Hi -- I'm not filing yet... but would like to know what role the passport (from your country of citizenship) play in the process. I looked at the documentation requirement (from the back of the USCIS guide), and do not see a passport on the list of documents -- unless I missed it? Only saw that you are required to provide a copy of your GC with N-400 application.

If passport is required, does it have to be unexpired within a particular timeframe, when you file? I'm also reading that people are asked to bring it to the interview -- does it have to be valid at the time?

My passport expires in 2009 around the time I would be eligible to file N-400, and I'd like to know if i need to renew it ahead of time.

Thanks!

I do not think you need to renew your passport just for naturalization. After all you will most probably apply for a US passport afterwards. However if you need to travel while your case is being processed you will need a valid passport. Also if your country allows dual citizenship you might want to hold on to it as well.

When you go for your naturalization interview, you have to bring the document with which you legally entered the US, which for my wife was her CR1 Visa in her passport. Need to bring it even if the passport is expired. Don't know if you need to renew.

thanks, this is very helpful!

I don't believe you need a valid passport to naturalize.

But they do want to verify that your dates of travel are accurately accounted for, to be sure you meet the continuous residence and physical presence requirements. So they may want to see all passports that cover the time since you've been a permanent resident. Even if a passport is expired, it still may be useful as evidence of travel (or lack of travel).

My interview is next week. My appointment letter asks for my passport "and/or any other documents you used with any entries into the United States." My letter doesn't specifically say a 'current' passport, nor does it specify any time period.

I'll be bringing my current passport, along with my old passport that expired in 2003 which has my original fiance visa along with some entries from when we took vacations out of the US.

mmm i learned something ty

Kind of noticed that after starting with immigration was getting quite a stack of papers, applications, proof, key documents, so went to my OfficeMax and found a large legal sized brief case with plenty of folder compartments. We keep our passports in there as well and that goes with me whenever we visit our field office. It took some organizing so can whip out any document quickly as you never know what they are going to ask.

Made duplicate copies of everything so have identical copies in the same order as exactly sent to the USCIS in their separate folders and for the initial process, they did want a page by page copy of passports.

Didn't take long to realize that the N-400 was a redundant duplicate of the initial and I-751 applications and was surprised they didn't ask for a copy of the passports again, four years went by.

You probably noticed that a lot of time goes between when you filed your application and when it is actually processed, so make a point of adding any additional pertinent information to my brief case.

But the USCIS seems to follow Murphy's law in this respect and consistently. If you bring in all that information they never ask to see it, and if you don't, that is exactly what they want to see.