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Get a Passport If You Have a Life-or-Death Emergency

You may qualify for an appointment if you need to travel abroad in the next 2 weeks because your immediate family member outside of the United States has died, is dying or in hospice care, or has a life-threatening illness or injury.

Who qualifies as an immediate family member

Immediate family members include:

  • parent or legal guardians
  • children
  • spouses
  • siblings
  • grandparents

We do not consider aunts, uncles, cousins, or other relatives to be immediate family members.

If you are traveling to another country for your own medical services, you will not qualify for life-or-death emergency service. Instead, you can make an appointment at a passport agency or center for urgent travel when you are within 14 calendar days of your international travel date.

How to make an appointment

Schedule your appointment up to 2 weeks before your international travel. 

Follow these steps:

  1. 1

    Get documentation of the emergency. Documentation may include a:

    • Death certificate.

    • Statement from a mortuary.

    • Letter from the hospital. The letter must be on hospital letterhead, signed by a doctor, and explain your relative’s medical condition.

  2. 2

    If the document is not in English, get it translated by a professional translator.  

  3. 3

    Get proof that you are traveling abroad in the next 2 weeks such as an itinerary or airline ticket.

  4. 4

    Prepare:

  5. 5

    Make an appointment.

    The process depends on several factors: 

    • First, try to make an appointment online if you have not applied for a passport.  
    • If you are unable to get an appointment online or you have already applied for a passport: 
      • Mondays through Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET: Dial 877-487-2778. If you are deaf or hard of hearing, dial 888-874-7793 for TDD/TTY teletype services. 
      • Saturdays, Sundays, federal holidays, and after 8:00 p.m. ET on Mondays through Fridays: Dial 202-647-4000. Do not dial this number on Mondays through Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. ET.  

Related information

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  • Make an Appointment at a Passport Agency
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  • Scams
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Last Updated: May 12, 2026

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