Can an expired passport be used as proof of citizenship

You can travel and identify yourself with a passport and an identity card. A Dutch citizenship certificate can be used to prove your Dutch citizenship.

  1. Applying for a new passport or renewing your old one
  2. Applying for a Dutch passport outside the Netherlands
  3. Applying for an emergency passport
  4. Applying for a business passport
  5. Applying for an alien’s passport
  6. Applying for a refugee passport
  7. Applying for a second passport

Dutch citizenship certificates

If you move outside the Netherlands, intend to get married, or want to be eligible for certain jobs (some civil service posts, for instance), you may need to prove you are a Dutch citizen. If you live outside the Netherlands, you can apply for a bewijs van Nederlanderschap (Dutch citizenship certificate) at the embassy or consulate of the Netherlands in the country where you live. If you live in the Netherlands, you can apply at the Afdeling Burgerzaken of your municipality.

To be eligible for a Dutch citizenship certificate, you must:

  • be a Dutch citizen;
  • (if you live in the Netherlands) be registered as a resident in the municipality where you file your application;
  • show a valid form of identification.

Period of validity of Dutch citizenship certificates

The period of validity of Dutch citizenship certificates is not laid down in law. The organisation that asks to see the certificate can itself decide its period of validity.

Applying for a Dutch passport or identity card

If you have Dutch citizenship, you should apply for a Dutch passport or identity card to the municipality where you are registered. You will need to bring a colour photo and your old documents with you. Make sure the photo meets the requirements for accepting passport photos in Dutch travel documents.

All children (even babies) need their own passport or identity card to travel. You have to pay a fee for your passport or identity card.

Fingerprints in passports

When you apply for a Dutch passport, your fingerprints will be recorded – a requirement from which only children under 12 are exempt. Your fingerprints will not be recorded if you apply for an identity card. After issue, the fingerprints will only be stored in your passport.

The travel document contains an image of the holder’s fingerprints in order to prevent identity theft (i.e. using false or stolen identity documents to impersonate someone else).

Period of validity of passports and identity cards

Passports and identity cards are valid for 10 years in the case of adults and 5 years in the case of children under 18.

Aliens’ and refugee travel passports

Non-Dutch citizens who have a verblijfsvergunning (residence permit) and who are unable to obtain a passport from their country of origin sometimes qualify for an alien’s passport. You can apply for an alien’s passport to the municipality where you are registered.

If you have refugee status, you can apply for a refugee passport to the municipal authority where you are registered. You must have a residence permit showing that you have been admitted as a refugee.

You can use your alien’s or refugee passport to travel to all countries except your home country. Both can be used in the Netherlands as proof of identity.

Residence permits and leave to remain cards

Residence permits are issued to aliens permitted to live in the Netherlands under the Aliens Act or Community law. Leave to remain (W-document) cards are issued to aliens who have applied for asylum in the Netherlands but have not yet received a final decision on their application. The Immigratie- en Nturalisatiedienst – IND (Immigration and Naturalisation Service) issues residence permits and leave to remain cards.

The most important document you’ll submit to get your new US passport is your proof of citizenship.  Without appropriate official documents to prove you are a US citizen, you won’t be issued a passport!  Today we’ll look in depth at all the forms of proof of citizenship you can use when you apply for a passport.

Birth Certificate Showing Birth in the US

For most travelers, the easiest way to prove US citizenship is to submit a birth certificate showing birth in the US.  Want to learn more?  We wrote a whole article about birth certificate requirements and how you can obtain an official copy of your birth certificate.

Expired US Passport

Are you going through the new adult passport process because your last passport was issued more than 15 years ago?  Good news — you don’t need to dig out your birth certificate.  Your expired passport can be used as your proof of citizenship!  Make sure you are still recognizable as the person in the passport photo on your old passport, though.  If you’re now 30 years old and your last passport was issued when you were 5, that’s not going to work.

Naturalization Certificate

Naturalized citizens can submit the original US naturalization certificate or a certified copy.  If you’ve lost your naturalization certificate or need to get a new copy, you can apply for a replacement using USCIS Form N-565. Replacement certificates cost $345… we recommend keeping yours in a safe place!

Certificate of Citizenship

Certificates of Citizenship are issued to people who were born overseas but acquired US citizenship through their parents.  This includes people who were born to US citizen parents abroad, as well as those who were adopted internationally by US citizen parents.  If you have a Certificate of Citizenship, you can submit your original certificate as proof of citizenship with your US passport application.  Replacement certificates can also be obtained by filing Form N-565.

Consular Record of Birth Abroad

Another proof of citizenship for people who were born to US citizen parents in a foreign country is the Consular Record of Birth Abroad.  The Consular Record of Birth Abroad is also known as the CRBA or Form FS-240. Your parents would have needed to register your birth at the US Embassy or Consulate in the location where you were born.  If you still have your original Consular Record of Birth Abroad, great!  If you need a replacement document, you can order one from the State Department for $50.

Certification of Report of Birth

Form DS-1350, the Certification of Report of Birth, is another proof of citizenship document that may be held by people born overseas to US citizen parents.  The US State Department stopped issuing these certificates in 2010, but if you still have your original DS-1350, you can submit it with your passport application to prove your US citizenship.

If you have an unusual citizenship situation, call G3 to talk to a Passport Specialist about what proof of citizenship you can use to get a passport!

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Is a US expired passport proof of citizenship?

Primary Evidence of US Citizenship Previous US Passport – Both valid and expired passports may be used. If your appearance has changed significantly since your passport was issued, you may need to submit a different form of proof of US citizenship.

Is an expired passport proof of citizenship UK?

You can use any documents that show your identity or nationality, for example: a passport (current or expired) proof that you've been given British citizenship - such as a UK citizenship certificate.

What can be used as citizenship proof?

Proof of U.S. citizenship: You must either provide your most recently issued passport, an original U.S. birth certificate, a Consular Report of Birth Abroad (FS-240), a naturalization certificate, or a certificate of citizenship.

Can you use an expired passport?

Recently expired passports cannot be used to travel from the United States to an international destination or to travel to a foreign country for any length of stay longer than an airport connection en route to the United States or to a United States territory.