Life-or-Death Emergency Passports: Who Qualifies and How the Process Works
Short answer
If an immediate family member — a parent, child, spouse, sibling, or grandparent — has died, is dying, or has a life-threatening illness or injury abroad and you must travel within 14 days, the State Department offers life-or-death emergency appointments at regional passport agencies. You will need documentation such as a death certificate, mortuary statement, or a signed hospital letter, plus proof of your travel.
Who counts as immediate family
The emergency process covers a parent, legal guardian, child, spouse, sibling, or grandparent. Aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends do not qualify under the life-or-death rules, though a standard urgent-travel appointment may still be possible within the 14-day window.
The emergency must be abroad: the family member's death, dying condition, or life-threatening illness or injury must be in the country you are traveling to.
Documentation you will need
Bring one of: a death certificate, a statement from a mortuary, or a signed letter on letterhead from a hospital or medical professional describing the condition. If the document is not in English, it must be translated by a professional translator.
You also need proof of imminent international travel — a flight itinerary or ticket — and everything a normal application requires: form, citizenship evidence, ID, photo, and payment.
How to get the appointment
Call the National Passport Information Center and state that you need a life-or-death emergency appointment. After hours there is a dedicated line for emergencies; the State Department's emergency page lists the current numbers.
If you already have a pending application, tell the agent — the agency can often locate and accelerate it rather than starting over.
If the emergency happens while you are abroad
U.S. citizens overseas dealing with a family emergency back home — or a lost passport during one — should contact the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate, which has its own emergency services for citizens.
Our embassy directory lists contact details for every post, and the lost-passport guide covers the replacement steps once you are able to file.
PassportOffices is an independent resource, not a government website. Rules, fees, and processing times change — always confirm details at travel.state.gov before you travel.