If you were issued an emergency, limited-validity passport at an Embassy or Consulate because you had urgent need of travel, you should apply to renew this passport for a full-validity passport as soon as possible. All applicants, even children, may apply by mail as long as the emergency passport is still valid
Please Note: If your emergency passport was issued more than one year ago, you must follow the instructions for normal passport renewal, which may require you to appear in person (depending on your age) and will require you to pay renewal fees. See our page for Passport Services for more information.
How to renew a limited, temporary passport
Follow the step-by-step instructions to renew a limited, temporary passport issued less than one year ago:
STEP 1: Submit your emergency passport:
- You must submit your emergency passpory. This passport will be canceled and returned to you with your new passport.
STEP 2: Passport application form DS-5504:
- Parents should sign for children under age 16. Please disregard the instructions printed on pages 1-4 since that information pertains to passport renewal when residing in the U.S. The DS 5504 form must be printed on individual pages; double-sided applications are not accepted.
- Download form DS 5504 (PDF 76 KB) from the State Department Website.
Please note that according to U.S. law (26 USC 6039E) applicants for U.S. passports must provide a correct Social Security Number on the passport application. Failure to provide a Social Security Number if you have been issued one can result in a $500 fine enforced by the IRS. If you have never been issued a Social Security Number, write zeros in the boxes and sign the affidavit of no Social Security number. The U.S. Embassy in Stockholm does not have access to Social Security Administration records.
STEP 3: Proof of Citizenship and/or Identity
If the endorsement on the last page of your emergency passport states that your passport was issued under 22 CFR 51.41, you must also submit proof of citizenship in the form of one of the following:
- a U.S. birth certificate; or
- a U.S. naturalization certificate; or
- a U.S. certificate of citizenship; or
- a U.S. consular report of birth abroad; or
- an expired full validity, U.S. passport;
If the endorsement on the last page of your emergency passport states that your passport was issued under 22 CFR 51.28, you must also submit proof of identity in the form of one of the following:
- a valid passport of any country; or
- a valid driver’s license with photograph; or
- a national identity card with photograph; or
- a valid U.S. or state government ID card; or
- a valid U.S. military ID card;
STEP 4: Photographs
- The Embassy will reject any photographs that do not meet the specified requirements.
STEP 5: Envelope
Prepare an envelope with a shipment label ordered here (Skicka Direkt):
Choose the weight of 250g (100g is not enough to ship your old and new passport):
Use the following From/Från address:
American Embassy
American Citizen Services
Dag Hammarskjöld väg 31
SE-115 89 Stockholm
The recipient (Till) is the person to which you would like your passport to be delivered (that is the name of the passport holder for an adult and the name of a parent for a minor).
Please note: If you cannot use ‘Skicka Direkt’ as per above instructions, you must enclose a self-addressed envelope with postage covering registered mail (98 SEK). Green pre-paid envelopes DO NOT cover registered mail.
If no envelope with postage or shipment label covering registered mail is submitted, the Embassy will be unable to process the application.
STEP 6: Send your Application
Please send your passport application, your valid temporary passport, self-addressed return envelope, photos, and additional proof of ID and citizenship (if applicable) to the following address:
Embassy of the United States of America
American Citizen Services
Dag Hammarskjolds vag 31
11589 Stockholm.
Failure to submit a complete and correct application will delay your case.
Since passports are such valuable documents, we recommend that you use registered mail (rekommenderad post) when sending the passport applications to the U.S. Embassy.
Processing Time
Upon receiving a complete application the processing time for a passport is approximately 5-7 weeks.
Entering the U.S.
According to Section 215 of the U.S. Immigration and Nationality Act (8 U.S.C. 1185), it is illegal for an American citizen to enter or leave the U.S. on anything other than an American passport. This applies to dual citizens as well, meaning that persons holding e.g. both Swedish and American citizenship and passports must enter and leave the U.S. on a U.S. passport. They may not enter/leave the U.S. on a Swedish passport. This applies to children as well as adults.