Sound Boy

I'm still in the UK and scheduled to leave next month. My British passport, which has the US Visa inside it, expires in October.

I am worried about renewing my British passport before I leave the UK incase it gets lost in the post or the bureaucracy of the British passport system, which would then force me to immerse myself into an arduous & risky process of getting a new UK passport and another USA visa stamp (pay another fee?) before I leave for the USA.

What would you advise?

Ray

You won't need a new stamp ..just carry your old passport with you ..

Elvira

Renew it once you get to the US. Usually quicker anyway.

Ray

But a lot more expensive ...

Jerseygirl

Has Spot got a new little friend?

Patrick Hasler

If your passport has less than 90 days left on it they will not admit you to the US. just get it changed when you get here and don't leave too late
Keep the old passport as Raymondo already pointed out.
My ex wife had an open visa for the US and just carried her old passport when she came here.

Jerseygirl

I thought the 6 mth rule didn't apply if you have a US visa.

Sound Boy

My old passport will be with the passport office, and so I won't have it if they lose it or if they don't return it to me in time.

Jerseygirl

How do you mean in time or lose it? It is returned with your new PP...so you wouldn't be able to travel anyway.

veronica jayne

How did she get back into the UK Patrick? Don't you have to have a valid passport to return?

snowbunny

If they return it with your new passport then you are allowed to keep old passports, correct? Which would explain how Patrick's wife got back into the UK -- she had both her current and old passports I'm guessing.

Since you are allowed to have the old one and you are basically just keeping it to hold the US visa stamp, what if you "lost" it? What would the fees be for getting a replacement passport? Would it take longer than renewal?

JAJ

Absolutely untrue statement.

http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_new...iv.html#niv079

Does my British passport have to be valid for six months beyond my date of departure from the United States?

No, if your passport is not valid for at least six months beyond your date of departure from the United States, it will not affect your eligibility to travel. The United States has an agreement with the United Kingdom automatically extending the validity of a passport for six months past the passport's expiration date. Therefore, your passport need remain valid only for the duration of your stay in the United States.

If you are traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program and your passport is not valid for 90 days, you will be admitted into the United States until the date on which the passport expires.


The problem will be that the I-94 may only be valid for the duration of the passport. Once a new passport is obtained, it's not clear whether the I94 can be extended within the U.S. or whether it would be necessary to leave and re-enter.

Best to ask on the U.S. immigration forum.

And when renewing passport, whether in UK or in US, keep copy of U.S. visa (and hold onto the I94, if in the U.S.). Just in case the passport is lost or destroyed by the Embassy or UKPS by mistake.

Sound Boy

I mean exactly what I said. If the UK passport office or the postal system lose my passport with the Visa stamp inside it (or if they fail to return my new and old passports before I plan to travel), I will obviously not have this passport to show the US Immigration person when I return to the USA. I may only have my new British passport, sans the USA Visa stamp.

I do have another passport from another EEC country, so perhaps I could enter the USA on this (??), but I wouldn't be able to show my Visa stamp - I have my GC though. I trust all is clear.

I suspect that the answer for me will be to personally deliver the new passport application to the passport office and also not make any flight arrangements until my new & old passports arrive - however, I am approaching the 12 month time limit for a returning resident and I would not want to exceed that limit if I can help it.

Deedee13

why didnt u renew it earlier then... which really is moot now isnt it!

Why dont u take copies of ur passport all the pages including the stamp. However, ur saying u have ur green card so do u really need the stamp in ur passport?

u need a passport to travel, so its up to u to lose sleep that they MIGHT loose the old one, or just go with the flow....

penguinsix

A good link, and you might want to print it out to have with you, because while you can (as the link suggests) travel past the date, you may run into problems with the airline check-in folks who are probably trained in the general basic rule of 90 days (which seems to be the general standard in most countries I've visited). It might prove helpful to show them that webpage in case they give you some guff at check-in.