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So I'm a dual US/Colombian citizen, and I just realized I booked a trip to Colombia on the same date my passport expires!

I still hold an up-to-date Colombian "cedula" (aka citizenship card), but I totally forgot that my passport would expire soon... can I still travel?

Could the airline or Colombian customs refuse to let me through for that? I have a brand new US passport, but I am going to travel with a one-way ticket to Colombia.

I plan on renewing my passport as soon as I can in Colombia as it's faster than going thru the slowpokes at the Colombian consulate in the US...

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    Your passport is valid till the end (midnight) of that day.
    – Burhan Khalid
    Commented Mar 29, 2015 at 6:07

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In general, a citizen can't be denied to enter his own country that's sort of the meaning of being a citizen. Since you still have a valid passport there should be absolutely no problems. You are not a visitor, you are a citizen and all you need to do is convince the border guard you are a citizen. Even an expired passport would quite probably work but in this case, no problems.

Forget the US passport.

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  • So you're saying that for example if my passport says it expires April 15, 2015. It wouldn't be "officially" considered expired until the next day? April 16th?
    – unknownprotocol
    Commented Mar 27, 2015 at 1:17
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    The point is not when your passport expires, but that an expired passport doesn't mean you lose citizenship as Colombians without a passport are still Colombians.
    – MastaBaba
    Commented Mar 27, 2015 at 1:43
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    For people with just one passport, can you imagine what would happen if they are not let in with an expired passport? It's like the Terminal movie: you are not allowed into another country with an expired passport so where would you go, live in the airport terminal forever? Your home country always lets you in. They will even let you in without any passport if you are able to prove (birth certificate etc) citizenship it'll just take quite some time and hassle to get verified. Getting on a plane in this case might be difficult but that's all. But since you a passport, no probs.
    – user4188
    Commented Mar 27, 2015 at 1:52
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    Entering Colombia is not where the problem is going to be; it's most likely going to be with the airline.
    – user102008
    Commented Mar 27, 2015 at 2:42
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    The passport is still valid at the moment of boarding though. The airline has two needs: a) reliably identify the person b) make sure the passenger is not turned back at the border. Both are satisfied.
    – user4188
    Commented Mar 27, 2015 at 2:47
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On one on my last trips, in the immigration counter next to me, the agent was telling a traveler (with issues with dual nationality) that Colombia couldn't refuse colombian nationals the entry to Colombia, but if they want to leave the country again they had to resolve the problem with the colombian passport.

So I think that you won't have problems entering the country.

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    Yep, I actually ended up entering Colombia after my Colombian passport was expired... Zero problems. I guess an expired passport and a cedula is still more than enough proof of Colombian citizenship. But yes, leaving with an expired passport is more troublesome (even if my other nationality's passport is OK) especially now that they've added biometric security to the new Colombia passports. They want you to have/pay for those new ones! ;)
    – unknownprotocol
    Commented Jan 27, 2016 at 2:04
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    I think that you must exit the country with the same passport you entered, so is better if you go to some office of Ministerio de Relaciones Exteriores and get a new one, it cost near $45 and takes one day. (In Bogotá, outside Bogotá passport is more expensive and takes two or three days)
    – IAmJulianAcosta
    Commented Jan 27, 2016 at 2:36
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I went into Colombia with my expired Colombian passport with no issues, the agent at migration Colombia told me that in order for me to leave the country, I had to show a renewed passport before leaving the country. While in country make the appointment and get a new passport. No big issues!

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