US citizen entering US on foreign passport

[bluuu 0]

This is a "in theory" question so don't worry about replying in the usual lightning speed VJ manner.

I have dual citizenship (US/UK) and have always wondered about this...

What would happen if I entered the US on my UK passport? Would they make me do visa stuff? If so what if "overstayed" the visa limitations?

(e.g. US passport expired or lost)

Thanks for any input. For some reason I've never been able to let go of this question ever since I thought it up.

[akdiver 3]

Well, it's illegal for you to do so.

That being the case, there is probably a proscribed penalty for doing this - no doubt a large fine and the potential for jail time.

They put your info into their computer when you try to enter - it is almost certain that you will "come up" as a naturalized citizen. When you do, they will ask to see your U.S. passport. If you don't have one, while you may not be denied entry, you can be cited for being in violation of the law.

Edited September 24, 2008 by akdiver

[TayRivers 4]

This is a "in theory" question so don't worry about replying in the usual lightning speed VJ manner.

I have dual citizenship (US/UK) and have always wondered about this...

What would happen if I entered the US on my UK passport? Would they make me do visa stuff? If so what if "overstayed" the visa limitations?

(e.g. US passport expired or lost)

Thanks for any input. For some reason I've never been able to let go of this question ever since I thought it up.

As a US Citizen you must enter the US on your US Passport, if your US passport is lost or stolen and you are outside the US then contact the nearest US Embassy, they can issue travel docs to allow you to enter.

If your US passport has expired and you are outside the US then again the US embasy will have a passport section that can help you.

Do not try and enter on a UK Passport. as far as the US is concerned you are a US citizen and nothing more and therefore must enter the US on a US Passport.

[Otto 83]

This is a "in theory" question so don't worry about replying in the usual lightning speed VJ manner.

I have dual citizenship (US/UK) and have always wondered about this...

What would happen if I entered the US on my UK passport? Would they make me do visa stuff? If so what if "overstayed" the visa limitations?

(e.g. US passport expired or lost)

Thanks for any input. For some reason I've never been able to let go of this question ever since I thought it up.

Most U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Dual nationals may also be required by the foreign country to use its passport to enter and leave that country.

source

[bluuu 0]

Thanks for the replies. No need to caution me as I have no need to test it... Really though, thanks for satisfying my curiousity.

Kind of amazing that it's "illegal". I guess it's in conjunction with holding dual citizenship being somewhat of a gray area...

Good to know though!

[GiGii 4]

What happens is you enter the other country with the non US passport (to say save the hassle of visa's or registration), and you return to the US. At entry they check & usually as how long you have been gone for. They wont see the stamp of entry into a foreign country (as that would be in the non US passport), will this cause a problem?

[payxibka 10,045]

What happens is you enter the other country with the non US passport (to say save the hassle of visa's or registration), and you return to the US. At entry they check & usually as how long you have been gone for. They wont see the stamp of entry into a foreign country (as that would be in the non US passport), will this cause a problem?

Not a problem and people travel with two passports all the time. If the country of your other citizenship required you to enter on that passport, what can possibly the USA say? They can only manage what happens at our borders.

In addition, with many people's passports (mine included), they could never find the most recent stamp unless I showed them where it might be.

Edited September 24, 2008 by payxibka

[GiGii 4]

What happens is you enter the other country with the non US passport (to say save the hassle of visa's or registration), and you return to the US. At entry they check & usually as how long you have been gone for. They wont see the stamp of entry into a foreign country (as that would be in the non US passport), will this cause a problem?

Not a problem and people travel with two passports all the time. If the country of your other citizenship required you to enter on that passport, what can possibly the USA say? They can only manage what happens at our borders.

In addition, with many people's passports (mine included), they could never find the most recent stamp unless I showed them where it might be.

What if its to a country that doesn't require it, but I just choose not to be labeled as an "american" for safety purposes. still same theory?

[payxibka 10,045]

What happens is you enter the other country with the non US passport (to say save the hassle of visa's or registration), and you return to the US. At entry they check & usually as how long you have been gone for. They wont see the stamp of entry into a foreign country (as that would be in the non US passport), will this cause a problem?

Not a problem and people travel with two passports all the time. If the country of your other citizenship required you to enter on that passport, what can possibly the USA say? They can only manage what happens at our borders.

In addition, with many people's passports (mine included), they could never find the most recent stamp unless I showed them where it might be.

What if its to a country that doesn't require it, but I just choose not to be labeled as an "american" for safety purposes. still same theory?

Sure, how would they (The CBP) know the rules of all the countries around the world?

Just because you enter on a different passport automatically removes that "label". If I act like a local or maybe do not act like an American, how would they ever know what passport I arrived on.

Edited September 24, 2008 by payxibka

[Saddle Bronc 124]

Sure, how would they (The CBP) know the rules of all the countries around the world?

Just because you enter on a different passport automatically removes that "label". If I act like a local or maybe do not act like an American, how would they ever know what passport I arrived on.

that even works in countries where full-dual citizenship (holding original country's passport) is not permitted, such as India--as I can attest from having entered several times on Canadian passports (next year, I'm hoping to make my first attempt at entering with US passport and OCI certificate).

[NickD 202]

Sure, how would they (The CBP) know the rules of all the countries around the world?

Just because you enter on a different passport automatically removes that "label". If I act like a local or maybe do not act like an American, how would they ever know what passport I arrived on.

that even works in countries where full-dual citizenship (holding original country's passport) is not permitted, such as India--as I can attest from having entered several times on Canadian passports (next year, I'm hoping to make my first attempt at entering with US passport and OCI certificate).

Kind of puts you in another state of limbo when you have to toss your green card into the basket at oath ceremony time, least the DOS is processing US passports a lot quicker now, was taking as much as six months a little over a year ago.

Wife has to use her foreign passport to get into her country that translates into keeping not one, but two passports current, neither is tax deductible.

[ninjarocket 1]

Yeah, I can attest to having done this twice myself since becoming a USC

1) I entered Germany this year with my British passport in order to avoid the longer non EU passport queue.

2) I recently entered Brazil with my British passport in order to avoid having to get a visa, which they require for USC for political reasons!

Otherwise, I use the US passport for all my foreign travels.

What happens is you enter the other country with the non US passport (to say save the hassle of visa's or registration), and you return to the US. At entry they check & usually as how long you have been gone for. They wont see the stamp of entry into a foreign country (as that would be in the non US passport), will this cause a problem?

Not a problem and people travel with two passports all the time. If the country of your other citizenship required you to enter on that passport, what can possibly the USA say? They can only manage what happens at our borders.

In addition, with many people's passports (mine included), they could never find the most recent stamp unless I showed them where it might be.

[Boris 0]

And what if i leave the country(just for a few days on vacation) with my passport expired(i'm russian married to american and i have a green card),will they let me do it and will i be able to reenter?

[moonhunt 1]

And what if i leave the country(just for a few days on vacation) with my passport expired(i'm russian married to american and i have a green card),will they let me do it and will i be able to reenter?

Probably not.

Most country asks for "valid" passport with at least 6 month or longer expiry date left from the day of entry.

If it is the problem with that, most country immigration put you back in the next return flight back to where you leave.

And that portion of airfare should be reponsible by you, and if you can not pay, airline should eat the cost.

So they will check your passport and visa for destination and transit country at check-in counter.

If they found the "expired" passport, they can refuse you from there.