Do they take away old passport at K1 visa interview?

[BBGG 59]

Hi everyone, I looked for an answer on VJ but could not find it.

 

I currently have two valid traveling passports issued by Russia

(my country allows having two passports simultaneously if you travel a lot and are running out of pages too fast):

 

• Passport #1: Issued Oct 2013, valid until Oct 2023. My main traveling document, only has 5 pages left. Has my European (Schengen) visa and my two previous leisure/business USA visas (B1/B2 visas).
• Passport #2: Issued June 2019, valid until June 2029. Totally new and blank passport that I just got issued, no visas or stamps.

 

I'm applying for K1 visa with my new Passport #2 at the US embassy in London.

My K1 visa interview is on Sep 10.

I'm traveling to Portugal and then to Russia on Sep 12-29, and I need my Passport #1 for that because I have my Portuguese (Schengen) visa in it, and I need a travel passport to enter/exit Russia as well, they will want to put stamps somewhere.

 

My question is:

 

I know that I for sure need to bring both Passport #1 and #2 for my K1 visa interview on Sep 10 for the visa officer to review.

 

But will they take away after the interview only the new Passport #2 to put the visa sticker in it, or will they also take away my old Passport #1?

 

(This all in case of successful interview of course)

 

Edited August 23, 2019 by BBGG

[Crazy Cat 42,073]

It is possible that they will want to keep both passports temporarily for administrative purposes such as checking your past travel, etc..... 

[BBGG 59]

Thanks, @missileman

 

Ugh, so frustrating. I guess they may also take my old passport away because it has an unexpired B1/B2 visa (USA leisure/business), so that they could void it.

Not sure if they could void it right there at the embassy and give me my old passport back on the day of the interview.

I tried calling the US embassy in London - they are not helpful, no answering questions on the phone, no reply or at least no clear reply if using the online form.

Tried calling NVC - they say they can't tell what the London US embassy may decide to do.

 

Looks like my only option is to move the interview to the date when I'm back from my trips. I really did not want to do that as it causes an additional 3-week delay.

Edited August 23, 2019 by BBGG

[BBGG 59]

Found in the below thread from 2016:

 

"I had my b1/b2 stamped with a big "cancelled without prejudice" once I got my passport back from the embassy after my k1 interview."

 

And also

 

"When you receive your K-1 visa you will see your B1/B2 cancelled without prejudice."

 

Yet another evidence they will want to take my old passport away to void the visa.

 

 

 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

4 hours ago, BBGG said:

But will they take away after the interview only the new Passport #2 to put the visa sticker in it, or will they also take away my old Passport #1?

You can attend the interview and tell them you have immediate travel plans and can't leave your passports. When you return, you can courier in the passports and they will complete processing and issue the visa.

 

You could see if there is some last minute openings to interview next week

 

Or you can look for an interview date in October. Three weeks is not a huge amount of time in the grand scheme of things...once you get off the hamster wheel of racing for that K1 and look at it in hindsight.

Edited August 23, 2019 by Wuozopo

[BBGG 59]

Thanks for the input, @Wuozopo

 

The problem is that I also have my medical only on Aug 28, so Sep 10 seemed like a good date for the medical results to get to the US embassy in time, but now it does not play well together with the passport matter.

 

There is an opening for Sep 4 for the K1 visa interview right now, but I'm not sure if it will just cause more problems if I take this date and my medical does not get in time to the US embassy by Sep 4, and I will not get my passports back by Sep 12 as a result.

 

I basically only need the old passport back asap, the one where they need to void the B1/B2 visa, and I can wait for much longer for my new passport with the actual K1 visa.

 

This all seems like an impossible equation to solve right now... I wish the London US embassy was more helpful.

 

Is couriering passports later after K1 interview something that is commonly used?

 

Re-scheduling the K1 visa interview for October still probably sounds like the safest way to go, even though it makes me incredibly sad.

 

[Wuozopo 4,293]

42 minutes ago, BBGG said:

Is couriering passports later after K1 interview something that is commonly used?

 

Re-scheduling the K1 visa interview for October still probably sounds like the safest way to go, even though it makes me incredibly sad.

Sending passports later--I wouldn't describe it as common, but I am aware of at least a dozen or more who have done that so I know it is allowed.

 

Skip the sadness. You picked these appointment dates and the trip to Portugal and Russia.  The goal is to get a visa. Do that in the best, risk-free way you can. Keep your eye on the prize.  It's already going to look dodgy in London that you are  Russian, use two passports concurrently, and want to hang on to one while the other processes. How do they know your trip is not to a known terrorist country that would land you in months of Administratve Processing? 

Edited August 23, 2019 by Wuozopo

[BBGG 59]

@Wuozopo, thanks again, that's good advice - to keep your eye on prize and do it the most risk-free way.

 

Rescheduled visa interview to Sep 30 after all the trips are over, too look less dodgy 😉 

 

Peace of mind achieved (for now).

[BBGG 59]

Update after my K1 visa interview in London on Sep 30 (visa was approved, by the way):

 

The visa officer that conducted my interview took my "older" (but not expired) passport with B1/B2 visa and voided it with a big black stamp saying "CANCELLED WITHOUT PREJUDICE", then handed this passport back to me right there at the interview.

 

They only kept my "newer" passport where the K1 visa sticker is to be added.

 

So technically I could travel outside the UK with my "older" passport right after the interview. The only concern would be that I should better be at home to accept the "newer" passport with the K1 visa from the courier.