Exiting and Entering the U.S. and Hungary Without a Valid U.S. Passport

Last Updated on 08/30/2005

American citizens must possess valid passports in order to enter and exit the U.S. and most foreign countries. Airlines are responsible for ensuring that passengers hold valid passports and generally will not allow passengers to board flights without this documents. Bear in mind that the U.S. Embassy cannot intervene when this situation occurs, although in our experience airlines will sometimes allow passengers to return to the U.S. on the next flight.

If your U.S. passport has been lost or stolen while traveling in Europe and you are en route to Hungary, it is strongly recommended that you visit your nearest U.S. Consulate to replace your U.S. passport before coming to Hungary. The U.S. Embassy in Budapest is not able to arrange entry into the country for U.S. citizens who arrive without proper travel documents.

Please note: Due to several recent incidents, the Embassy would like to remind all U.S. citizens that by law, U.S. passports must be carried at all times. The Police can stop you anytime, anywhere and can ask for your passport.  If you do not have your passport on you, the police can detain you until they are able to verify your citizenship.