No. Do not plan to use an old U.S. passport for international travel while its renewal is pending. If you renew online, the U.S. Department of State cancels or invalidates the passport after you submit the application, even though you keep the physical document. If you renew by mail, you must send in your most recent passport, so it is not available for travel. Apply only when you are ready to stop relying on the old passport.
Compare renewal timing with your trip
Before renewing, check your travel dates, your passport’s expiration date and the entry rules for every destination and transit country. Many countries require a passport to remain valid for a set period after arrival or departure, often up to six months. Airline staff may deny boarding when a traveler does not meet the destination’s document rules.
If your current passport meets all requirements and you have a trip soon, completing that trip before applying for renewal may be the safer choice. Once you submit an online renewal, the old passport cannot be used for international travel. With a mail renewal, you must send the passport to the Department of State with Form DS-82.
Online renewal is for eligible applicants who need routine service. You must not have international travel planned for at least six weeks from the date you submit the application, and online renewals cannot be expedited when submitted. If travel is closer, renewal by mail with expedited service or an appointment at a passport agency or center may be more appropriate.
Current processing estimates are four to six weeks for routine service and two to three weeks for expedited service. These periods do not include mailing time. The Department of State says it may take up to two weeks for an application to reach it and up to two weeks for a completed passport to arrive after mailing. A problem with the application, photo or supporting documents can add further time.
The practical rule is simple: do not submit a renewal until you can stop using the old passport immediately.
What happens while the renewal is pending
The outcome is similar for online and mail renewals, although the old passport is handled differently.
- Online renewal: You keep the physical passport, but the Department of State cancels or invalidates it after submission. Its printed expiration date does not make it valid for international travel.
- Mail renewal: You send your most recent passport with Form DS-82. The Department of State normally returns it in a separate mailing, which can arrive up to four weeks after the new passport book or card.
Trying to travel with an invalidated passport can result in denied boarding or refusal at a border. A passport photograph or photocopy is never a travel document. A U.S. passport card is not valid for international air travel, although it may be accepted for certain land and sea travel involving the United States.
Can you still use a visa in the old passport?
Possibly. A visa is issued by a foreign government, so ask the embassy or consulate that issued it whether the visa can still be used with your new passport. The Department of State specifically advises travelers to check with the issuing embassy or consulate when they need a visa in an old passport for travel.
If the issuing government permits this arrangement, you will generally need to carry both the old passport containing the visa and the valid new passport. Do not remove or alter the visa. Some countries require a replacement visa after a passport is renewed or its number changes.
Can you book travel before receiving the new passport?
You may be able to reserve a flight before the new passport arrives, but airline procedures vary. If the booking system does not require passport details immediately, add the new information after you receive the passport. If passport information is required to complete the booking, contact the airline rather than treating the old passport number as final.
A renewed passport has a new passport number, so update any advance passenger information before check-in. Make sure the passenger name on the reservation exactly matches the name in the new passport, especially after a name change. A booking does not guarantee that the passport will arrive in time, so changeable or refundable arrangements can reduce the risk of loss.
How to check application status
The Department of State sends application updates by email when you provide an email address. You can also check status online using your last name, date of birth and the last four digits of your Social Security number.
It can take up to two weeks after applying for a status to appear. Updates may show that the application is in process, approved or mailed, or that more information is required. The mailed-status update includes tracking information for a passport book; passport cards are sent by First Class Mail.
Reply promptly if the Department of State requests another photo, document or correction. For online renewals, the Department says applicants must respond to a request for more information within 90 days of the date on its letter or email.
What to do when travel becomes urgent
If you have already applied and now have international travel within 14 calendar days, call the National Passport Information Center at 877-487-2778. Have your travel details and application information available. The Department of State cannot guarantee that an appointment will be available.
Passport agencies and centers serve travelers by appointment when international travel is within 14 calendar days, or when a foreign visa is needed within 28 calendar days. If you have already submitted an application, call rather than trying to book a new appointment online. If you have not applied, use the Department of State’s official online appointment system.
Bring proof of international travel, such as an airline itinerary, to an appointment. Passport agencies and centers do not accept ordinary walk-in visits, and appointments made directly through the Department of State are free. Avoid companies that claim they can sell or guarantee appointments.
A separate life-or-death emergency service may be available when you must travel abroad within two weeks because an immediate family member outside the United States has died, is dying, is in hospice care, or has a life-threatening illness or injury. The Department of State requires evidence of both the emergency and the planned travel.
Update travel records after the new passport arrives
When the new passport arrives, inspect the personal details and sign it. Then update records that are tied to the previous passport number.
- Update airline and cruise reservations. Replace the old passport number and enter the new document’s issue and expiration dates where required.
- Review visas. Confirm with the issuing government whether a visa in the old passport remains usable with the new passport.
- Update Trusted Traveler Programs. Global Entry members can update passport information through their Trusted Traveler Programs account. A name change requires a visit to a Global Entry enrollment center.
- Check electronic travel authorizations. These permissions may be linked to the passport used in the application. For example, a United Kingdom Electronic Travel Authorisation is linked to the passport used to apply; if that passport changes, a new authorization is required.
- Update travel profiles. Correct saved passport information in airline, employer, travel agency and corporate booking accounts.
The European Travel Information and Authorisation System, known as ETIAS, is scheduled to start operations in the last quarter of 2026, but the European Union has not announced a specific launch date. ETIAS authorization will be connected to the travel document used in the application. Once the system is operating, travelers who receive a new passport will need a new authorization for that passport. See whether you need a new ETIAS when you get a new passport for a detailed explanation.
Keep the returned, cancelled passport secure if it contains visas or useful travel records. Carry it on a future trip only when the government that issued the visa has confirmed that the visa remains acceptable alongside the new passport.
