I'm an getting way ahead of myself here - I know my interview is months away (love that Los Angeles office....), but, I'm wondering about travel immediately after the oath. I occasionally need to travel internationally at short notice for work. I understand at th Oath ceremony my green card will be taken. I know I can immediately apply for a US passport - and I know a US citizen must re-enter the US with a US passport. So, what happens in that window between oath/greencard gone/applying for US passport and actually receiving the passport. How is it/is it possible to travel internationally in this period?

Immediately after your oath, you are just like any other US Citizen without a passport. You can't travel internationally.

You can get an expedited passport. These days, they're back to processing them within a few days if you've got a genuine need for it.

We'll probably have that issue, though we know in advance when our travel plans are. Currently, we suspect we may have to delay the oath ceremony until after returning from an international trip.

Isn't there another answer to this? Many countries allow dual citizenship, so couldn't you travel on your other passport and come back on the US passport - if you were gone for a few weeks' time and the US passport arrived in the middle? Maybe some one has done it.

That is a bit risky. It would mean someone would have to arrange to courier the US passport to where ever the person is. They would be stuck outside the US unable to return until they got it.

Thankyou for responding.


When you put it like that - it makes sense. At the time, I will just pay the extra $$, and do the expedited route.

One more thought - in the interim - between interview & oath, I will still be able to travel on my green card and existing foreign passport? I think I can, but, would be nice to have another opinion.

It's also technically illegal, though I'm not sure how strictly it's enforced. As a practical matter, it's probably not checked thoroughly.

See INA 215(b)

Except as otherwise provided by the President and subject to such limitations and exceptions as the President may authorize and prescribe, it shall be unlawful for any citizen of the United States to depart from or enter, or attempt to depart from or enter, the United States unless he bears a valid United States passport.

Which is what I meant by risky but I was thinking that you could get away with it as there are no immigration checks when you leave the USA.

However on reading your post which made me think further you couldn't do it. When you fly internationally you have to present your passport at check in. Last time we did this I just gave my British passport and the person started looking through it. She then said are you a resident alien if so can I see your green card. When I said no she went and checked I had my I-94 in the passport and reminded me to hand it in when I got to Chicago. That was on the return leg of the journey going back to the UK.

What would have happened if I had not had either a green card or the I-94 I don't know, which would be the case in the OPs situation. Not worth the risk IMHO