A passport is an administrative document that certifies the identity and nationality of an individual. It is used for traveling abroad. Any individual who wishes can have a passport, as long as they apply for it, regardless of their age. In some cases, a passport alone is not sufficient to allow travel; it must be complemented by another document, the visa.
Can you really travel with an expired passport?
Since February 2020, in France and following a ruling by the French Court of Cassation, it is now possible to travel with an expired passport within each State of the European Union only. It should be noted that since the United Kingdom exited the European Union, England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales no longer accept French travelers holding an expired passport. For the rest of the Union, the passport must not have been expired for more than five years; otherwise, it becomes completely unusable.
Once this five-year period has expired, you must proceed to renew your passport if you wish to travel, following the procedure we detailed below. Be careful when purchasing your ticket, as airlines are not required to check the validity of your passport at the time of ticket purchase. You will need to check it yourself, or you risk being unable to travel despite holding a plane ticket. Many French citizens unfortunately find themselves trapped in this way every year just as they are about to go on vacation.
Similarly, some countries require that the validity date of your passport exceeds the end date of your stay by at least six months. This is particularly the case for countries such as Australia, Brazil, or China. Thus, if your passport is still valid but set to expire in three months, these countries will not grant you a visa allowing access to their territory. For other countries such as Canada or Tunisia, this period is one month.
Note that traveling with an expired passport can expose you to certain risks depending on the destination you are heading to. You may risk being immediately sent back to your country of origin at your own expense in some countries. Heavy fines can also be imposed on travelers holding an expired passport.
How to renew an expired passport?
Until 2009 in France, the passport was a simple paper document on which the identity of its holder appeared. Since that date, the biometric passport has been introduced, and it has the following characteristics:
- it details the identity and civil status of its holder;
- the identity photo on the document is digitized;
- it features the fingerprints of its holder.
A more advanced version of the biometric passport now exists, the electronic passport. Its particularity is that it is equipped with a chip that stores your digitized photo as well as your fingerprints. Its cover is also slightly different, as the word “ passport ” is underlined. It can thus be easily recognized at first glance.
How to apply for the renewal of an expired passport?
The application for a new biometric passport to replace yours is made at the town hall. The applicant must first prepare the necessary documents and proofs. The required documents differ based on the applicant’s age. Indeed, the supporting documents required are not the same for adults and minors.
The common documents to provide, regardless of the applicant’s age, are an identity photo, a tax stamp, and proof of your residence. The application for a passport as well as the payment of associated fees can also be done online.
What is the average time frame to obtain a new passport after renewal?
Once your application has been submitted, the average waiting time to receive your passport may vary from twelve to sixty days, or even up to one hundred days in some French departments. The cost of obtaining a passport is fixed in France at €55. The lifespan of a passport is ten years for an adult and five years for a minor, after which it expires and must be renewed.
