People Say That Their Passports Have Been Cancelled, Here’s How To Check the Status of Yours

Picture this: You're traveling from the U.S. to another country. You've spent months (or maybe even years) planning for this trip, and you've dotted all of the i's and crossed all of the t's to make sure that the only issue you have to face is long lines at security. However, once you arrive to your destination, you're met with a customs agent who tells you that you aren't actually legally allowed to enter the country, despite having a U.S. passport in your hands.

Think it can't happen to you?

Unfortunately, it can. Between expired passports, unexpected changes in the rules, and even a weird glitch in the system, your passport may no longer be valid once you arrive at your destination. So what's an excited world traveler to do? Some people are suggesting that you check your passport before you jet off to a new location. But, is that something you can even do? And if so, how do you check your passport status?

Here's everything we know about how to avoid passport delays at customs.

If you're planning to travel out of the country, chances are that you've already checked the U.S. Department of State's website to find out exactly what you need to do to apply for a passport.

In addition to providing details about the what and the how of applying for the travel document, there's also a section that allows you to check your application status. This will give you an update as to whether your application is:

• In process
• Approved
• Passport Mailed
• Supporting documents mailed

However, once you've received your passport, there's no easy way to go online and check the status of it. That could be particularly frustrating for travelers who are getting ready to head out of the country, and who would like to confirm that when they arrive, they will be greeted with the open arms of the country they intend to visit, instead of legal red tape from customs agents who tell them that they are no legally allowed to enter the country based on an issue with their passport.

While that may seem like a far-fetched idea, there are plenty of people on TikTok who are saying that this very thing has happened to them. TikToker @marcyistraveling says that when she landed in Rome during a January 2026 trip, customs agents told her that there was an Interpol alert on her passport, and that her passport had been reported "lost or stolen," even though the OP says that she never did any such thing.

A similar thing happened to TikToker @porkerga.

He told his followers that he was actually deported when he arrived in Thailand because he was told that his passport wasn't valid. According to him, there was actually no way for him to find out what had happened at the federal level, even when he reached out directly to try and get to the bottom of things.

And these two TikTokers say that they aren't alone, and that since sharing their stories, many other people have said they went through the same thing.

With so many people struggling with invalid or cancelled passports, it's really a shame that there isn't an easy way to check the status of your documents once they are actually approved by the U.S. government so that you can avoid these travel nightmares.