Stepson's travel document expiration date

[mobob 0]

Working my way through the CR1/IR1 process. Wife got her passport and our son's (my stepson, a minor) travel document last week. Her passport is good for 10 years, as usual, but his document is only good for one year. Unfortunately, the expiration date may be less than 6 months past what I expect will be the visa date. ie: I'm guessing the visa interview around Oct 9, based upon current trends, but realize processing times are approximate. I know that most borders require a passport valid past six months of the arrival date. Does this apply to his travel document as well? Ideas? Need for a contact to the US Embassy in Kyiv? Thanks.

arg. thought I posted this in the RUB area, but seems not. Wife and son are in Ukraine.

Edited April 25, 2012 by mobob

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Working my way through the CR1/IR1 process. Wife got her passport and our son's (my stepson, a minor) travel document last week. Her passport is good for 10 years, as usual, but his document is only good for one year. Unfortunately, the expiration date may be less than 6 months past what I expect will be the visa date. ie: I'm guessing the visa interview around Oct 9, based upon current trends, but realize processing times are approximate. I know that most borders require a passport valid past six months of the arrival date. Does this apply to his travel document as well? Ideas? Need for a contact to the US Embassy in Kyiv? Thanks.

arg. thought I posted this in the RUB area, but seems not. Wife and son are in Ukraine.

Yes it applies. Why would she not just add him to her passport? How old is he? I am familiar with the travel document you mention and usually it is so a minor child can travel without the parent, but they are not old enough for a passport. We just added the younger of our two sons to Alla's passport and his K-2 was put in her passport and well as her K-1

You do not need the permission of BOTH parents to add the child to one parents passport.

You will need a letter of consent from the father of the child to get a K-2 visa (unless there is no father listed on the birth certificate) I know it was not your question but just saying in case you didn't know.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Working my way through the CR1/IR1 process. Wife got her passport and our son's (my stepson, a minor) travel document last week. Her passport is good for 10 years, as usual, but his document is only good for one year. Unfortunately, the expiration date may be less than 6 months past what I expect will be the visa date. ie: I'm guessing the visa interview around Oct 9, based upon current trends, but realize processing times are approximate. I know that most borders require a passport valid past six months of the arrival date. Does this apply to his travel document as well? Ideas? Need for a contact to the US Embassy in Kyiv? Thanks.

arg. thought I posted this in the RUB area, but seems not. Wife and son are in Ukraine.

FYI since you list Ukraine as your fiancee country of origin, if you go to the top of the page and click on "portals" it will automatically take you to the Ukraine portal which is a listing of ALL topics posted in ANY forum by people with Ukraine as their SO's country.

[mobob 0]

Thanks, Gary. Guess I did post this in the correct place after all. Didn't see it here until a while after it was on the home page.

Got married in there and went CR1/IR1 route with the I-130 after I came back. Don't know if that's good or bad, but it's done. This is a (long) process like many, and I'm quite accustomed to dealing with the government, so I try to bide my time (wait my turn). Yesterday was three months into the visa process; Monday is NOA1 + 90. I'm trying not to be terribly impatient... though I now check USCIS almost every weekday, just in case there's some action. You know, somebody clicks a mouse and the file 'updates'.

I didn't have Olga add our son to her passport based upon previous travel experiences. Such being, if the parent, usually mom, and kid(s) were on the same passport, they all had to travel together when crossing international borders. That may not hold true now, but that's the way it was when I traveled a lifetime ago. Also, it seems OVIR in Donetsk might have said he had to have the travel document. Maybe they misinformed her, I don't know. It's done. From our skype chat tonight, I'm informed travel documents/passports can be had in about 7-10 days for a higher processing fee. If necessary, we could probably fix it before the interview, with any necessary application fee$. I've no idea if OVIR would balk since documents have already been issued. I don't throw money at every problem, but sometimes it does become the most expeditious solution.

He's 16 now, 17 in August. We've got the consent letter, thanks for mentioning that, because readers want to know! According to research, here I think but can't remember, we're also required to have a copy of the data page from the father's internal passport to get the son's visa, even though the consent letter is notarized.

My biggest concern isn't them leaving Ukraine, I'm pretty sure everything will be ok on that end, but getting through the POE here is what concerns me with the documents. I'd really hate for them to make the long trip just to get turned around and sent back to start the whole process over again. That would really suck on multiple levels.

John

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

Thanks, Gary. Guess I did post this in the correct place after all. Didn't see it here until a while after it was on the home page.

Got married in there and went CR1/IR1 route with the I-130 after I came back. Don't know if that's good or bad, but it's done. This is a (long) process like many, and I'm quite accustomed to dealing with the government, so I try to bide my time (wait my turn). Yesterday was three months into the visa process; Monday is NOA1 + 90. I'm trying not to be terribly impatient... though I now check USCIS almost every weekday, just in case there's some action. You know, somebody clicks a mouse and the file 'updates'.

I didn't have Olga add our son to her passport based upon previous travel experiences. Such being, if the parent, usually mom, and kid(s) were on the same passport, they all had to travel together when crossing international borders. That may not hold true now, but that's the way it was when I traveled a lifetime ago. Also, it seems OVIR in Donetsk might have said he had to have the travel document. Maybe they misinformed her, I don't know. It's done. From our skype chat tonight, I'm informed travel documents/passports can be had in about 7-10 days for a higher processing fee. If necessary, we could probably fix it before the interview, with any necessary application fee$. I've no idea if OVIR would balk since documents have already been issued. I don't throw money at every problem, but sometimes it does become the most expeditious solution.

He's 16 now, 17 in August. We've got the consent letter, thanks for mentioning that, because readers want to know! According to research, here I think but can't remember, we're also required to have a copy of the data page from the father's internal passport to get the son's visa, even though the consent letter is notarized.

My biggest concern isn't them leaving Ukraine, I'm pretty sure everything will be ok on that end, but getting through the POE here is what concerns me with the documents. I'd really hate for them to make the long trip just to get turned around and sent back to start the whole process over again. That would really suck on multiple levels.

John

Alla is also from Donetsk. Being in her passport requires him to be together with her when HE travels, that is true. It does not affect HER travel. Yes they can get travel documents on pretty short order so if you are going to go that route then she can do that. BUT they have limited validity and you will want to take him BACK to get his own passport eventually. I would still say, put him in her passport for now.

Your biggest problem is that the document needs to be valid for 6 months AFTER the visa is issued or they will not issue the visa.

Actually since he is now over age 16 (I did not know his age) you will no longer need the letter from the father, but not a bad thing to have as not all Ukrainian border officers are aware of the law. Then again they may be aware of the law and hope you are not and will pay them a bribe. Just sayin'

[mobob 0]

What is the law, where is it, about not requiring the consent letter since our son is 16? Olga will call OVIR in Donetsk tomorrow to see about getting another travel document. I'm thinking probably in July or August. That would surely be late enough to cover their entry. And yes, we'll be going back next year to get his passport sometime during the summer.

[Gary and Alla 3,694]

What is the law, where is it, about not requiring the consent letter since our son is 16? Olga will call OVIR in Donetsk tomorrow to see about getting another travel document. I'm thinking probably in July or August. That would surely be late enough to cover their entry. And yes, we'll be going back next year to get his passport sometime during the summer.

The requirements for the letter are listed at the US consulate, Kyiv, website. We have not used the letter since our youngest turned 16 last year but Alla still carries it with her. Moot point now since they will both have US passports this year. He will need a travel document go back and unless she is registered in Ukraine as a permanent resident of the US, she will not be able to get that document at a UKraine consulate here. Catch 22. Put him in her passport and it is a done deal.

The requirement itself is an international treaty that both the US and Ukraine are party to. Not all countries and not all countries have the same requirement.

We found out when we applied for his passport that if he were under 16 now we would need ANOTHER letter allowing him to get a US passport. He is 17 so that was not required and he is under 18 so he naturalizes with Alla. So the magic age for a child to naturalize is 16 or 17.

Edited April 27, 2012 by Gary and Alla

[mobob 0]

I'd found the requirements on the embassy website, but have no idea where to find the Ukrainian law about the letter now that he's 16. Can you point me in the right direction? It may be moot since she called OVIR Friday was told they'd help her, but I'm still interested. Might need that info later on. So, all seems good for now. The sucky part is that he'll naturalize after he's 18, so more fees, more money. But hey, it's worth it! Oh, here's another thought, if he's in her passport, does that mean he doesn't need the travel document? Some days it feels like I'm chasing my tail. Ever get that feeling?

[Darnell 8,479]

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Edited April 30, 2012 by Darnell