Can You Travel with a Green Card and No Passport (2026)

If you are a lawful permanent resident of the US, your Green Card can be used as an identification document and, in some cases, as a travel document. Hearing this, you might be asking “can I travel with a Green Card and an expired passport?”. Well, it depends.

In this article, we’ll go over all the details of traveling with a permanent resident card and an expired passport. Keep reading to clear all your doubts.

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Can I travel with a Green Card and an expired passport in the US?

It’s fundamental to underline that an expired passport is NEVER an acceptable form of ID or travel document. Once a document’s validity runs out of course, it needs to be renewed before any kind of use.

However, for domestic trips, American authorities do not require a passport. When traveling inside the United States by air, land, or sea, the TSA allows lawful permanent residents to use their Green Card to board transport.

According to the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), a Green Card will still be accepted after the Real ID Act deadline on May 3, 2023.

So, for domestic flights, authorities will accept the following documents:

• valid passport
• valid Green Card
• Real ID driver’s license
• trusted traveler card
• DoD identification
• border crossing card.

Can I travel with a Green Card and an expired passport outside the US?

While a Green Card holder can enter the United States without any other documents, having a US or foreign passport is mandatory to travel to other countries. 

Even in neighboring countries, such as Canada or Mexico, international travel with valid green cards and expired passports is not an option.

There are some exceptions for closed-loop cruises, but the rules change on a case-to-case basis. For final confirmation, it’s advisable to contact the cruise line.

In case a legal permanent resident is unable to get a passport from their country of origin, it’s possible to apply for a reentry permit. This temporary travel document allows you to travel abroad and come back to the United States, also without applying for a returning resident visa. 

However, before traveling, it’s important to check if the foreign country of destination accepts a reentry permit in place of a passport. To apply for this permit, it’s advisable to check in with an immigration law firm to see if you qualify.

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If you’re in need of a Green Card photo or a passport photo and don’t want to leave your home, consider using Passport Photo Online, a convenient app used by over a million people. With this app, you can take a high-quality photo that meets all of the specific requirements outlined by the US government right from the comfort of your own home. So why not save yourself a trip and use Passport Photo Online for your next Green Card or passport application?

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Travel with a Green Card and an expired passport: FAQ

To conclude, we’ll answer some recurring questions about traveling with a Green Card and no passport.

Travel with a valid Green Card and an expired passport — closing remarks

If you have permanent residence in the United States, you can use your Green Card to travel inside the country. To travel abroad, authorities always require a passport. The only exception is if you qualify for a reentry permit issued by the USCIS, not all countries consider it a valid travel document, though.

To get pictures for your new documents, trust Passport Photo Online to take them from home with 100% guarantee of compliance with the guidelines.

Sources

• [1] https://citizenpath.com/faq/can-i-file-form-i-485-with-an-expired-passport/

Riccardo Ollmert

Riccardo Ollmert is a multilingual writer and travel expert. He studied Languages, Literature and Publishing Industry at La Sapienza University of Rome. His passions include traveling and learning new skills.