure method is to send an old passport to the U.S. State Department passport agency and request that they destroy it.
FAQs
What should you do with your expired passport when applying for a new one?
As we mentioned, you’ll need your old passport, even if it’s expired, when applying to renew it: You will need to send it in if applying by mail, or enter info from it when applying online. If you don’t have your old one, or it’s been more than 15 years since it expired (when applying by mail), you can’t renew it; you’ll have to apply for a totally new one.
Tip: If you’re a frequent traveler and you know you’ll be visiting many countries with your new passport, be sure to check the box for a “large book passport” on the renewal form. (Case in point: On a recent trip to Africa, my family members and I all needed multiple blank pages for our entries and exits from neighboring countries.) It costs the same as a standard passport book (currently $130) and helps ensure that you don’t run out of passport pages before your passport expires, requiring you to apply for a renewal yet again.
When your new passport is mailed to you, the old passport will be returned to you as well, typically with a hole punched in it. This cancels its validity, but it also helps you avoid inadvertently grabbing the wrong passport as you’re heading out the door to the airport.
How can you check if your passport is valid?
That’s an easy one. The photo page of your passport contains, among other information, your name, nationality, date and place of birth, and your passport issue and expiration date. And it’s really important to check the expiration date well in advance of an international trip. Many countries, including in Europe, require that your passport be valid for at least 90 days after your scheduled journey. That means if you plan to visit Italy, for example, and stay from May 15 to June 1, 2025, your passport must be valid through August 30, 2025—90 days after your scheduled departure from Italy.
Still other countries, including many in Asia and the Middle East, require six months of validity after the end of your scheduled trip. This rule is taken very seriously: You may not be able to complete online check-in, or even complete a purchase with an airline, if your passport expires within the required validity period. And if you do manage to check in and get as far as the airport, you could be denied entry at security or, worse yet, be turned away once you arrive at passport control in the foreign country (although it’s unlikely you’ll get that far).
How long does it take to renew a passport?
As for how long it takes to get a new passport, according to the State Department, you’ll receive your renewed passport in four to six weeks, assuming there are no anomalies with your application. If you pay an additional $60 for an expedited renewal, you should have your new passport in two to three weeks. An emergency passport renewal or replacement, such as when your passport has been lost or stolen, or when you have international travel scheduled within 14 days, can be handled directly at an authorized passport agency or center.
Additional reporting by Morgan Cutolo.
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Sources:
- Matthew Pierce, Deputy Assistant Secretary for Passport Services in the Bureau of Consular Affairs; email interview, November 2024
- William Worster, university lecturer of
- U.S. Department of State—Bureau of Consular Affairs: “U.S. Passports”
- U.S. Department of State—Bureau of Consular Affairs: “Learn About Your Destination”
- Consulate General of India: “E-Visa”
- U.S. Embassy and Consulates in Brazil: “Message for U.S. Citizens: Postponement of Brazilian Visa Requirement to 2025”
