PASSPORT expiring! Need to re-enter! Pls help.

A

alexcmich

New Member
Hi,
I have a H1 b valid till may 2004. I will be travellin to India between March 12th and April 03. My passport expires in June 2003. Will this be a problem while re-entering? If anyone has any experience in this, please help.

I found this link : http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_web/visa/niv/sixmonth.htm

which says:

If you are a passport holder from anyone of the following countries, the requirement that your passport be valid for six months beyond your date of departure from the U.S. is waived.

Your passport must be valid on entry into the U.S. If the passport is not valid for the duration of your stay, you will be required to apply for a new passport from your Embassy while in the U.S. If your visit will be of short duration during which time your passport will expire, we recommend that you obtain a new passport before traveling as you will be admitted only until the date on which the passport expires. Such action before you depart for the U.S. will save you the inconvience of applying not only for a new passport, but also an extension of stay.
 
Better you should talk to nearest Indian consulate in US orEmbassy in DC and get your passport extended.
If your passport is from Bombay, Delhi they will get the response in 15 days and can extend your passport because they have to verify with the office that issued your Indian passport from India. if your passport is from other city in India then it may take 40 days to get the responce back.

You can be admitted till your passport is valid you will get I-94 only till the date of expiry of your passport. If you feel that have enough time in India stay then you can do it in India during your visit you should get it extended before coming to US, keep both the passports attached (new and old) if you get new PP copy.
 
I agree with ginnu. However if there is a possibility of you not able to get the new passport, it is ok to travel using the old passport and then apply for the new passport. When you get the new one, you will still carry the old passport (with the visa stamp) around. You can always get a ne I94 by driving to the border.
 
I agree with ginnu. However if there is a possibility of you not able to get the new passport, it is ok to travel using the old passport and then apply for the new passport

.
** Yes
When you get the new one, you will still carry the old passport (with the visa stamp) around. You can always get a new I94 by driving to the border.
YES,
*** But one can get the passport extended in ONE day in India, one has to bribe, if one pays suppose 1000INR it is less costly than driving to border and getting new I-94
Alexcmich :get hold of some agent who sits near the passport office he will do it. You need to fill up the form, keep photographs ready.
If you are going to get it from Bombay let me know I can provide you the contact # of Agent who has office near to Warli passport office in Bombay.
 
Originally posted by alexcmich
Hi,
I have a H1 b valid till may 2004. I will be travellin to India between March 12th and April 03. My passport expires in June 2003. Will this be a problem while re-entering? If anyone has any experience in this, please help.

I found this link : http://www.usembassy.org.uk/cons_web/visa/niv/sixmonth.htm

which says:

If you are a passport holder from anyone of the following countries, the requirement that your passport be valid for six months beyond your date of departure from the U.S. is waived.

Your passport must be valid on entry into the U.S. If the passport is not valid for the duration of your stay, you will be required to apply for a new passport from your Embassy while in the U.S. If your visit will be of short duration during which time your passport will expire, we recommend that you obtain a new passport before traveling as you will be admitted only until the date on which the passport expires. Such action before you depart for the U.S. will save you the inconvience of applying not only for a new passport, but also an extension of stay.
Click to expand...

As long as the passport is valid on the date you enter US, any of the following will happen:

1. You will get an I-94 valid until H1 validity.

2. You will get an I-94 valid until Passport validity. In this case, you will have to apply for a new passport when you enter US.

3. You will get an I-94 WITHOUT any date!

In all cases you will most likely be allowed to enter US. If you face situation 2, or 3 explaining to the immigration inspector that you had to travel and did not have sufficient time to renew your passport and you will do so at the earliest. Sometimes this will work.

Situation 3: I faced the same problem in 1998 when my passport expired 3 weeks after my returning to US on H1. The immigration inspector DIDNOT write any date on I-94 and wrote "PP expires (date)" on the back side. He then asked me to get a new passport and go the nearest INS center and get I-94 stamped with a date. Fortunately I got my new passport from Indian Consulate in SFO in 1 day. I later wen tto INS and got the I-94 stamped with the correct date. I did not have to fill any form/pay any fees for that.
 
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