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Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

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Old Jan 22nd 2010, 3:40 pm
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Default Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

Hi everyone,

I'm a British citizen (born in Liverpool!!) who moved to the US on a marriage based visa in 2004. I have an unconditional greencard (both the card and the page in my passport). I'm going home in March but my British passport expires in February.

I've read some of the previous posts on here using the search option, but I don't know what is best for me to do in my individual situation. I see my options as:

1 - Renew my British passport now here in the States and hope I get everything back in time for April

2 - Fly out on expired passport and use valid greencard, and renew British passport in England. I'll only be there for two weeks so I hope it can be done in this timeframe.

3 - Fly out on expired passport and valid greencard, and hope that same expired passport and valid greencard will enable me to return to the US. I assume it would as my US documents (greencard and visa) are both valid. Isn't that all the States would care about? I can then renew my British passport at my leisure over the summer here in the USA.

Opinions? Basically I'm looking for the best way to get in and out of England without suspicions and being dragged into a "side room"!!!!!!

Thank you so much for any advice guys
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Old Jan 22nd 2010, 3:54 pm
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Default Re: Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

I believe you need a VALID passport in order to travel either way. You probably need to renew your British passport now, before you leave the USA. I don't think an airline will board you with an expired passport.

Rene
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Old Jan 22nd 2010, 3:57 pm
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Default Re: Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

Originally Posted by Noorah101
I believe you need a VALID passport in order to travel either way. You probably need to renew your British passport now, before you leave the USA. I don't think an airline will board you with an expired passport.

Rene
Thank you Rene, I appreciate your time and help. So even with my valid US Visa and greencard, this wouldn't be enough to offset my expired passport? It would be expired by 2 months.
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Old Jan 22nd 2010, 3:58 pm
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Default Re: Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

It shouldn't take that long to get a new passport, I think. I don't see how you can just travel on a GC.
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Old Jan 22nd 2010, 3:59 pm
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Default Re: Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

Originally Posted by Blunder
Hi everyone,

I'm a British citizen (born in Liverpool!!) who moved to the US on a marriage based visa in 2004. I have an unconditional greencard (both the card and the page in my passport). I'm going home in March but my British passport expires in February.

I've read some of the previous posts on here using the search option, but I don't know what is best for me to do in my individual situation. I see my options as:

1 - Renew my British passport now here in the States and hope I get everything back in time for April

2 - Fly out on expired passport and use valid greencard, and renew British passport in England. I'll only be there for two weeks so I hope it can be done in this timeframe.

3 - Fly out on expired passport and valid greencard, and hope that same expired passport and valid greencard will enable me to return to the US. I assume it would as my US documents (greencard and visa) are both valid. Isn't that all the States would care about? I can then renew my British passport at my leisure over the summer here in the USA.

Opinions? Basically I'm looking for the best way to get in and out of England without suspicions and being dragged into a "side room"!!!!!!

Thank you so much for any advice guys
If you did manage to get to London with your expired passport, you can make a personal visit to Petty France in London and get your passport renewed whilst visiting.

I would have thought that the US would care about an expired passport - shouldn;t that present a security issue with all the tight controls at the moment?
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Old Jan 22nd 2010, 4:04 pm
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Default Re: Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

Originally Posted by cathy22w
If you did manage to get to London with your expired passport, you can make a personal visit to Petty France in London and get your passport renewed whilst visiting.

I would have thought that the US would care about an expired passport - shouldn;t that present a security issue with all the tight controls at the moment?
Yes I thought that too. Well I'll start the renewal process now I guess and just hope everything is returned to me before my trip in March. Cutting it so bloody close!!
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Old Jan 22nd 2010, 5:38 pm
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Default Re: Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

Originally Posted by Blunder
Thank you Rene, I appreciate your time and help. So even with my valid US Visa and greencard, this wouldn't be enough to offset my expired passport? It would be expired by 2 months.
First of all, your visa is no longer valid anyway, because you are now a US PR and have a green card. You will need your green card to get back into the USA for sure.

However, you most likely still need a valid passport to be able to travel internationally.

When my husband had his green card, he tried to take a trip back home (not the UK). His foreign passport was valid at the time he was leaving the USA, but it was going to expire while he was outside the USA, and he had a flight booked to return after his passport expiration date (he was thinking he'll renew it in his home country and will be fine). Northwest Airlines would not let him board the flight until he changed the date of his return to a date BEFORE his passport expires.

So I am guessing that since your passport is completely expired, you won't be allowed to board the plane with it.

Rene
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Old Jan 22nd 2010, 6:43 pm
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Default Re: Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

There was a very similar thread to this last week that was answered by Dean, the British Consul from Orlando. It discussed a lost passport and the possibility of travel on a greencard only. Consuls response is on page two.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...+Consul&page=2
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Old Jan 22nd 2010, 7:38 pm
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Default Re: Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

Originally Posted by The Horticulturalist
There was a very similar thread to this last week that was answered by Dean, the British Consul from Orlando. It discussed a lost passport and the possibility of travel on a greencard only. Consuls response is on page two.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...+Consul&page=2
That's for an emergency travel doc though which probably wouldn't apply here.
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Old Jan 22nd 2010, 8:04 pm
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Default Re: Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

Originally Posted by Bob
That's for an emergency travel doc though which probably wouldn't apply here.
True, but he also gives details for renewing a passport which would be applicable in this case and it seems that he would have plenty time to do it if he is flying in march, according to the processing time given on the FCO website.
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 12:48 am
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Default Re: Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

Originally Posted by Blunder
I'm going home in March but my British passport expires in February.
It doesn't take that long.

Just get it renewed and avoid all the potential hassle.
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 6:33 pm
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Default Re: Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

Get the passport expedited to where you live - if you leave the country without it they will not let you back in.

My son was born in USA, my wife and I are English. We decided to get him a British P'port... When we wanted to leave Gatwick to come back home the USA immigration officer refused us entry as one of their citizens (my son) did not have a USA passport - this meant 2 days up at Grovenor Square in London!!! If they do this to one of their own I dread to think what they would do to an expat!
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 6:45 pm
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Default Re: Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

Originally Posted by Teach3r
Get the passport expedited to where you live - if you leave the country without it they will not let you back in.

My son was born in USA, my wife and I are English. We decided to get him a British P'port... When we wanted to leave Gatwick to come back home the USA immigration officer refused us entry as one of their citizens (my son) did not have a USA passport - this meant 2 days up at Grovenor Square in London!!! If they do this to one of their own I dread to think what they would do to an expat!
That's completely different.

US citizens MUST travel in/out of the US on their US passports.

There is a really good Dual Citizen FAQ in the wiki here if you want to find out the other responsibilities your dual citizen child will have, relative to the US.
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 6:47 pm
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Default Re: Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

Originally Posted by meauxna
That's completely different.

US citizens MUST travel in/out of the US on their US passports.

There is a really good Dual Citizen FAQ in the wiki here if you want to find out the other responsibilities your dual citizen child will have, relative to the US.
In the past now as he has both passports. What confused me was why did they let us leave? For all they knew we were taking him out of the country perminently.
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Old Jan 23rd 2010, 7:01 pm
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Default Re: Going to UK in March. US Greencard valid, UK passport expired.

Originally Posted by Blunder
Hi everyone,

I'm a British citizen (born in Liverpool!!) who moved to the US on a marriage based visa in 2004. I have an unconditional greencard (both the card and the page in my passport). I'm going home in March but my British passport expires in February.

I've read some of the previous posts on here using the search option, but I don't know what is best for me to do in my individual situation. I see my options as:

1 - Renew my British passport now here in the States and hope I get everything back in time for April

2 - Fly out on expired passport and use valid greencard, and renew British passport in England. I'll only be there for two weeks so I hope it can be done in this timeframe.

3 - Fly out on expired passport and valid greencard, and hope that same expired passport and valid greencard will enable me to return to the US. I assume it would as my US documents (greencard and visa) are both valid. Isn't that all the States would care about? I can then renew my British passport at my leisure over the summer here in the USA.

Opinions? Basically I'm looking for the best way to get in and out of England without suspicions and being dragged into a "side room"!!!!!!

Thank you so much for any advice guys
This is the official view...#3.
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