US Citizenship (quick question)
 

Hi everyone ( I posted this on returning to UK forum but thought I'd post it here too)

So I finally bit the bullet and decided to get my US citizenship. I sent the application overnight on Oct 30th 2013, and within two weeks got a letter for a date for my fingerprints. After I completed that I got a letter approximately 2 wks after that for an interview date. The letter stated that I need to bring my Current UK Passport as well as expired passport/s.

My question is will I receive my UK passport back? When I called the immigration line I was not given a clear answer. I was told more than likely it would be returned but that was not a guaranteed answer . I then asked what if I need to travel before I could get a US passport and again was told that more than likely my Passport would be returned.

A second question, why would they need expired passports? Not that I have any. The last one I had was clipped at the end and returned to me when I got my current passport. I always shred my expired passports.

Re: US Citizenship (quick question)
 

They are interested in your travel, since becoming a PR.if some of that is in an old pp that is why. They Won,t keep your UK passport.

Re: US Citizenship (quick question)
 

Thanks for the response!

Don't have the old passport so they will have to go on the new one. Unfortunately the new one only has my return stamps in it as I traveled to Paris and other EU countries. Let's hope I don't have to explain to them why. On my trip back from Paris last year, I had to explain to the officer at the airport why my passport was not stamped in Paris :blink: yup sure did

If I had the old passport would they give that back or would they keep that one?

Re: US Citizenship (quick question)
 

Yes. That's the property of the UK government, and the USA is not allowed to keep it.

If you think you will be needing to travel right after becoming a USC, you will need to make a trip to one of the main passport offices in the USA to get a same-day US passport. If you think you won't need to travel for a couple of weeks, apply for an expedited US passport. If you won't need to travel in the immediate future, just do a regular US passport (not expedited).

For travel purposes, it doesn't matter if they return your UK passport to you after becoming a USC or not. As a USC, you are required to travel on a US passport.

Rene

Re: US Citizenship (quick question)
 

The US won't keep any of your UK passports at all.

Rene

Re: US Citizenship (quick question)
 

I took all my old passports but wasn't asked for any of them at the interview.

Re: US Citizenship (quick question)
 

YAY! Thanks for the response

Re: US Citizenship (quick question)
 

thanks. So good to know puts my mind at ease

Re: US Citizenship (quick question)
 

At my interview they skimmed my passports, but no questions.

Took the Oath yesterday so fully fledged now. All done.

Re: US Citizenship (quick question)
 

Not exactly correct. A US citizen is required to leave and enter the US on a US passport. Once outside the US you can use other passports. However, if you ever need a security clearance the use of a foreign passport could be taken as evidence of a foreign preference.

Re: US Citizenship (quick question)
 

My interview is in few days so will update once it's done. Congrats on being fully fledged :)

Re: US Citizenship (quick question)
 

Good luck. It was a breeze for me, went through my application, asked me a few questions on it, did the Civics test (was easy), the english sentences made me laugh and then he poked around my Green Card app but no questions and that was it.

I had to wait 2 months from interview for the Oath, some offices do Same day but not Northern Virginia (as a rule!).

Re: US Citizenship (quick question)
 

Thanks!
I've been reading the questions for the test... I'm hoping my office is one that does everything same day :fingerscrossed: if not hopefully it wont take 2 months as everything else has taken about a span of two weeks for each process

Re: US Citizenship (quick question)
 

See this thread. The last couple of pages are mostly about my experience recently:D

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showt...703810&page=44

Re: US Citizenship (quick question)
 

Sweet! Thanks so much will give it a look