Expiring passport/CR1 interview coming up

[G&Mhk 1]

Hi,

My wife and I live in HK. One week ago the case was complete at the NVC and presumably it is now on its way to the US consulate here. My wife's passport expires in January 2015.

According to the US consulate's general email to me: as long as my wife has her medical exam before the last 6 months on her Philippines passport, everything is okay.

So assuming that happens, my wife gets the visa to travel to the US. Which means that she must travel before the last 6 months on her passport? (I know that she has to use the US visa within 6 months of it being issued.)

My next question is what happens then to her Philippines passport? According to the website of the PH consulate in DC, they will not renew PH passports for nationals in the US if the national is on the path to US residence (green card).

So my wife goes to the US before the end of the year, then visits PH before January 2015 and renews her PH passport there?

Then what does she use to re-enter the US? JUST her green card?

I'm very confused and now it's probably too late to renew the PH passport here in HK.

Thanks.

[phd1974 17]

In some consulates, the visa expires 6 months after the medical exam so you might want to verify with the US Consulate there.

[nightingalejules 678]

Hi,

My wife and I live in HK. One week ago the case was complete at the NVC and presumably it is now on its way to the US consulate here. My wife's passport expires in January 2015.

According to the US consulate's general email to me: as long as my wife has her medical exam before the last 6 months on her Philippines passport, everything is okay.

So assuming that happens, my wife gets the visa to travel to the US. Which means that she must travel before the last 6 months on her passport? (I know that she has to use the US visa within 6 months of it being issued.)

My next question is what happens then to her Philippines passport? According to the website of the PH consulate in DC, they will not renew PH passports for nationals in the US if the national is on the path to US residence (green card).

So my wife goes to the US before the end of the year, then visits PH before January 2015 and renews her PH passport there?

Then what does she use to re-enter the US? JUST her green card?

I'm very confused and now it's probably too late to renew the PH passport here in HK.

Thanks.

I really think you should try to get a new Phillipines passport as soon as possible. She will need it if she plans to travel at all outside the country before she naturalizes and gets a US passport. If she returns to PH to renew her passport, she will have to stay there until she has the passport in hand. The green card by itself is not sufficient as a travel document.

Also, I have read that the embassy won't put the visa in a passport with less than 6 months of validity. If that's the case, the fact that her passport expires in January could mean a delay in getting the visa at all.

[G&Mhk 1]

I really think you should try to get a new Phillipines passport as soon as possible. She will need it if she plans to travel at all outside the country before she naturalizes and gets a US passport. If she returns to PH to renew her passport, she will have to stay there until she has the passport in hand. The green card by itself is not sufficient as a travel document.

Also, I have read that the embassy won't put the visa in a passport with less than 6 months of validity. If that's the case, the fact that her passport expires in January could mean a delay in getting the visa at all.

Thanks.

This is a mess! So if we go to renew now and the US consulate here schedules the interview then what?

once my wife goes to the US and then visits the PH, she can renew her PH passport, right? The US Visa she is going to get is just to enter the US, right? The green card she gets in the mail is what will enable her to re-enter the US, even with a new PH passport w/o the original US Visa sticker she is going to get here?

[nightingalejules 678]

Does PH offer the option of keeping the old passport (having it returned after the renewal)? That's what's recommended for Canadians. That way you have the new, valid passport, and the visa in the old passport. Then you get a stamp in the new passport with a notation that the visa is in the old passport.

[phd1974 17]

That's a tough one. There is always the opportunity to reschedule the interview for a later date .... and then get her passport renewed before the interview. Find out how long it will take to renew her passport and if they schedule the interview before that, then ask to be rescheduled.

[G&Mhk 1]

That's a tough one. There is always the opportunity to reschedule the interview for a later date .... and then get her passport renewed before the interview. Find out how long it will take to renew her passport and if they schedule the interview before that, then ask to be rescheduled.

After worrying about this yesterday, I got a "case status" email from NVC which makes me think that the interview will be in June so -- fingers crossed -- visa in late June/early July. Email from US consulate here makes it sound like even if the passport is less than 6 months the visa can be processed (just not for same 6-month time-frame as otherwise).

Philippines consulate here offers NO expedited service, though they sounded helpful, and time-frame for renewal was 2 months (!).

So needless to say we are going to use this current passport and hope we get everything done with US consulate here before mid-July.

My wife will just have to renew her PH passport in PH in January (she was already planning a trip home then anyway).

Thanks for answers everyone.

[essysita 24]

After worrying about this yesterday, I got a "case status" email from NVC which makes me think that the interview will be in June so -- fingers crossed -- visa in late June/early July. Email from US consulate here makes it sound like even if the passport is less than 6 months the visa can be processed (just not for same 6-month time-frame as otherwise).

Philippines consulate here offers NO expedited service, though they sounded helpful, and time-frame for renewal was 2 months (!).

So needless to say we are going to use this current passport and hope we get everything done with US consulate here before mid-July.

My wife will just have to renew her PH passport in PH in January (she was already planning a trip home then anyway).

Thanks for answers everyone.

Hi! I got my passport renewal in 10 business days. Just make sure you have all the necessary documents in hand to save you time.

I hope you'll find the link useful.

http://passport.com.ph/info/requirements/for/renewal

[G&Mhk 1]

Hi! I got my passport renewal in 10 business days. Just make sure you have all the necessary documents in hand to save you time.

I hope you'll find the link useful.

http://passport.com.ph/info/requirements/for/renewal

Thanks. Where did you renew it in 10 business days? US, PH, or elsewhere?

[essysita 24]

Thanks. Where did you renew it in 10 business days? US, PH, or elsewhere?

DFA Manila, Philippines. You'll have to pay extra though. That is what I think they called Express Priority.

But I did use a travel agency to help me. They are the one who set an appointment for me and I just went there for my personal appearance and get my photo taken.

It cost me 2000.00 pesos. i just don't know how much you would pay if you didn't go through a travel agency maybe cheaper but the travel agency made it hassle free for me. It was worth paying the fee.

[G&Mhk 1]

DFA Manila, Philippines. You'll have to pay extra though. That is what I think they called Express Priority.

But I did use a travel agency to help me. They are the one who set an appointment for me and I just went there for my personal appearance and get my photo taken.

It cost me 2000.00 pesos. i just don't know how much you would pay if you didn't go through a travel agency maybe cheaper but the travel agency made it hassle free for me. It was worth paying the fee.

Okay. Thanks. Looks likely that my wife will renew it in Manila when she goes home in January.

[G&Mhk 1]

My wif'e's interview is in mid-July. Got the appointment letter so we are going to try to renew the PH passport here in HK at the PH consulate this week. That gives us 6 weeks to get it back in time.

Do-able?

And I am confused about medical examination? Does the US consulate schedule it for us or we do it ourselves? I know there is a list of approved doctors to use.

Thanks everyone.

[NikLR 13,227]

My wif'e's interview is in mid-July. Got the appointment letter so we are going to try to renew the PH passport here in HK at the PH consulate this week. That gives us 6 weeks to get it back in time.

Do-able?

And I am confused about medical examination? Does the US consulate schedule it for us or we do it ourselves? I know there is a list of approved doctors to use.

Thanks everyone.

You wife will not be able to fly without a valid passport unless the airline says it's okay, which is a big toss up. They normally require a valid passport. I suggest renewing beforehand.

You schedule the medical exam.

Normally it's done as close as possible to the interview unless you suspect there is a problem or unless she needs a TB exam.

At interview bring both passports if possible (take a high quality photocopy of the bio data page of this one in case they don't give it back.)