N-400 application: Renewing passport before or after

[bluenoser77 0]

Hi all,

I am eligible to apply for citizenship in mid-July. My Canadian Passport expires on July 30th. I'm trying to time renewing my passport around trips and wonder if renewing a passport has an effect on the naturalization process. Looking at the N-400 form, there is no field that requests your passport #.

My sense is that it doesn't matter at all. In addition, after reviewing other posts, I understand that I would just need to have a valid Canadian passport for my interview. Am I right here?

Also, when I do renew my passport, do I need to inform USCIS? If so, what form do I use?

Thanks for any info.

[Inky 1,111]

Hi all,

I am eligible to apply for citizenship in mid-July. My Canadian Passport expires on July 30th. I'm trying to time renewing my passport around trips and wonder if renewing a passport has an effect on the naturalization process. Looking at the N-400 form, there is no field that requests your passport #.

My sense is that it doesn't matter at all. In addition, after reviewing other posts, I understand that I would just need to have a valid Canadian passport for my interview. Am I right here?

Also, when I do renew my passport, do I need to inform USCIS? If so, what form do I use?

Thanks for any info.

No reason to notify USCIS of anything to do with your new passport.

All passports expired or valid are needed at the naturalization interview if you have been using them to travel.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

I suggest you don't even get a new Canadian passport and travel with your US passport exclusively. Why wasting money?

[Azure30 22]

Renewing your Canadian passport won't have an effect. You wouldn't need to tell IO all of that. TMI for IO. And IO doesn't care that it's expired. They are only verifying your travel times since your greencard. Mine is expired & i'm taking it to interview. What MUST be valid for your citizenship application is your green card.

It's your preference to have both passports. I know people with dual citizenships tend to present their birth country's passport when re-entering that country .

Yet I must agree with Brother H. Why waste that extra money? The US Passport will show your place of birth as Canada if that's the case, so you won't have issues when entering Canada. My British passport expired in February. Costs US$244.00 to renew at British Embassy in DC. After I get done with citizenship , US passport application is next and cheaper too I believe. That's an extra $244.00 I keep in my pocket. And US Passport will show my place of birth as a British Overseas Territory, so it's all good.

Edited March 17, 2013 by Azure30

[NickD 203]

If you took trips outside of the USA over 24 hours, you need to bring your foreign passport in, expired or not, so your IO can verify those trips. You don't need a Canadian passport to visit Canada, as a matter of fact until that crazy Bush guy got into office, you didn't need any form of passport at all. Just started this nonsense with an executive order because he felt the Canadians weren't doing enough to keep out terrorists. But only if they travel by air, neglecting over 3,500 miles of unprotected border.

Company has many divisions in Canada, still easy to get into Canada but a first class pain the the butt to come back. Toronto is a key point, added over a million square feet for security and have to stand in line for hours. Ironically, any terrorist that came here, came here legally. All it takes to get a visa to come here is plenty of money and they have plenty of that. You also have to list those trips to Canada and not easy to make a daily trip in under 24 hours if you have to wait in long lines.

Johnson and Nixon could have done this back in the 60's, thousands of kids ran up to Canada to avoid the draft, as it was, gave all those draft dodgers amnesty.

Depending on what agreements our DOS made with your home country, still may be required to maintain a passport with that country if you want to visit your family. And the lying basterds call that dual naturalization, when in fact it is dual citizenship. Those corrupted countries can sure take advantage of that.

[VanessaTony 3,567]

My British passport expired in February. Costs US$244.00 to renew at British Embassy in DC. After I get done with citizenship , US passport application is next and cheaper too I believe. That's an extra $244.00 I keep in my pocket. And US Passport will show my place of birth as a British Overseas Territory, so it's all good.

Ugh I know what you mean! My UK passport expired in 2010. I really wanted to renew it but I saw that price and thought, screw that. My Aussie passport is valid and that's all that matters. I'll renew the British one if I ever need it.

[Kathryn41 3,205]

The other consideration, however, is that your Canadian passport expires July 30th and you are eligible to apply for US citizenship mid-July. That means there will be a period of time that could range from a minimum of 4 1/2 months to upward of a year (if your interview isn't scheduled quickly) when you will have no valid passport. Your N400 would have to process, you would have to attend an interview, you may then have to wait for the ceremony to be scheduled , and finally you would have to apply and wait for your US passport which alone can add upward of an additional month.

If you had a need to travel on short notice to Canada, eg for a family emergency, you would not be able to fly into Canada, although you could fly to a border city, cross the border by land and then fly the rest of the way domestically, if necessary. You would be able to return to the US on your green card without a passport, but again, you would not be able to fly internationally. Only you know if that likelihood is of consideration.

I am one of those who keep both passports valid - my Canadian and my American - and when I go to Canada I travel with both and suggest that even with the additional expense, I feel more comfortable having both. If the time without a valid passport was only the matter of a month of two I would be less hesitant to say, wait until you can apply for your US passport. Given your time line, though, I would recommend that you do renew your Canadian passport for the added 'insurance' value.

You may also wish to take advantage of the 'old' passport fee by applying about 4 to 6 weeks prior to its expiry if you do renew - the new passport fees go up on July 1st and the increases are noticeable. http://www.ppt.gc.ca/publications/consultations/index.aspx?lang=eng . If you found yourself in the situation where you needed to renew the passport after it expires mid-July and before you are able to get a US passport, you would have to pay the new fees.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Kathryn41