Canadian husband needs to renew passport

[aeroth88 29]

Hello,

 

My husband entered the country through the K-1 visa in 2018 (and this website was SO helpful!!! We did it without the help of a lawyer!). Due to the pandemic, we kind of fell through the cracks and he finally got his green card in 2023.

 

His Canadian passport is due to expire in December. He wants to renew it, but he is concerned because he has to send in the old one, and if there’s a family emergency, he won’t be able to get to Canada.
 

What have you guys done in this circumstance? Is there a way to get into your home country and back into the states while your passport renewal is pending?

 

TIA

[Crazy Cat 45,327]

***Moved to the Canada regional forum***

[JeanneAdil 7,247]

there are alternatives from the CBP site

 

https://www.help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1418?language=en_US

 

By land and sea (including ferries) - Canadian citizens traveling to the United States by land or sea are required to present one of the travel documents listed below, and may generally visit the United States for up to six months. CBP will accept:

• Canadian passport
• Enhanced Driver's License/Enhanced Identification Card
• NEXUS, FAST/EXPRES
• SENTRI enrollment cards.

[aeroth88 29]

He doesn’t have any of those other things. Does he not need a passport to get into the country too? Is his greencard  enough?

[Lemonslice 5,312]

He should reach out to the closest consulate.  Options exist.

 

[Ontarkie 15,010]

I used my driver's license two years ago to enter Canada. It was not an enhanced DL or a real ID type of DL. Just the good old one. Lol

 

As your husband has his GC now he can use it too and that's what he will use when returning to the US. Even if he had his Canadian passport he would still need his GC to re enter the US. 

[mam521 2,658]

I haven't looked super recently, but passports were taking about 20 days for Canada.  If your husband needed to enter Canada while his new passport were pending, he could use a land border with a DL & birth certificate or he could contact a consulate for an emergency travel document.  I wouldn't stress about it.