traveling with K1 visa in old passport

[kitthekat 1,317]

Hi all, my interview at the US embassy in Singapore is on Tuesday next week, and, if we get approved (fingers crossed!) I'm planning to travel to the US in May 2014. The expiry on my passport is Dec 2014. That's still more than 6 months validity from my travel dates but cutting it pretty close.

I'm planning to get my passport renewed in March/April 2014, basically as close as I can to the date I'm leaving. I found this on the DOS website:

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 United States port of entry (POE) 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.

It should be safe for me to travel with both my new passport and my K1 visa in my *old* passport, yeah? Will this present any issues for AOS? Thanks very much in advance!

[EndlessStory 53]

It will not cause any issue.

You can always renew your passport at the Singapore Embassy in U.S. if you want.

[clairegie 265]

yes it's safe for you to travel with both passports. you wont have issues with adjusting your status too. to help you relax, here are others who have been in the same situation:

http://www.visajourney.com/forums/topic/359220-my-passport-expired-but-have-us-visa/

[Anna Grant 169]

Just be slightly careful as the K1 visa is only valid for 6 months (usually this means 6 months from the date of your medical).

[kitthekat 1,317]

Thanks all! I'm trying to avoid the administrative hassle of renewing it in the US, especially since AOS will be it's own administrative nightmare, ha. I did look at the threads about tourist visas in expired passports, but just wanted to be extra sure it was okay for K1 visas too, I'm now very much relieved. And yes, I will make sure I leave before the expiry date printed on my visa. I'll be cutting it super close, but needs must...

[dwinge 34]

Thanks all! I'm trying to avoid the administrative hassle of renewing it in the US, especially since AOS will be it's own administrative nightmare, ha. I did look at the threads about tourist visas in expired passports, but just wanted to be extra sure it was okay for K1 visas too, I'm now very much relieved. And yes, I will make sure I leave before the expiry date printed on my visa. I'll be cutting it super close, but needs must...

I think it's easily done by mail: http://www.mfa.gov.sg/content/mfa/overseasmission/sanfrancisco/consular_services/citizen_services.html

Edited December 13, 2013 by dwinge

[kitthekat 1,317]

It's just a personal choice, but my reasons are mostly: 1 week lead time in Singapore compared to 3-4 weeks in the US, additional forms needed to file from overseas, I don't have to pay for registered post to send my old passport in the mail securely, etc, etc. What with getting married and AOS and settling in to our new life, if I don't have to deal with the passport stuff, I'd rather not.

[TBoneTX 43,195]

*** Thread moved from K-1 Process forum to the AOS/Family-Based main forum -- ultimate question involves that phase. ***