Passport expires 4 months after entering the US (k1 visa)

[Jotter 1]

So I'm moving to the US in less than 2 months but my passport expires 4 months after I have moved (so in around 6 months from today). It sounds like I will need to bring a valid passport for the biometrics appointment later on but what if I don't get the appointment before the passport has expired? Renewing the passport once I'm in the US isn't a good option due to how far away the closest embassy/consulate is and I would prefer to not have to spend extra on flights shortly after moving.

So my options are to either apply for an id after I have arrived, or renew the passport before I even move to the US. What would you guys recommend me to do? It's possible to enter the US showing both the old passport and the new passport, right?

[Rachel n Tyler 38]

Your K1 visa is linked to your passport number, so you can't really get a new one..  As far as I know, your passport number changes when you renew it.. I'd say try to look up your states' requirements for an ID and try to get one before your passport expires.. But honestly, you should've thought of this before even applying.. ;/

[Dashinka 24,487]

If you can do it before you arrive, and if Sweden allows you to keep the invalidated passport, do it at that point.

 

Good Luck!

[Dashinka 24,487]

1 minute ago, Rachel n Tyler said:

Your K1 visa is linked to your passport number, so you can't really get a new one..  As far as I know, your passport number changes when you renew it.. I'd say try to look up your states' requirements for an ID and try to get one before your passport expires.. But honestly, you should've thought of this before even applying.. ;/

That depends.  For instance, I still have a valid visa for China in my old passport and it still works for entry (I just did it that way back in August).  It really depends on if Sweden allow its citizens to keep their old passports after renewing it.

[Rachel n Tyler 38]

1 minute ago, Dashinka said:

That depends.  For instance, I still have a valid visa for China in my old passport and it still works for entry (I just did it that way back in August).  It really depends on if Sweden allow its citizens to keep their old passports after renewing it.

I didn't think about them letting you keep it, as in the Netherlands they usually don't haha. Mine always got either destroyed (big holes in it making it not useable) or I had to hand it in

[Dashinka 24,487]

Just now, Rachel n Tyler said:

I didn't think about them letting you keep it, as in the Netherlands they usually don't haha. Mine always got either destroyed (big holes in it making it not useable) or I had to hand it in

The US punches a hole in the bio page, then sends it back to the citizen I believe so as to allow any valid visas to still be used.  In the case of the OP, it really depends on if Sweden does something similar.  If Sweden does not return the old passport, then the OP will need to work something else out after their US entry.

[Jotter 1]

8 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

If you can do it before you arrive, and if Sweden allows you to keep the invalidated passport, do it at that point.

 

Good Luck!

They do, so maybe that's my best option, thank you!

[Dashinka 24,487]

10 minutes ago, Jotter said:

They do, so maybe that's my best option, thank you!

Just to be clear, this is what I found on the Travel.State.Gov site.  You will be fine traveling with the valid visa in an old passport and also a new passport.

 

Good Luck!

 

My old passport has already expired. My visa to travel to the United States is still valid but in my expired passport. Do I need to apply for a new visa with my new passport?

No. If your visa is still valid you can travel to the United States with your two passports, as long as the visa is valid, not damaged, and is the appropriate type of visa required for your principal purpose of travel. (Example: tourist visa, when your principal purpose of travel is tourism). Both passports (the valid and the expired one with the visa) should be from the same country and type (Example: both Uruguayan regular passports, both official passports, etc.). When you arrive at the U.S. port-of-entry (POE, generally an airport or land border) the Customs and Border Protection Immigration Officer will check your visa in the old passport and if s/he decides to admit you into the United States they will stamp your new passport with an admission stamp along with the annotation "VIOPP" (visa in other passport). Do not try to remove the visa from your old passport and stick it into the new valid passport. If you do so, your visa will no longer be valid.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/frequently-asked-questions.html

[Yommicy 6]

37 minutes ago, Dashinka said:

Just to be clear, this is what I found on the Travel.State.Gov site.  You will be fine traveling with the valid visa in an old passport and also a new passport.

 

Good Luck!

 

My old passport has already expired. My visa to travel to the United States is still valid but in my expired passport. Do I need to apply for a new visa with my new passport?

No. If your visa is still valid you can travel to the United States with your two passports, as long as the visa is valid, not damaged, and is the appropriate type of visa required for your principal purpose of travel. (Example: tourist visa, when your principal purpose of travel is tourism). Both passports (the valid and the expired one with the visa) should be from the same country and type (Example: both Uruguayan regular passports, both official passports, etc.). When you arrive at the U.S. port-of-entry (POE, generally an airport or land border) the Customs and Border Protection Immigration Officer will check your visa in the old passport and if s/he decides to admit you into the United States they will stamp your new passport with an admission stamp along with the annotation "VIOPP" (visa in other passport). Do not try to remove the visa from your old passport and stick it into the new valid passport. If you do so, your visa will no longer be valid.

 

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/frequently-asked-questions.html

This should actually answer his question. You can renew your visa and still keep the old one. My wife's old US passport was not damaged and when it expired last year. She had a Nigerian visa on the old one and was carrying both: she never encountered any problems anywhere. She just presented both at the port of entry. I advise you first ask your country's immigration about keeping it, and renew it if their policy doesn't destroy the old one

[Tony Wong 4]

Saw your post and country of origin, Sweden.

I renewed my Swedish passport before moving to US, even though it's still good for a year and a half. It's too costly and impractical to do it in Washington/NYC later. It only takes a couple of weeks in Malmö and I can hardly imagine you cannot get it done within 2 months anywhere in Sweden.  

Tell the Swedish police that you need to keep the old passport for the Visa. They are used to this kind of situation. In the future, show both the new and the old passport in US, until you receive your GC of course.