Our section on American Citizenship contains information on CRBAs and first-time child passports, child renewals, adult renewals, emergency passports, and Social Security. For further information on all services discussed here, visit the website of the U.S. Embassy.
An emergency passport is one that is processed in Israel instead of being flown in from Washington. It may be issued on the spot or within two days.
Note: Emergency U.S. passports are not valid for travel through many countries, including France, Belgium, Holland and the Arab Emirates. It is important to clarify this in advance of your trip.
Obtaining an emergency passport
Appointments for passports and CRBAs are made available weekly on Wednesdays between 3PM and 4PM, on the website of the Embassy here.
If there are no appointments available at all, request an emergency appointment via the same link.
Emergency appointments are released Monday – Friday between 3 – 4 pm. Appointments, made via this link, will be for the following business day.
If you are applying for a newborn or a child not yet registered as a US citizen, choose Emergency Passport for First Time Applicants.
One is NOT required to bring a paid airline ticket to this appointment. However, for the sake of fairness, this option should NOT be used if you have travel in a few months’ time.
Please note: According to the new system, if you hold a ten-year passport and it is still valid or expired less than five years ago, you are NOT eligible to book an emergency appointment.
Emergency passport application requires the same documentation as for a regular passport. See our guides on First-time Child U.S. passport application or US Passport Renewal for further details.
If your need for an emergency passport is approved, you will be issued a limited-validity emergency passport with a purple cover the same day, valid generally for only six months. The fee is the same as a regular passport.
Note: one CANNOT issue a visa on this passport.
If you applied for a full-validity passport but have not received notification that your passport has arrived, you may apply for an emergency passport via the link above. You will need to submit a new application form and photos. However, you will not need to pay the application fees again unless they have already mailed the passport to you.
Exchanging an Emergency Passport
A limited validity passport can be replaced with a full validity passport either by mail or via the drop box at the entrance to the Embassy.
To exchange an emergency passport with a full-validity one, you must send:
- Your emergency passport
- A passport photo (if the emergency passport was for a newborn, the new picture should be a current one)
- Form DS-5504 (if the applicant is under 16 years old, one parent must sign the form on his behalf)
- If the applicant does not yet have a Social Security number (common in the case of new babies), include a signed and dated statement that the applicant has not yet been issued a Social Security number.
If you want the passport returned by courier, include a note in your envelope containing your name and mailing address, written clearly, and your contact information.
The drop box is accessible during opening hours only (Mon-Thurs 9 am – 3 pm, Friday 9 am – 12 pm). When using the drop-box option, it is highly recommended to complete a return delivery envelope, found on the shelf on top of the box. This will provide you with a tracking number.
Please note: If the exchange is made within one year of issuance of the emergency passport (i.e. before it expires), it is free of charge.
Mailing Addresses
· American Citizen Services, U.S. Embassy Jerusalem, P.O. Box 290, Jerusalem 9100201
· American Citizen Services – Passports, U.S. Embassy Branch Office Tel Aviv, 71 Hayarkon Street, Tel Aviv 6343229