Dual Citizenship + GC

[alexpapa 4]

Hi there,

I am currently a dual citizen, South African and British.

My work visa etc is all in my SA passport and I will use that for my interview. Down the road, can I start using my British passport to enter the US once I have my GC, or is it somehow linked to the other passport?

Thanks

[Heliosphan 1]

Hi there,

I am currently a dual citizen, South African and British.

My work visa etc is all in my SA passport and I will use that for my interview. Down the road, can I start using my British passport to enter the US once I have my GC, or is it somehow linked to the other passport?

Thanks

Once you have a GC, neither one would matter for returning to the US. Going abroad is where it'll make a difference.

[Reba 2]

Actually, I've always been asked to show BOTH my green card AND my passport when re-entering the US.

What citizenship does it say on your green card? You should use whichever passport matches that

[sweetpiano 0]

What citizenship does it say on your green card? You should use whichever passport matches that

Not an easy question to answer: the green card does not mention country of citizenship, but county of birth. I assume the OP was born in South Africa and later obtained British citizenship, however applied for his/her green card as a South African (alexpapa, please correct me if my assumption is wrong). The question is whether the green card is linked in any way to the passport with which the OP applied for permanent residence, or s/he could use the other passport?

My case is the reverse: I was born in Moldova (and therefore hold Moldovan citizenship), but applied for green card as a Romanian citizen and will be traveling with my Romanian passport in the future; however my green card states Moldova as country of birth.

Edited November 3, 2008 by sweetpiano

[pushbrk 12,877]

What citizenship does it say on your green card? You should use whichever passport matches that

Not an easy question to answer: the green card does not mention country of citizenship, but county of birth. I assume the OP was born in South Africa and later obtained British citizenship, however applied for his/her green card as a South African (alexpapa, please correct me if my assumption is wrong). The question is whether the green card is linked in any way to the passport with which the OP applied for permanent residence, or s/he could use the other passport?

My case is the reverse: I was born in Moldova (and therefore hold Moldovan citizenship), but applied for green card as a Romanian citizen and will be traveling with my Romanian passport in the future; however my green card states Moldova as country of birth.

The card is not linked to the passport, so you can simply travel on the passport you choose to use.

[payxibka 10,045]

[

My case is the reverse: I was born in Moldova (and therefore hold Moldovan citizenship), but applied for green card as a Romanian citizen and will be traveling with my Romanian passport in the future; however my green card states Moldova as country of birth.

My son was born in Moldova but travels with a Ukrainian passport.... No problems...

[payxibka 10,045]

The card is not linked to the passport, so you can simply travel on the passport you choose to use.

But there might be some linkage... When my wife arrived the last time they were not interested in seeing her greencard but only her passport... and then asked about the name differences.... The only way for the officer to know about the name difference between the passport and the GC would be if he saw it on his screen....

[pushbrk 12,877]

The card is not linked to the passport, so you can simply travel on the passport you choose to use.

But there might be some linkage... When my wife arrived the last time they were not interested in seeing her greencard but only her passport... and then asked about the name differences.... The only way for the officer to know about the name difference between the passport and the GC would be if he saw it on his screen....

I guess I'm not following you. I expect information about a green card holder may appear on a screen when their passport s scanned but they are not "linked" in a way that would prevent somebody traveling on the passport of their choice. Since your wife's only visa was K1, (single entry visa already used) they would have needed to see a green card or AP to grant entry. Since she has a green card, AP would be meaningless.

[payxibka 10,045]

I guess I'm not following you. I expect information about a green card holder may appear on a screen when their passport s scanned but they are not "linked" in a way that would prevent somebody traveling on the passport of their choice. Since your wife's only visa was K1, (single entry visa already used) they would have needed to see a green card or AP to grant entry. Since she has a green card, AP would be meaningless.

Nope... that is the confusing part, they did not ask for her greencard at all whatsoever.... I know this for certain as I was standing right there with her and I had her greencard in my hand... Never once gave it to the officer

Edited November 3, 2008 by payxibka

[pushbrk 12,877]

I guess I'm not following you. I expect information about a green card holder may appear on a screen when their passport s scanned but they are not "linked" in a way that would prevent somebody traveling on the passport of their choice. Since your wife's only visa was K1, (single entry visa already used) they would have needed to see a green card or AP to grant entry. Since she has a green card, AP would be meaningless.

Nope... that is the confusing part, they did not ask for her greencard at all whatsoever....

Makes no sense at all. Under what basis was she admitted to the USA?

[payxibka 10,045]

I guess I'm not following you. I expect information about a green card holder may appear on a screen when their passport s scanned but they are not "linked" in a way that would prevent somebody traveling on the passport of their choice. Since your wife's only visa was K1, (single entry visa already used) they would have needed to see a green card or AP to grant entry. Since she has a green card, AP would be meaningless.

Nope... that is the confusing part, they did not ask for her greencard at all whatsoever....

Makes no sense at all. Under what basis was she admitted to the USA?

Had to have been as a perm resident... we did not prepare an I-94... they just said asked "How long were you gone?" made notation of a 21 day trip in her passport and then "Welcome home."