Short version: Yes. TSA’s list of acceptable IDs includes a foreign government-issued passport, so a Guatemalan passport counts as acceptable ID at the security checkpoint for a domestic US flight (TSA adds that if your identity cannot be verified, you will not be allowed into the checkpoint). TSA accepts IDs on its list up to two years after expiration. The DPI, a Guatemalan driver’s license and the consular ID card are not on the list. Without acceptable ID there is TSA ConfirmID ($45, no guarantee). General information; TSA says its list is subject to change without notice.
This page answers one question: which Guatemalan ID gets you through TSA screening on a domestic US flight. It does not cover airline requirements, entering Guatemala on an expired passport, or immigration matters.
On and off TSA’s list
| ID | On TSA’s list? | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Guatemalan passport | Yes: foreign government-issued passport | Valid up to two years past expiry (TSA’s general rule for its list) |
| Permanent resident card (green card) | Yes | |
| USCIS Employment Authorization Card (I-766) | Yes | |
| REAL ID-compliant state license or ID | Yes | Since 7 May 2025, state licenses and IDs that are not REAL ID compliant are no longer accepted |
| Temporary driver’s license | No | TSA says so explicitly |
| Guatemalan DPI | No | The list has no foreign national ID cards |
| Guatemalan driver’s license | No | The only foreign license on the list is a Canadian provincial one |
| Consular ID card (TICG) | No | The list has no consular ID cards |
TSA’s full list also includes the US passport and passport card, DHS trusted traveler cards (Global Entry, NEXUS, SENTRI, FAST), the border crossing card and other IDs.
Expired passport: the two-year rule
TSA says: “TSA currently accepts expired ID up to two years after expiration, for the above listed forms of identification.” Because a foreign passport is one of those forms, a Guatemalan passport that expired less than two years ago falls under the rule. More than two years expired, it does not.
Keep two things apart:
- Flying within the US is the TSA rule on this page.
- Entering Guatemala on an expired passport is a separate question under Guatemalan rules: see can you enter Guatemala with an expired Guatemalan passport?. To renew it, see renew your Guatemalan passport from the US.
No acceptable ID: TSA ConfirmID
Since 1 February 2026, anyone who cannot show acceptable ID at the checkpoint can pay $45 for TSA ConfirmID. What TSA publishes:
- Payment is only through Pay.gov, ideally before heading to the airport. You enter the traveler’s legal name and travel start date; someone else may pay.
- The payment is valid for 10 days from the travel date entered.
- Each adult 18 or older without acceptable ID goes through the process separately.
- At the checkpoint you show the receipt (printed or on your phone) and TSA attempts to verify your identity. TSA says there is no guarantee it can, and that without acceptable ID you may not be allowed through security and may miss your flight.
Children
TSA says it does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling within the United States. For airline requirements for minors, TSA refers you to the airline.
What about getting a REAL ID with a Guatemalan passport?
That’s a different question, governed by the federal REAL ID rule (6 CFR 37.11) that each state’s DMV applies:
- Among accepted identity documents is an unexpired foreign passport with a valid, unexpired US visa affixed, accompanied by the approved I-94 for the most recent admission.
- The rule says a DMV may issue a REAL ID only to a person who presents satisfactory evidence of lawful status in the US, and that verifying a foreign passport with visa does not by itself provide that evidence: the applicant must also present a second document from the rule’s list, or DHS or other federal documentation demonstrating lawful status as determined by USCIS.
In short: a Guatemalan passport is enough to fly, but not enough on its own to get a REAL ID. Each state’s DMV has its own forms. And a state license that is not REAL ID compliant has not worked at TSA checkpoints since 7 May 2025.
Related pages
- Guatemalan consular ID card (TICG)
- Renew your Guatemalan passport from the US
- Driving in the US with a Guatemalan driver’s license
- Opening a US bank account with a Guatemalan passport
- Guatemalan diaspora services from the US
Sources
Read on 3 October 2026.
| Document | Institution | Link |
|---|---|---|
| Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint | TSA | https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification |
| TSA ConfirmID | TSA | https://www.tsa.gov/confirmid |
| 6 CFR 37.11, Application and documents the applicant must provide (current eCFR text) | Department of Homeland Security | https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-6/chapter-I/part-37/subpart-B/section-37.11 |
TSA’s pages returned HTTP 403 to an automated request and were read in a browser. General information, not legal or immigration advice. En español: ¿Puedo volar dentro de Estados Unidos con pasaporte guatemalteco?.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I fly within the United States with my Guatemalan passport?
Yes, according to TSA’s list of acceptable identification (read 3 October 2026). The list includes a foreign government-issued passport. TSA requires valid ID from passengers 18 and older at the checkpoint, and warns that the list is subject to change without notice.
Can I fly with an expired Guatemalan passport?
TSA says it currently accepts expired ID up to two years after expiration, for the forms of identification on its list. A foreign passport is on that list. Beyond two years past expiry, it no longer falls under that rule.
Does the DPI, a Guatemalan driver's license or the consular ID card work for flying?
They are not on TSA’s list. The only foreign driver’s license on the list is a Canadian provincial license, and the list includes no foreign national ID cards or consular ID cards. The Guatemalan passport is on it.
What happens if I get to the airport without acceptable ID?
Since 1 February 2026, TSA offers TSA ConfirmID: you pay $45 on Pay.gov and TSA attempts to verify your identity so you can go through screening, but it says there is no guarantee it can. The payment is valid for 10 days from the travel date entered, and each adult does it separately.
Do my children need ID to fly within the US?
TSA says it does not require children under 18 to provide identification when traveling within the United States, and refers you to the airline for its own requirements for minors.
