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Passport renewal before entry to the US

S

Syndicki

Registered Users (C)
Hi,


I won DV lottery and was granted my green card. I have to enter the US in early June, but my passport expires in early November.

At the embassy I was advised to send my new passport to them prior to leaving for the US. However, I cannot seem to find any information on this. Can anyone advise, before I send off my old passport to be renewed. I.e what do I need to do/ how long does it take etc?
 
What country are you from? Different countries have vastly different time frames for passport processes. It's also very unusual these days to be able to renew a passport, are you sure you don't need to apply for a new one?
 
SusieQQQ said:
What country are you from? Different countries have vastly different time frames for passport processes. It's also very unusual these days to be able to renew a passport, are you sure you don't need to apply for a new one?
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My passport will be new, but my my Greencard will be on my old one.
 
Syndicki said:
My passport will be new, but my my Greencard will be on my old one.
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You need to find out from your own authorities how long it takes. If you are applying via an embassy outside your own country it can often take longer, sometimes much longer. Still, if you will be entering the US months before expiry and not planning on travelling for a while it may be easier to go to the US and apply for your new passport from there rather than worrying about whether you'll get your old one back in time to travel to the US.

You don't actually have a green card yet by the way, you have an immigrant visa that converts to a temporary green card on entry while you wait for your physical one to arrive.

vladek15425 said:
That doesnt matter anymore since you have the plastic card!
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Even without the plastic card the stamped visa in the old passport still acts as a temporary green card if Syndicki needs it in the meanwhile. Even if the passport has expired, the validity of the visa/temporary I551 doesn't.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Syndicki said:
Hi,


I won DV lottery and was granted my green card. I have to enter the US in early June, but my passport expires in early November.

At the embassy I was advised to send my new passport to them prior to leaving for the US. However, I cannot seem to find any information on this. Can anyone advise, before I send off my old passport to be renewed. I.e what do I need to do/ how long does it take etc?
Click to expand...

If you have not entered the US yet, you don't have a "green card". You have an immigrant visa, which is a permit to be inspected at the border. The US Customs & Borders office still has the authority to reject you (very unlikely though). When they endorse your immigrant visa, then it is as good as a green card for up to 1 year.

I'm surprised they issued you a visa if your passport was to be expired so soon. Usually they require your passport to be good at least for 6 months.

I would say don't mess with an opportunity of a lifetime. Enter the US with your current passport and apply for a new passport from there. I guess you will hand over your passport for renewal and if somebody accidentally voids your US immigrant visa in the old passport, you are done!
 
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