Passport Concern!

You are fine, no need to have 6 months.
You are not a visitor to the US, you are a citizen.

I agree with Baxter22.

As an anecdote, and I don't know if this would be consistent with how quickly the U.S. Embassy in Australia might work, but my wife's passport was set to expire a couple of years ago so we sent our paperwork to the embassy in Paris for a new one (we live in France). Although she still had several months on her old passport that we returned with her renewal paperwork we got the new passport back in less than a month. This was without paying an extra fee or requesting expedited processing. Just a normal renewal.

In your case, though, I wouldn't bother unless there's some risk you won't actually be returning before the 15th.

Why stress - just renew your passport and be done with it.

No problem. Don't even consider wasting your time trying to renew. The 3 month/ 6 month rules are for foreigners entering a country, supposedly to ensure they don't overstay their passport validity. It doesn't apply to someone returning to their own country.

Most U.S. citizens don’t even HAVE a passport - LOL.

Part of my multi-stage career included a stint with U.S. Customs & Border Protection. The real rule is the agent can never deny entry to either a citizen or permanent resident (green card holder) as long as you can prove to their satisfaction you are a citizen/resident alien. Any valid passport is more than enough. Even if it were recently expired you wouldn't have an issue. It would still verify your identity and citizenship.

The short answer is that you are an American citizen; you can come home 12 days before your American passport expires. 🇺🇸 🇺🇸 🇺🇸

The long answer is why wait until you're home to renew it? Go the American embassy and learn what options are available to get a new passport for the next 10 years. It might be faster.

It has been posted is the past from several sources that could get in on an expired passport. Since you are a US citizen. However, you should renewal the day after your return. I think it is more difficult and expensive to renew an expired passport.

As long as your passport is not more than 10 years expired, there is no difference in cost or difficulty getting it renewed. If it is over 10 years gone, you have to go through the process just like it is your first time applying which is slower and can be more costly.

The 3 or 6 month validity is only important when you are leaving the US to go to another country because the country you are going to wants to make sure your passport will be valid during your entire stay and any extra time you might end up staying due to any issues getting transportation out. As others have stated, even with an expired passport you cannot be denied entry into the US as long as there is no question that you are the person depicted on the passport. I doubt any country would prevent you leaving even on an expired passport because they most likely want you gone at that point.

You are fine. As stated, you are a U.S. citizen and can't be denied entry as long as you can prove it. Even an expired passport is proof. But yours will not be expired.

I would not risk renewing your passport now. You leave in about a month and that's too risky to renew the passport while in Australia. Just do it as soon as you get back.

Even if it were recently expired you wouldn't have an issue.

Good luck trying to get an airline to let you board with an expired passport.