Passport Validity

[Jenn and Fuat 2]

Questions about passport validity..

I know that when someone comes into the country, their passport needs to be valid for at least six months after the date they intend to leave.. I read, in some thread on here, that the Fiance's passport should have at least 8 months validity at the time we go for the interview.. but can't find that thread now.

1st question.. should a K1 have 6 months or 8 months validity left on their passport at the time they go to the interview?

2nd question.. should it be valid for that length of time when they send the passport copy with packet # 3?

Fuat has 6 months left on his passport right now, and we are getting everything ready for packet # 3.. by the time we send it, he will probably only have 5 months left. We haven't received packet # 3 yet, so I am estimating when we would get it and be able to send the info.

It's very expensive to renew the passport in Turkey, so he is hoping that he can wait a few months and do it before the interview.. but should he extend it before we send in the copy with packet # 3?

Is the expiration date going to play that important of a role when it comes to sending the packet?

Edited October 27, 2009 by Jenn and Fuat

[Nik+Heather 121]

You should do it now - It's a long way to go thru citizenship, so he'll need it for years yet. Easier to do it from inside his country than try to do it by mail from the US. Get the ball rolling, you want the new passport in time for the interview!

[redglasses 1]

Isn't it risky not to renew your passport when it is expiring within a few months and your interview is upcoming?

I understand it costs a lot of money, but a smoother process with a new passport is more important in my opinion.

[Jenn and Fuat 2]

You should do it now - It's a long way to go thru citizenship, so he'll need it for years yet. Easier to do it from inside his country than try to do it by mail from the US. Get the ball rolling, you want the new passport in time for the interview!

Oh we would do it before the interview, and would renew for at least 3 years, but that's about $500. Wondering if he would need to do it before we sent in packet #3.. since we would be sending that within the next month. We will still have a 3-4 month wait for the interview, so would have more time for him to get the money together to renew.

When we send packet # 3 it would only have 5 or 6 months left on it ( depending on how fast we get packet #3). When we go to the interview he would have a new one with 3 years validity.

We had planned on renewing before we sent in packet # 3, but we weren't expecting NOA2 so quickly and to renew right now is going to be difficult.

But.. if it must be done before sending the copy with packet # 3.. then we will find a way.

Edited October 27, 2009 by Jenn and Fuat

[payxibka 10,047]

You should do it now - It's a long way to go thru citizenship, so he'll need it for years yet. Easier to do it from inside his country than try to do it by mail from the US. Get the ball rolling, you want the new passport in time for the interview!

Oh we would do it before the interview, and would renew for at least 3 years, but that's about $500. Wondering if he would need to do it before we sent in packet #3.. since we would be sending that within the next month. We will still have a 3-4 month wait for the interview, so would have more time for him to get the money together to renew.

When we send packet # 3 it would only have 5 or 6 months left on it ( depending on how fast we get packet #3). When we go to the interview he would have a new one with 3 years validity.

not sure how Turkey does it but many (most) countries the renewal is automatically for 10 years

[Jenn and Fuat 2]

You should do it now - It's a long way to go thru citizenship, so he'll need it for years yet. Easier to do it from inside his country than try to do it by mail from the US. Get the ball rolling, you want the new passport in time for the interview!

Oh we would do it before the interview, and would renew for at least 3 years, but that's about $500. Wondering if he would need to do it before we sent in packet #3.. since we would be sending that within the next month. We will still have a 3-4 month wait for the interview, so would have more time for him to get the money together to renew.

When we send packet # 3 it would only have 5 or 6 months left on it ( depending on how fast we get packet #3). When we go to the interview he would have a new one with 3 years validity.

not sure how Turkey does it but many (most) countries the renewal is automatically for 10 years

In Turkey you can do 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, etc... A 1 year passport is around $200 and it goes up from there.

[Nik+Heather 121]

You should do it now - It's a long way to go thru citizenship, so he'll need it for years yet. Easier to do it from inside his country than try to do it by mail from the US. Get the ball rolling, you want the new passport in time for the interview!

Oh we would do it before the interview, and would renew for at least 3 years, but that's about $500. Wondering if he would need to do it before we sent in packet #3.. since we would be sending that within the next month. We will still have a 3-4 month wait for the interview, so would have more time for him to get the money together to renew.

When we send packet # 3 it would only have 5 or 6 months left on it ( depending on how fast we get packet #3). When we go to the interview he would have a new one with 3 years validity.

Well, the only concern I would have then is that if there are any hang ups, you don't want any nail biting to be going on about if the new passport will arrive in time...so, I still think sooner the better. Judge what you think best, considering the processing times quoted for the service + any time in case there is any mistakes/typos on the new one that need to be corrected, lost in the mail, etc. Just personally, I'd rather have the new one in my hands ASAP.

If you can choose the validity, you may want more than 3 years, that timer for US citizenship starts when he gets his residency (as I understand) and the process can be quite lengthy.

[Jenn and Fuat 2]

You should do it now - It's a long way to go thru citizenship, so he'll need it for years yet. Easier to do it from inside his country than try to do it by mail from the US. Get the ball rolling, you want the new passport in time for the interview!

Oh we would do it before the interview, and would renew for at least 3 years, but that's about $500. Wondering if he would need to do it before we sent in packet #3.. since we would be sending that within the next month. We will still have a 3-4 month wait for the interview, so would have more time for him to get the money together to renew.

When we send packet # 3 it would only have 5 or 6 months left on it ( depending on how fast we get packet #3). When we go to the interview he would have a new one with 3 years validity.

not sure how Turkey does it but many (most) countries the renewal is automatically for 10 years

In Turkey you can do 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, etc... A 1 year passport is around $200 and it goes up from there. He just renewed it in April, when he was getting ready for a B2 Visitor Visa interview.. only renewed it for one year at that time.. really wishing he would have listened and gotten a longer one.

[Jenn and Fuat 2]

You should do it now - It's a long way to go thru citizenship, so he'll need it for years yet. Easier to do it from inside his country than try to do it by mail from the US. Get the ball rolling, you want the new passport in time for the interview!

Oh we would do it before the interview, and would renew for at least 3 years, but that's about $500. Wondering if he would need to do it before we sent in packet #3.. since we would be sending that within the next month. We will still have a 3-4 month wait for the interview, so would have more time for him to get the money together to renew.

When we send packet # 3 it would only have 5 or 6 months left on it ( depending on how fast we get packet #3). When we go to the interview he would have a new one with 3 years validity.

not sure how Turkey does it but many (most) countries the renewal is automatically for 10 years

In Turkey you can do 1 year, 2 years, 3 years, etc... A 1 year passport is around $200 and it goes up from there. He just renewed it in April, when he was getting ready for a B2 Visitor Visa interview.. only renewed it for one year at that time.. really wishing he would have listened and gotten a longer one.

Not sure how I screwed up this post but the comment I am responding to doesn't seem to appear here.

It would only take 1 day to get the new passport. They just insert a new page. Each time he has done it, he's had the passport back the next day.

I have had enough "nail biting" going on with this whole process and don't want more

[Chica Yeyé 41]

6 months validity at the moment of the visa being granted.

[Seb928s 2]

You want to renew it now because it has to be vaild for 6 months or they won't even grant you a visa.

[Chica Yeyé 41]

You want to renew it now because it has to be vaild for 6 months or they won't even grant you a visa.

Exactly right.

[Jenn and Fuat 2]

You want to renew it now because it has to be vaild for 6 months or they won't even grant you a visa.

I understand that, and we would definitely extend before the interview.. by the time we get an interview the current passport would only have 2-3 months left on it.

What I was concerned about was if it only had 5 months left at the time we sent packet # 3 to be scheduled for an interview. If we sent a copy with packet # 3, and it was only valid for another five months, are they going to send packet # 3 back and say they can't schedule the interview because of it?

I know they won't grant a visa without 6 months validity

Will they schedule the interview without that much time? Once we send packet three we will still have 3 - 4 months time before our interview is scheduled and we will have plenty of time to renew between sending packet # 3 and going to the interview.

[Jenn and Fuat 2]

6 months validity at the moment of the visa being granted.

Len, I think this is what I was looking for.. 6 months at time of visa being granted, but not necessarily 6 months at time of scheduling interview.

[MRStee 19]

Since you don't have the funds to do it, why don't you just do the 1 or 2 year renewal so you can save up to get the 3 year done? Just a thought..