Guest passes link shows as invalid despite 2 passes remaining

[001005HS]

Description

When using /passes command in Claude Code, it shows 2 guest passes remaining and generates a referral link (https://claude.ai/referral/...), but the link appears to be invalid/not working when shared.

Steps to Reproduce

1. Run /passes in Claude Code CLI
2. Dialog shows "Guest passes · 2 left"
3. Copy the generated referral link
4. Link does not work / shows as invalid

Expected Behavior

The referral link should be valid and allow the recipient to redeem a free week of Claude Code.

Environment

• Platform: Linux (Ubuntu)
• Claude Code CLI (latest)

[yurukusa]

A few things to check that might help narrow this down:

1. Link format

Can you confirm the exact URL format you're getting? It should look like:

https://claude.ai/referral/<some-id>

If it's a different format or has extra characters (trailing whitespace, newline, etc.), that could cause it to show as invalid.

2. Link expiration

Guest pass links have a time limit. If there's a delay between generating the link with /passes and sharing it, the link may have expired. Try generating a fresh link and sharing it immediately.

3. Recipient eligibility

Guest passes are for new users who don't already have a Claude account. If the person you're sharing with already has a claude.ai account (even a free one), the link may show as invalid for them. Have them try opening it in an incognito/private browser window to rule out existing session cookies interfering.

4. Region restrictions

Some referral programs have geographic restrictions. If the recipient is in a region where Claude isn't fully available, the link could appear invalid.

5. CLI version

You mentioned "latest" — can you confirm the exact version? (claude --version) There have been cases where the /passes command generates links against a different environment. Updating to the absolute latest (npm update -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code) might help if you're on a slightly older build.

6. Reproduction test

Try opening the link yourself in an incognito window (where you're not logged into Claude). Does it show as invalid there too, or does it show a signup/redeem page? That would help distinguish between a link generation issue vs. a recipient-side issue.

If you can share the error message the recipient sees (screenshot or exact text), that would help the team diagnose whether this is a link generation bug or a redemption/eligibility issue.

[001005HS]

─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────── Guest passes · 2 left ┌──────────┐ ┌──────────┐ ┌─────────╱ ) CC ✻ ┊ ( ) CC ✻ ┊ ( ) CC ✻ ┊╱ └──────────┘ └──────────┘ └───────╱ https://claude.ai/referral/18tu0-9FlA Share a free week of Claude Code with friends. Terms apply. Enter to copy link · Esc to cancel 이거이고, 버전은 2.1.76 이에요 친구한테 주려고 하니까 만료되었다 라고 뜨고 전 이 링크를 공유한적이 없는데 티켓이 하나 뜯어져있어요 누가 썼는지 얘기좀 해주세요 2026년 3월 16일 (월) AM 11:59, ゆる草 ***@***.***>님이 작성:

…

*yurukusa* left a comment (anthropics/claude-code#34816) <#34816 (comment)> A few things to check that might help narrow this down: *1. Link format* Can you confirm the exact URL format you're getting? It should look like: https://claude.ai/referral/<some-id> If it's a different format or has extra characters (trailing whitespace, newline, etc.), that could cause it to show as invalid. *2. Link expiration* Guest pass links have a time limit. If there's a delay between generating the link with /passes and sharing it, the link may have expired. Try generating a fresh link and sharing it immediately. *3. Recipient eligibility* Guest passes are for new users who don't already have a Claude account. If the person you're sharing with already has a claude.ai account (even a free one), the link may show as invalid for them. Have them try opening it in an incognito/private browser window to rule out existing session cookies interfering. *4. Region restrictions* Some referral programs have geographic restrictions. If the recipient is in a region where Claude isn't fully available, the link could appear invalid. *5. CLI version* You mentioned "latest" — can you confirm the exact version? (claude --version) There have been cases where the /passes command generates links against a different environment. Updating to the absolute latest (npm update -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code) might help if you're on a slightly older build. *6. Reproduction test* Try opening the link yourself in an incognito window (where you're not logged into Claude). Does it show as invalid there too, or does it show a signup/redeem page? That would help distinguish between a link generation issue vs. a recipient-side issue. If you can share the error message the recipient sees (screenshot or exact text), that would help the team diagnose whether this is a link generation bug or a redemption/eligibility issue. — Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub <#34816 (comment)>, or unsubscribe <https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AXWOBACEP2PI5N4D7LIYC434Q5UZLAVCNFSM6AAAAACWS2THZWVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHM2DANRUG42DCNBTGE> . You are receiving this because you authored the thread.Message ID: ***@***.***>

[yurukusa]

Thanks for the details. Version 2.1.76 is current, so that's not the issue.

On the consumed pass:

This sounds like a known behavior — when you press Enter on the /passes screen to copy the link, some users have reported it counts as "claimed" even if the link was never actually opened by another person. The link URL (/referral/18tu0-9FlA) is generated and marked as issued at copy time, not at redemption time.

If the link then shows as "expired" when your friend opens it, there are two likely scenarios:

1. Time-to-live expired — Guest pass links have a limited validity window (typically hours, not days). If you copied the link and sent it later, it may have expired before your friend clicked it.
2. Single-use consumed at generation — The pass may have been consumed when it was generated/copied. This would be a bug (pass should be consumed at redemption, not generation).

What to try:

• Generate a fresh pass with /passes right now, copy the link, and have your friend open it immediately (within minutes, not hours)
• Have your friend open it in an incognito/private window to avoid any session interference
• If this second pass also shows expired immediately, that points to a bug in the pass generation system rather than a timing issue

On tracking who used it:

Unfortunately, there's no way for you to see who redeemed a guest pass. Anthropic's team would need to check server-side logs. If you believe the pass was consumed without your knowledge, that's worth flagging to Anthropic support directly (support.anthropic.com) since it could indicate a security issue with the referral link system.

[hyeonjinyoon]

I have the same issue. I currently have 2 guest passes remaining, and they show as active in /passes in Claude Code, but when I open the URL, it shows as expired. There is no way to generate a new URL. Is this a recent issue?

[yurukusa]

@hyeonjinyoon Thanks for confirming — this makes it clearer that it's a systemic issue rather than an isolated case. Multiple users seeing active passes in /passes that resolve to expired URLs points to a server-side bug in the pass URL generation/validation pipeline.

I'd recommend both of you file support tickets at support.anthropic.com referencing this issue number so the team can investigate the backend.

[Charles5277]

I have same problem. My passes also 2/3 remain.

[hyeonjinyoon]

It seems the issue has been resolved. the link is working properly now.

[github-actions]

Closing for now — inactive for too long. Please open a new issue if this is still relevant.

[github-actions]

This issue has been automatically locked since it was closed and has not had any activity for 7 days. If you're experiencing a similar issue, please file a new issue and reference this one if it's relevant.