hey evrybody. I have I-485 pending. I even got I-797C. My passport has expired. I tried to renew my passport since last august, it has been 4 month today. My country Ivory Coast is going through some political trouble. I Call my ambassy in DC but they said they dont have my passport. it suck i dont know when I am going to get my new passport. I am waiting for biometric letter. My question is Do I need my passport for the interview. how important is the passport for interview?
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passport expired
- Thread starter fargodome
- Start date
Btw are you legally here? If you enter the country you need a passport that is valid for at least 6 month's. Without a valid passport you basically are illegal since your I-94 card is only valid for the time of your visa or until the expiring date of your passport so IMO you have overstayed and will be denied for a GC...
fargodome,
I know its a real possibility that your country's embassy is probably going through a situation that you cannot control - its all too real with country's going through political instability. I would suggest that you get into written contact with your embassy and hopefully they'll give you a written response similar to what they have told you verbally. Though it might not make a difference during the interview it sure does make a huge difference, coz reporting that "My embassy said ....." just wont cut it. That said though, a valid passport with at least 6 months validity is pretty much an absolute necessity, so I dont know how they'd start to process you without one.
If there is anything you could do, is make contact as soon as you can with wherever you are going to have the interview and let them know whats going on and find out if there's anything they recommend that you can do on your part thats within your control. Who knows they might have a way to deal with exceptional circumstances such as your own. Indeed yours is a first of a kind I've heard of, and would like to know how it all goes.
I know its a real possibility that your country's embassy is probably going through a situation that you cannot control - its all too real with country's going through political instability. I would suggest that you get into written contact with your embassy and hopefully they'll give you a written response similar to what they have told you verbally. Though it might not make a difference during the interview it sure does make a huge difference, coz reporting that "My embassy said ....." just wont cut it. That said though, a valid passport with at least 6 months validity is pretty much an absolute necessity, so I dont know how they'd start to process you without one.
If there is anything you could do, is make contact as soon as you can with wherever you are going to have the interview and let them know whats going on and find out if there's anything they recommend that you can do on your part thats within your control. Who knows they might have a way to deal with exceptional circumstances such as your own. Indeed yours is a first of a kind I've heard of, and would like to know how it all goes.
Your wrong. I-94 can't be valid without a valid passport.
Without a valid passport you are here illegal since a passport is proof and required for the DV lottery.
It is clearly to be read in all paperword that you have. I think they even mention your passport needs to be valid for more than 6 month's.
Without a valid passport you are here illegal since a passport is proof and required for the DV lottery.
It is clearly to be read in all paperword that you have. I think they even mention your passport needs to be valid for more than 6 month's.
The rules upon entering the US define the qualifications for how long to admit you. Once you enter, you are in status until you violate it. Passport being expired is not a violation of status.
F-1 student has D/S in his or her passport. Passport has to be valid for 6 months upon ENTRY, that is it. Also, in case it is covered by a mutual treaty, it has to be valid just on the day of entry. That is it.
Once you entered you are in status.
It is totally up to you whether to have expired or nonexpired passport on the I-485 interview, both are equally good and one does not have any preference on another. However, requirement to have passport or an explanation why you do not have one (for instance, in case it is lost or stolen) is strict, because the interviewing officer need to cancel all your nonimmigrant US visas you have or might have. validity of those visas does not depend on validity of your passport. That is why they have to be cancelled in your passport even if it is expired. IO cannot make positive adjudication until the visas are cancelled.
F-1 student has D/S in his or her passport. Passport has to be valid for 6 months upon ENTRY, that is it. Also, in case it is covered by a mutual treaty, it has to be valid just on the day of entry. That is it.
Once you entered you are in status.
It is totally up to you whether to have expired or nonexpired passport on the I-485 interview, both are equally good and one does not have any preference on another. However, requirement to have passport or an explanation why you do not have one (for instance, in case it is lost or stolen) is strict, because the interviewing officer need to cancel all your nonimmigrant US visas you have or might have. validity of those visas does not depend on validity of your passport. That is why they have to be cancelled in your passport even if it is expired. IO cannot make positive adjudication until the visas are cancelled.
samuel5028
Banned
Without passport you cannot go for interview. So renew your passport, there is no other options left for you.
http://www.uscis.gov/portal/site/us...nnel=2da73a4107083210VgnVCM100000082ca60aRCRD
When you come to your interview, you (and the family member that filed the Form I-130 petition on your behalf, if applicable) must bring originals of all documentation submitted with this application including passports, official travel documents, and Form I-94 regardless if they are expired.
The previous statement lacks logic and is contradictory. The second part of the statement contradicts the first one.
LMAO. Do not mind Samuel. He is a spammer ... or a bot, trying to spread those links in his signature as much as he can. His posts are usually off base.
I did not know that you can go to the interview with an expired passport, learning something new everyday. But I can confirm everything else that you said based on my personal experience. Status expiration is independent of passport expiration. And visa stamp expiration is independent of passport expiration date.
Thanks for bringing some sanity to these parts of the forum.
Okay..."regardless if expired" ...and what do you think will happen next....NO Greencard because if your documentation is not as it should be which is a "valid passport" than you will be denied.
Samual5028 was totally right!
But you can ignore it and find out yourself at the interview.
Samual5028 was totally right!
But you can ignore it and find out yourself at the interview.
I wonder if there is any reason why you think a VALID passport is required. Common sense? Any other reasons?
1. All nonimmigrant US visas will be cancelled, because they have to be. That is the only mandatory step.
2. The passport will be stamped with ADIT stamp, which is temporary evidence of permanent residence. That step is not required by USCIS but is done for your own convenicence. You can travel with this stamp.
Those are the only two reasons why USCIS needs your passport, expired or not.
As I said, two things:and what do you think will happen next....
1. All nonimmigrant US visas will be cancelled, because they have to be. That is the only mandatory step.
2. The passport will be stamped with ADIT stamp, which is temporary evidence of permanent residence. That step is not required by USCIS but is done for your own convenicence. You can travel with this stamp.
Those are the only two reasons why USCIS needs your passport, expired or not.
How can someone be in this country as a foreigner with an expired passport?
Having a passport that is valid is a requirement to be here or you will not be legal to stay here.
You have to make sure you renew your passport and I-94 cards are issued only until the experation of the passport unless a mistake is made which rarely happens. I have seen it happen but normaly at customs your stamp on the I-94 cars is up to the experation date in the passport. Your US drivers license will match that day.
You are illegal once your I-94 card expires even if your visa stamp is still valid.
Just common sense.
Having a passport that is valid is a requirement to be here or you will not be legal to stay here.
You have to make sure you renew your passport and I-94 cards are issued only until the experation of the passport unless a mistake is made which rarely happens. I have seen it happen but normaly at customs your stamp on the I-94 cars is up to the experation date in the passport. Your US drivers license will match that day.
You are illegal once your I-94 card expires even if your visa stamp is still valid.
Just common sense.
Yes, sure. You are wrong.How can someone be in this country as a foreigner with an expired passport?
There is no requirement like that. You are wrong.Having a passport that is valid is a requirement to be here or you will not be legal to stay here.
You do not have to renew your passport. You are wrong.You have to make sure you renew your passport and I-94 cards are issued only until the experation of the passport unless a mistake is made which rarely happens.
There are specific rules for the immigration officer until what date to admit you. In certain cases they are tied to the expiration date of your passport (like B-2),I have seen it happen but normaly at customs your stamp on the I-94 cars is up to the experation date in the passport. Your US drivers license will match that day.
including 6 months rule. In certain cases they are not tied to expiration date of your passport (like F-1)Documents required: Passport valid for a minimum of 6 months beyond the period of admission, unless otherwise provided for or waived.
, even though the passport has to be valid on the date of your entry, including 6 month rule.Documents required: Passport valid for 6 months, unless exempt.
See the difference in CBP inspector's field manual?
However, even in case of B-2 you do not have to extend your passport in order to change your status. The rule quoted is relevant only upon your initial entry. Once you got your I-94, you are in status. You do not need your passport anymore to be in status.
Correct. But whether your passport expired or not has no effect on validity of your status. Moreover, you can change your status or proceed with AOS when you no longer have a valid passport, in case you are still in status. That is the subcet of the question raised.You are illegal once your I-94 card expires even if your visa stamp is still valid.
That is what I suspected. You have a wrong feeling of common sense.Just common sense.
You need a valid passport if you want to travel outside the country. But on F1, your status is till valid even if your passport expired after you entered the country.How can someone be in this country as a foreigner with an expired passport?
Having a passport that is valid is a requirement to be here or you will not be legal to stay here.
You have to make sure you renew your passport and I-94 cards are issued only until the experation of the passport unless a mistake is made which rarely happens. I have seen it happen but normaly at customs your stamp on the I-94 cars is up to the experation date in the passport. Your US drivers license will match that day.
You are illegal once your I-94 card expires even if your visa stamp is still valid.
Just common sense.
When I got my first F1 stamp, its expiration date was after my passport's expiration date. After I renewed my passport and traveled back home, I returned to US using both my passports. The expired one still had a valid visa stamp. And the new passport was the current valid passport (without a US visa stamp).
How can someone be in this country as a foreigner with an expired passport?
Having a passport that is valid is a requirement to be here or you will not be legal to stay here.
You have to make sure you renew your passport and I-94 cards are issued only until the experation of the passport unless a mistake is made which rarely happens. I have seen it happen but normaly at customs your stamp on the I-94 cars is up to the experation date in the passport. Your US drivers license will match that day.
You are illegal once your I-94 card expires even if your visa stamp is still valid.
Just common sense.
I am also on a F1 and my passport also expired, it's no big deal, it was valid when I came in. I applied for a new passports and that's it. Millions of people go thru the process every year. You only need a valid passport to enter the country. I had get a new passport cause I applied for grad school, and they require a valid passport, but if you are already in and excepted it doesn't matter if you passport expire as long as you don't travel and stay with the same school...
My only worry is my I-94 doesn't have an expiring date? Only the date I entered the country. Edit: I found the answer; they don't write an expire date if your on a F1 visa, cause you are legal as long as your I-20 is valid, which replace you I-94 and your F1 visa.
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