My passport is a little worn. How bad is "bad"?

[plinkabob 7]

Hey guys,

After reading the step by step guide for the K1 process (extremely helpful, thank you so much), the only thing I am a little worried about is the state of my passport. I'll be taking my interview in London.

This is what has sparked my attention...

1. Finally, make sure your passport is in order – You need to make sure you have at least 8 months until the expiry date on it, preferably more. If you've damaged it or gotten it wet, or the edges are wrinkled, it will need to be renewed. London is fussy about that.

I have 2 years left on it but as it is 8 years old and it was my only form of ID for many years, the some of the corners of the inside pages are a little curly and all the gold writing on the front has come off. Is this bad enough for me to be denied a visa? There is no water damage, it's just a well loved passport. I've never had any issues with it when travelling. Do I really need to apply for a whole new one? I can attach pictures if necessary...

Thanks in advance!

Edited September 2, 2014 by plinkabob

[JohnR! 5,495]

Be safe and get a new one. You'll need to for international travel once you're stateside anyway.

Hey guys,

After reading the step by step guide for the K1 process (extremely helpful, thank you so much), the only thing I am a little worried about is the state of my passport. I'll be taking my interview in London.

This is what has sparked my attention...

1. Finally, make sure your passport is in order – You need to make sure you have at least 8 months until the expiry date on it, preferably more. If you've damaged it or gotten it wet, or the edges are wrinkled, it will need to be renewed. London is fussy about that.

I have 2 years left on it but as it is 8 years old and it was my only form of ID for many years, the some of the corners of the inside pages are a little curly and all the gold writing on the front has come off. Is this bad enough for me to be denied a visa? There is no water damage, it's just a well loved passport. I've never had any issues with it when travelling. Do I really need to apply for a whole new one? I can attach pictures if necessary...

Thanks in advance!

[plinkabob 7]

Here's some pictures. I really hope I don't have to get a new one, After the £245 for the medical and the $265 for the visa and the £45 for the police check, plus all the usual day to day spendings, my bank account is really hating me right now

If anyone has got a passport in a similar condition and already been through the interview, I'd love to hear from you.

[kehills 217]

Based on the information you've provided, you're going to need a new one anyhow, before you move. Might as well get that taken care of sooner rather than later.

[plinkabob 7]

But I still have 2 years left on it. I thought you only needed 8 months?

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

Check this thread for someone who had a similar query and responses http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/457667-passport-condition/?hl=%2Bpassport+%2Bdamage#entry6551240 also you will find more results if you type passport damaged and select UK regional forum in the advanced search function on VJ

If I were you I'd get a new one to be on the safe side, have seen people posting about London being fussy with passports plus as a bonus you then have 10 years before you need a new one rather than the added hassle and extra expense of applying for a new one from abroad in two years.

Edited September 2, 2014 by Hotter Otter

[Nik+Heather 121]

Personally, I don't think it's worn so badly that it needs to be replaced, provided the ID page is a bit more pristine (ie, no separation of any layers, or anything that could be argued to appear tampered with). Still very legible etc. That's how I would look at it if I were deciding personally on my own documentation - no idea what the consular officer would say, of course.

HOWEVER, that's a requirements perspective. I can see many more compelling preference/convenience reasons to get it done now:

I can tell you that it's a bit of a pain to get the sucker renewed once you are in the States, and you will need to renew anyway (it won't last you until US naturalization). First of all, the photos need to be signed by a "professional" who has known you for a somewhat extended period of time - I think 2 years? 3? I can't remember now. We just barely knew someone for that long when we sent in the paperwork.

Don't think you'll just wait until you get your US passport after Naturalization and end up like us, essentially without the option of attending a grandparent's funeral because you've let the passport expire -- Yes, we could have obtained emergency documents by flying/travelling to Los Angeles and then on to the UK, but the whole idea was a logistical nightmare. Besides, if you're going for dual citizenship you'll need to maintain both anyway.

Also another good reason to get the passport renewed now is that all of your immigration stuff will happen in the one passport. No need to try to remember where you filed the old one to get the I-94 data out of it etc.

[plinkabob 7]

Do you think it will be a problem that the passport given to the USCIS will be different to the one that I attend the interview with? I also lost my birth certificate so have ordered a new one of those. Do you think they will find it suspicious that I have all totally new documents? Maybe I am thinking way too much about this. Haha

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

Do you think it will be a problem that the passport given to the USCIS will be different to the one that I attend the interview with? I also lost my birth certificate so have ordered a new one of those. Do you think they will find it suspicious that I have all totally new documents? Maybe I am thinking way too much about this. Haha

Quote from Anna Grant in the thread I linked in my previous post

"I had a different passport to the one that I had when I submitted the I-129F. I had no problem. I took my old passport with me to the interview, in case they wanted to see it as it had about 3 of my VWP stamps for entry to the US in it. But they only wanted to see my current passport. "

[plinkabob 7]

That is incredibly helpful. I LOVE THIS SITE SO MUCH! I'm just obviously very bad at using the search facility on here. (sorry about that)

Right, I'm off to get dolled up and have my picture taken. It's about time I had a passport picture where I don't have pig tails. Haha

Cheers everyone xx

[Nich-Nick 3,353]

Do you think it will be a problem that the passport given to the USCIS will be different to the one that I attend the interview with? I also lost my birth certificate so have ordered a new one of those. Do you think they will find it suspicious that I have all totally new documents? Maybe I am thinking way too much about this. Haha

Many people have taken a new passport to the interview. Total non-issue across the board.

A reason to not renew is if you will be changing your name after marriage. Your greencard will be in your married name and passport in your maiden name. You will have to travel with your marriage certificate to prove name change. And for less hassle with airlines, book the ticket in your maiden name (passport name).

[N-o-l-a 7,167]

I can tell you that it's a bit of a pain to get the sucker renewed once you are in the States, and you will need to renew anyway (it won't last you until US naturalization). First of all, the photos need to be signed by a "professional" who has known you for a somewhat extended period of time - I think 2 years? 3? I can't remember now. We just barely knew someone for that long when we sent in the paperwork.

You can send the application off to someone you know in the UK and have them mail it back to you after signing the photos. This is what I did.

[plinkabob 7]

Just thought I would give you guys a heads up on the passport thing. I asked the guy at the Embassy if I would have been denied due to the state of my old passport and he said yes. So there you go. The pictures above are of my old passport. If yours looks anything like that, GET A NEW ONE!!

Best of luck everyone!!!

[Ketsuban 1,034]

Just thought I would give you guys a heads up on the passport thing. I asked the guy at the Embassy if I would have been denied due to the state of my old passport and he said yes. So there you go. The pictures above are of my old passport. If yours looks anything like that, GET A NEW ONE!!

Best of luck everyone!!!

Definitely. I took one look at those two pics and was like "OMG get a new one!"

Someone else from London showed pictures of barely water-damaged pages because London rejected it. They were in disbelief. My maiden name passport looked like that and I thought it looked fine! They really are fussy at the London Embassy. I've been treating my new passport like a fragile ornament since the moment I got it.

[Hotter Otter 1,211]

Definitely. I took one look at those two pics and was like "OMG get a new one!"

Someone else from London showed pictures of barely water-damaged pages because London rejected it. They were in disbelief. My maiden name passport looked like that and I thought it looked fine! They really are fussy at the London Embassy. I've been treating my new passport like a fragile ornament since the moment I got it.

That will change when you get to the US, you will have to carry it around with you until you get the green card in the mail, but I suppose the condition won't matter as much then