Il mio passaporto è scaduto. Posso viaggiare?

My passport has expired. Can I travel?

Pronunciation

sca-DU-to — stress on second syllable. Past participle of 'scadere' (to expire).

When to use it

In an emergency situation at the airport when you realise your travel document has expired.

What it means

'Scaduto' is the past participle of 'scadere' (to expire) and is used for passports, IDs, credit cards, and food products alike. 'Posso viaggiare?' (Can I travel?) is a direct question. The answer depends on the destination — EU citizens can use their carta d'identità within the EU.

Variations

La mia carta d'identità è valida per questo viaggio?

Is my ID card valid for this journey?

Italian ID cards are valid for EU travel even if expired up to 5 years ago for some countries

Dove posso rinnovare il passaporto urgentemente?

Where can I renew my passport urgently?

Italian questure offer emergency passport renewals

Posso viaggiare con un passaporto scaduto da un mese?

Can I travel with a passport that expired one month ago?

Some countries allow short grace periods

Mini Dialogue

— Il mio passaporto è scaduto. Posso viaggiare per Berlino? — Ha la carta d'identità italiana? — Sì, è valida. — Per la Germania può usare la carta d'identità. Non serve il passaporto. — Meno male! Grazie mille.

— My passport has expired. Can I travel to Berlin? — Do you have an Italian ID card? — Yes, it's valid. — For Germany you can use the ID card. You don't need the passport. — Thank goodness! Thank you very much.

Cultural Note

Italian citizens can travel to all EU and Schengen countries with their carta d'identità (national ID card) even without a passport. For travel outside the Schengen area, a valid passport is required. Passports must often be valid for at least 6 months beyond the travel dates for non-EU countries.

← Previous

Dov'è la farmacia in aeroporto?

Ho uno scalo a Frankfurt. Devo ritirare i bagagli?

← All phrases: At the Airport