Chet Hanks says he’s “stuck” in Colombia in recent Instagram video.
Credit: Chet Hanks/Instagram
NEED TO KNOW
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Chet Hanks says he’s stranded in Colombia after traveling without his U.S. passport
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The actor, who is a dual citizen, explains he used his Greek passport but was denied entry to the U.S. without a green card
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Chet shared an update saying he’s fine, though he’s unsure how to resolve the situation without visiting Bogotá
Chet Hanks says he’s currently stranded in Colombia without a valid passport back into the United States, and he’s asking followers to “free me.”
On Friday, Feb. 27, the 35-year-old son of Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson took to Instagram to explain his recent travel troubles.
The Running Point star starts his video by saying he went to Puerto Rico last week for his “homie Max’s birthday.” During the trip, he had a “good time,” but while preparing to head home, he realized he’s only a few-hour flight away from Medellín, Colombia.
“Why don’t I go pull up on my homie Taylor who lives in Medellín?” Chet asks in the video. “F— it, yeah, sounds good.”
Chet Hanks on Jan. 29, 2026 in West Hollywood, Calif.
Credit: Natasha Campos/Getty
The actor then explains that he was traveling with his Greek passport, because he has dual citizenship from the European country. He also notes that he does have a U.S. passport, but he opted not to travel with it “because it’s about to expire.”
“Sometimes they don’t let you in the country even if it hasn’t expired, but it’s about to expire,” Chet claims.
The day he was supposed to leave, he reports arriving at the airport three hours early to check into his flight back home. However, the airline informed him at the gate he wouldn’t be able to enter the U.S.
“They tell me that if I’m using a foreign passport, I need a green card to get back into America,” Chet says. “I don’t have a green card because I’m an American citizen.”
Chet and father Tom Hanks on Jan. 10, 2024 in Los Angeles.
Credit: Amy Sussman/Getty
He adds: “I don’t have my American passport with me. So I’m literally stuck in Colombia. I’m stuck in Medellín.”
He then admits “there’s worse places to be stuck,” but says he has no idea what to do. There is a U.S. Embassy in Colombia to help get the issue resolved, but Chet says “I don’t want to get to Bogotá.”
“So, yeah, free me,” he says. “Free me.”
U.S. nationals, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the country, the U.S. State Department indicates on its website. The agency requires nationals to contact and visit the nearest U.S. embassy or consulate in person to replace a passport while abroad.
In the comments, some viewers offered a comedic take on the situation.
“The one time you should’ve pulled the ‘my dad is…’ card,” writes one user.
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On Sunday, March 1, Chet took to his Instagram Stories to share an update.
“Estamos bien, no te preocupes,” he writes in the on-screen caption of a selfie taken inside a gym. The caption translates to “We’re fine, don’t worry.”
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