U.S. Department of State: Consular Affairs

In 2021, the State Department began rolling out the Next Generation Passport. The Next Gen Passport was made to be more secure and durable. Did you know these facts about your passport?

For more information about the Next Gen Passport, visit travel.state.gov/nextgenerationpassport

It’s soup season! If you like your travel advice served with a heavy dose of memes, puns, and cute animals, be sure to follow us on Instagram! http://instagram.com/travelgov

Was your guess correct?

In 2023 we issued over 24 million passports! We issued the most passports to these states:

🌐 California: 2,821,150
🌐 Florida: 1,502,928
🌐 New York: 1,471,479
🌐 Texas: 1,812,193

We’re in peak hurricane, cyclone, AND typhoon season, a time when minor storms can quickly develop into major weather events. If you’re traveling to a storm-prone area, be sure to monitor local weather conditions closely and keep an emergency kit ready with your passports, other important documents, your prescription medications, and local currency in cash in a watertight plastic bag. Find more tips at travel.state.gov/crisis.

We're working hard to make renewing your U.S. passport more convenient. Our online passport renewal (OPR) beta tool is now available, making it even easier to renew your passport entirely online. Anyone who prefers to renew by mail can still do so – processing times for OPR and renewal by mail are the same. See if you qualify for online renewal at travel.state.gov/renewonline.

Thank you, ! We excited to take the torch and welcome the world's best athletes to Los Angeles for the 2028 Games. Let the countdown begin!

Did you know Benjamin Franklin had a passport? Or that there used to be “family passports”? Passports have been around a long time and continue to evolve. What historical fact about passports surprised you the most?

We issue Travel Advisories with Levels 1 – 4. Level 4 means do not travel. This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. Before making travel plans, look up the Travel Advisory for your intended destination(s).
The Travel Advisories for the following countries are Level 4 - Do Not Travel:
⛔Afghanistan
⛔Bangladesh
⛔Belarus
⛔Burkina Faso
⛔Burma
⛔Central African Republic
⛔Haiti
⛔Iran
⛔Iraq
⛔Lebanon
⛔Libya
⛔Mali
⛔North Korea
⛔Russia
⛔Somalia
⛔South Sudan
⛔Sudan
⛔Syria
⛔Ukraine
⛔Venezuela
⛔Yemen
Read the full Advisories at travel.state.gov/traveladvisories

DYK, it’s ?

Follow along on accounts during the month of September for trivia, fun facts, and important information about your passport. Happy Travels!

We just checked your horoscope, and it looks like some amazing international travel may be in your future!

Just remember to check your passports’ expiration date, enroll in STEP, and visit travel.state.gov/destination for more info on your destination before you go.

Today marks the start of the Paralympic Games! 4,400 of the world’s elite Paralympic athletes are competing in France over the next 11 days and we can’t wait to cheer on ! For those attending in-person, remember to check out
U.S. Embassy France’s website for safety and security info, an interactive map, and more: fr.usembassy.gov/2024-special-events/

We try to keep travel advice simple. We issue Travel Advisories with Levels 1 – 4. Level 4 is the highest advisory level and means do not travel. Why? You have a greater likelihood of life-threatening risks and during an emergency we may have very limited ability to provide assistance. Always look up the advisory level for your destination before you travel at travel.state.gov/destination

Please do not book international flights or hotel reservations without checking your passport expiration date first. Many countries require passports to be valid for six months beyond the dates of your trip in order to enter, so if your passport is expiring anytime soon, it’s best to renew now to avoid a potential airport turnaround.

For those new to our accounts, here’s what we’re all about:

Our highest priority is to protect the lives and serve the interests of U.S. citizens abroad. Across the globe, we serve our fellow citizens during some of their most important moments – births, adoptions, medical emergencies, deaths, arrests, and disasters. We also help U.S. citizens connect with the world by issuing millions of U.S. passports each year. We keep our country safe and help foreign nationals connect with the United States by issuing visas to qualified visitors, workers, and immigrants. Pretty cool, right?

Visit travel.state.gov to learn more!

As you’re crossing things off that back-to-school to-do list, take a second to check your kids’ passport expiration date(s). It’s easy to forget that kids’ passports are only valid for 5 years (not 10), so the expiration date can sneak up on you. Save yourself hassle later by putting a reminder in your phone now for when to renew.

If you plan to travel to a hurricane-prone area overseas during storm season (June through November), be sure to research travel insurance, monitor weather systems via the National Hurricane Center ( and ), and read our tips for how to prepare at travel.state.gov/crisis.

Are you ready for some football? This year FIVE NFL games will be played overseas. If you’re planning to follow your team abroad, remember to do the following:
✅ Double-check your passport expiration date.

✅ Review our latest country-specific info, including entry and passport validity requirements, what you can and can’t pack, etc. for Brazil, the United Kingdom, or Germany at travel.state.gov/destination.

✅ Sign up for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (STEP) at step.state.gov to receive alerts from the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate.

Greece: The General Secretariat for Civil Protection has announced Very High Fire Risk (Risk Category 4) and Extreme Fire Risk (Risk Category 5) for many areas in Greece, including areas close to Athens. This high risk of fire is expected to continue in the coming days.
U.S. citizens should exercise extreme caution in affected areas. Civil Protection authorities are coordinating evacuations as needed from affected areas. Wildfires may create additional disruptions in the wider areas, such as power and/or water outages, poor air quality, and road closures.
U.S. citizens living in or traveling near any of the affected areas should follow instructions from local authorities and closely monitor the local media and emergency alerts. If you receive an order to evacuate (including via smart phone emergency alert message), follow the Greek authorities’ evacuation orders immediately.
More at https://gr.usembassy.gov/natural-disaster-alert-u-s-mission-greece-3/

Unfortunately, you can become the victim of a scam at home or abroad. There are many different types of scams, but most share a common goal: to take your money. If someone claims to be a friend or relative in trouble overseas, the U.S. embassy or consulate may be able to help. Before sending money, review our tips at travel.state.gov/scams

🏅Registered for the Smart Traveler Enrollment Program (step.state.gov)

🏅Looked up country-specific info for your destination at travel.state.gov/destination

🏅Represented the U.S. well during your time overseas.

If traveling were an Olympic or Paralympic sport, we’d give you a gold medal! 👏👏👏

Happy International Cat Day from TravelGov! We're celebrating by taking a picture-purrrrfect passport photo.

For more tips on looking PAWsome for that passport photo visit travel.state.gov/photo.

KENYA: Protests are expected to occur in Kenya on August 8. Even protests that seem peaceful can turn violent at any moment. Law enforcement has used water cannons, tear gas, and in some cases live ammunition in response to past protests.
The embassy has received reports of opportunistic crimes committed on the periphery of protests, including robberies, assaults, and rocks thrown through vehicle windows.
Law enforcement has increased security checkpoints on roads. Crowds have blocked roads with debris. Traffic disruptions can be expected.
Out of an abundance of caution, the Consular Section will be closed August 8 for routine services. American citizens should [email protected] in case of emergency. More at https://ke.usembassy.gov/demonstration-alert-for-u-s-citizens-4/

We issue Travel Advisories with Levels 1 – 4. Level 4 means do not travel. This is the highest advisory level due to greater likelihood of life-threatening risks. Before making travel plans, look up the Travel Advisory for your intended destination(s).

The Travel Advisories for the following countries are Level 4 - Do Not Travel:
⛔Afghanistan
⛔Bangladesh
⛔Belarus
⛔Burkina Faso
⛔Burma
⛔Central African Republic
⛔Haiti
⛔Iran
⛔Iraq
⛔Lebanon
⛔Libya
⛔Mali
⛔North Korea
⛔Russia
⛔Somalia
⛔South Sudan
⛔Sudan
⛔Syria
⛔Ukraine
⛔Venezuela
⛔Yemen
Read the full Advisories at travel.state.gov/traveladvisories

Bangladesh: A 00:00-06:00 curfew is in effect indefinitely. U.S citizens should shelter in a safe place, and strongly consider returning to the United States when safe to do so. Dhaka’s main airport, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (DAC) is open and flights are resuming. Regional airports are also open. For emergency U.S. citizen services, please contact us at [email protected]. https://ow.ly/foRq50SSV8t

Lebanon: The U.S. Embassy in Lebanon remains open and continues to process emergency passports, repatriation loans, and other emergency consular services. U.S. citizens who need financial assistance returning to the United States may apply for a repatriation loan. For several important points to be aware of when considering a repatriation loan from the U.S. government, see: https://ow.ly/ibaA50SSq6J

Bangladesh: On August 5, 2024, the Department ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government employees and family members. Travelers should not travel to Bangladesh due to ongoing civil unrest in Dhaka. Violent clashes have occurred throughout Bangladesh, and the Bangladeshi Army is deployed nationwide. Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport temporarily paused operations on August 5. Travelers should check with their airlines to confirm status for future flights. More: https://ow.ly/UVQG50SRXV9