Traveling w/ US or foreign passport?

[Carlz]

Dear all,

I am quite confused on how/when to use US or foreign passport during travel. Did some research in several forums but could not pinpoint the answers.

Just wondering as a naturalized citizen, while taking flights from US to the other countries, could I use my previous foreign passport (still valid) to check in with the airlines?

For example, would it be a problem if I use my previous foreign passport to check in with UA at LAX? Or this will be considered as an act to automatically abandon my US citizenship?

The reason is because of the visa: short travel notice, no enough time to get visa. Thanks

Carl

 

[CalGreenCard]

Dear all,

I am quite confused on how/when to use US or foreign passport during travel. Did some research in several forums but could not pinpoint the answers.

Just wondering as a naturalized citizen, while taking flights from US to the other countries, could I use my previous foreign passport (still valid) to check in with the airlines?

For example, would it be a problem if I use my previous foreign passport to check in with UA at LAX? Or this will be considered as an act to automatically abandon my US citizenship?

The reason is because of the visa: short travel notice, no enough time to get visa. Thanks

Carl

I don't think there is enough information here for people to advise you.

In one case the answer would be absolutely clear: does the country of the foreign passport allow dual citizenship? If the answer is "no", then the foreign passport becomes invalid the instant you become a US citizen. If the foreign country hasn't been advised of the acquisition of US citizenship, then their passport may still be listed in relevant databases as valid for awhile. But attempting to use (in ANY situation) a passport that is legally not valid is very risky and not something I'd recommend.

If the foreign country allows dual citizenship, then the question becomes whether you have a US passport yet. If you don't have a US passport, then checking in for your flight might be difficult. The airline would ordinarily expect to see either an I-94 card or a green card if you are leaving the USA with a foreign passport. Since you have neither as a naturalized citizen, you might have trouble checking in for your flight. For Canadian - US dual citizens this might be less of an issue since Canadians routinely enter the USA without an I-94 card.

OTOH let's say you have both the foreign passport and the US passport, and both passports are legally valid according to US/foreign laws. But you don't have time to get a visa in your US passport. In that case, the question would become whether you are planning to visit the country of your foreign passport. In such a case, you definitely would NOT want or need a visa in your US passport. You remain a citizen of the foreign, and you don't need (and usually can't get) a visa to visit a country whose passport you carry. In that case, you would first check in with the airline using your US passport (since you are on US soil). When the airline asks to see a visa for the foreign country, show the foreign passport and you should be fine.

Finally let's say you carry both a valid foreign passport and a valid US passport, but want to visit a third country, and don't have time to get a visa in you US passport. In that case, if the foreign passport is still valid, then any visa for the third country in that foreign passport should still be valid. Again, you would check in with your US passport, and then when asked to show the visa, show the foreign passport with the third country visa.

If the airline flies to a given country, they should be familiar with that country's entry requirements and shouldn't give you any problems. Things sometimes do get tricky when you are making multiple connections and you are initially checking in with an airline unfamiliar with procedures in your ultimate destination.

 

[König]

Just wondering as a naturalized citizen, while taking flights from US to the other countries, could I use my previous foreign passport (still valid) to check in with the airlines?

Just like CalGreenCard said, don't use your foreign passport to check-in. Use your US passport to check-in and then show your foreign passport to prove your right of entry to the destination country. The CBP receives the list of arriving and departing passengers, so you need to be listed as a departing US citizen.

For example, would it be a problem if I use my previous foreign passport to check in with UA at LAX? Or this will be considered as an act to automatically abandon my US citizenship?

First of all, there is no such thing as an automatic abandonment of the US citizenship. Second, the USA does not prohibit its citizens from holding multiple citizenships. Your only responsibility is to use the US passport when you depart from or arrive to the USA.

The reason is because of the visa: short travel notice, no enough time to get visa. Thanks

Does your native country allow multiple citizenships? Is it where you are going? If the answer to both is "yes", then you are not only allowed but probably required to use your foreign passport to enter/leave that country.

 

[Carlz]

Thanks CalGreenCard and König for such detailed explanation and scenario play.

The problem is indeed that my native country does not recognize dual citizenship. And US citizen will require visa to enter that country. However applying for any type of visa will take 2 weeks, no expedite service either - visa fee is not the concern, but time is.

So unless to tell the airlines that I am a green card holder, then there is no way I can follow the current travel plan. However this may violate CBP or USCIS codes I guess?

Just like CalGreenCard said, don't use your foreign passport to check-in. Use your US passport to check-in and then show your foreign passport to prove your right of entry to the destination country. The CBP receives the list of arriving and departing passengers, so you need to be listed as a departing US citizen.


First of all, there is no such thing as an automatic abandonment of the US citizenship. Second, the USA does not prohibit its citizens from holding multiple citizenships. Your only responsibility is to use the US passport when you depart from or arrive to the USA.


Does your native country allow multiple citizenships? Is it where you are going? If the answer to both is "yes", then you are not only allowed but probably required to use your foreign passport to enter/leave that country.

 

[cafeconleche]

So wait, are you technically NOT a citizen of the other country now? If that's the case, your non-US passport is INVALID and using it could get you in trouble when you enter that country.

If the other country, like Spain, for example, just doesn't WANT to know of your other citizenships but will let you remain a citizen, then go ahead and use the passport. However, depending on the country, you might be asked how you were allowed to be in the US without a visa. Think about these things.

It would be helpful if you could tell us which other country you THINK you're a citizen of.

 

[Carlz]

Sorry thought I mentioned that but apparently not.

Japan it is. I just checked and seems it does not recognize dual citizenship.

The reason is I am going to a country that requires visa for US passport holder but not Japanese.

My concern is that by using a Japanese passport while checking in at LAX, whether it will be seen as giving false statement to DHS? This is the unclear part.

Since does not care about dual nationality or not (http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1753.html), and since USCIS database has my dual nationality info already (I noticed the officer entered notes into computer w/ my previous passport info when I got in through SFO last year), then by using my previous foreign passport at ticket counter whether CBP/USCIS will consider me giving false statement?

So wait, are you technically NOT a citizen of the other country now? If that's the case, your non-US passport is INVALID and using it could get you in trouble when you enter that country.

If the other country, like Spain, for example, just doesn't WANT to know of your other citizenships but will let you remain a citizen, then go ahead and use the passport. However, depending on the country, you might be asked how you were allowed to be in the US without a visa. Think about these things.

It would be helpful if you could tell us which other country you THINK you're a citizen of.

 

[Carlz]

I guess my key questions are:

If I show both of my US and Japanese passports to the UA agent for check in, will USCIS and my flight destination country (Brazil) receive the same passport info?

If yes, then which passport info will both of them receive? US passport, or Japanese passport?

'coz if UA uses only my Japanese passport info for both USCIS and Brazil, then will this constitute "giving false immigration statement" to USCIS, even though I showed UA my US passport

However if UA usese only my US passport info for both USCIS and Brazil, then of course Brazilian border control will see a US citizen coming

I do not want to lie, or being perceived so. Ideally I should get a business visa, but I am time pressed, that's why the many questions. Thanks for the help.

 

[König]

If I show both of my US and Japanese passports to the UA agent for check in, will USCIS and my flight destination country (Brazil) receive the same passport info?

It is a good question. I would recommend to contact the airline and ask them about this. I am quite sure there is a way for them to enter different info for departing country and destination country because many countries require passenger manifest in advance.

If yes, then which passport info will both of them receive? US passport, or Japanese passport?

In theory, the CBP should receive the US passport data and the Brazilians - the Japanese passport data.

'coz if UA uses only my Japanese passport info for both USCIS and Brazil, then will this constitute "giving false immigration statement" to USCIS, even though I showed UA my US passport

"Giving false statement" does not stand anywhere near this scenario - it is a very serious offence, and to be charged with this, you should be lying to the immigration officials in writing or in person. Presenting foreign passport to an airline is not a violation. Departing the USA without a valid US passport is a violation, and it is the airline's responsibility to verify which status you held prior departing the USA.

However if UA usese only my US passport info for both USCIS and Brazil, then of course Brazilian border control will see a US citizen coming

This is why you should present both passports at the check-in, but present your US passport first.

I do not want to lie, or being perceived so. Ideally I should get a business visa, but I am time pressed, that's why the many questions. Thanks for the help.

You will be lying to the airline employee and Brazilian authorities because you want to use Japanese citizenship - that you DO NOT have - to enter Brazil. It does not concern the US CBP.

To summarise my points: you should not be travelling to Brazil on Japanese passport because you no longer hold Japanese citizenship.

 

[Carlz]

Thanks, I will tell my company to change the schedule then. Appreciated.

 

[cafeconleche]

You are no longer a Japanese citizen

If I am not mistaken, as you naturalised in the US, you are no longer Japanese (technically).

I've heard, though, that Japan does not want to lose its citizens, and you can find ways, and MANY do, to keep both. Since the US doesn't care, you'll have to get around the Japanese part. You're taking a risk traveling on 2 passports when 1 is Japanese, though. You have to hope that immigration officers don't know or don't care that your Japanese passport would be considered invalid.

 

[CalGreenCard]

Since the US doesn't care...

Are you sure about this?

The US may not care when it comes to dual citizenship. But US airports are very security conscious these days. I'm not sure I'd recommend showing an invalid passport for any purpose at a US airport, even as a secondary ID after showing a perfectly valid US passport. But maybe I'm exaggerating the risk.

 

[cafeconleche]

Well, this thread kind of shows how unclear it is:

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?1+17613

 

[CalGreenCard]

Well, this thread kind of shows how unclear it is:

http://www.japan-guide.com/forum/quereadisplay.html?1+17613

This thread does seem to imply that, even in a worst case scenario, one can keep Japanese citizenship for two years after acquiring US citizenship as an adult. So if it's been less than 2 years it might work for the OP. But I know nothing about Japanese citizenship law so cannot vouch for the accuracy of this information. I just know that in general Japan is one of those countries where there are issues w/dual citizenship.

 

[Carlz]

japan's national pension system could be one good reason why those naturalized still want to keep the passport,

especially considering the future of US social security.

...
I've heard, though, that Japan does not want to lose its citizens, and you can find ways, and MANY do, to keep both.
...

 

[PRAHA]

japan's national pension system could be one good reason why those naturalized still want to keep the passport,

especially considering the future of US social security.

also if you are from europe same applys
us passport is good for someone who travels between his country and us but its a problem for everything else
uk/france/sweden/ireland often deport us citizens for fear they might over stay
so if you are from europe by decent get eu passport and use it ..its better !

 

[König]

uk/france/sweden/ireland often deport us citizens for fear they might over stay

Where did you get this information? It sounds highly unusual for the listed countries. US and Canada are known to refuse entry because of fear someone might overstay, but European countries are much more willing to accept visitors from US and Canada.

 

[PRAHA]

its fairly common since about couple years ago
actually US citizens are deported or returned by UK border agency more often then any other citizens of developed nation (outside Shengen )...Canadians almost never (-0.0009% or about less then 300 have some sort of limited visa issued on all the UK borders and only 13 individuals denied entry last year !!)

US citizens got sent back on average one per day or refused entry in about 200 instances (only Heathrow data available )....not counting Gatwick or Lutton or land crossings (eurotunel ,ferry,irish chanel ports etc )

about other countries please check EU council report on cross border immigration report for last 7years
(by country or total)
from my experience a lots of people I knew had some problems or couple of them even send back on the next flight (one from sweden -just last year) for no good reason
almost all of the people I meet here of west/east European descent who live here in the US have secondary EU passport even 3rd generation!!..and that trend started about 4-5 years ago ...
actually I based my current business on that fact alone and I'm doing great

 

[NICK66]

US citizens are banned or turned away from European countries like crazy
just 7-8 years ago if you were american it was possible for you to live in france with just a tourist visa and even if the catch you and visa has expired they won't do anything (they might give you "advice" to report and ask for visa extension or something)
but these days its a deport asap + 250 euros penalty on the spot(no visa waiver for you anymore ..you will need visa every time when you travel to any other EU country till the rest of your life )

so when you travel on us passport carry all kinds of documents like mortgage /ownership documents ,proof that your family is in us ..have a lots of cash with you (no cc)..min 5000 -7000 dollars
etc ...but even that is not a full proof ..so good luck !
if you are young and unemployed your chance is 50/50 entering EU
if you are minority ...its next to 0%
and if you are in "relation" with EU national (not married that is ) trough internet dating or similar .. be prepared to be deported for sure no mater what ( 100%)

one time I traveled to Germany and then by bus to my country
now I landed in Frankfurt ..I took EU lane (I had both passports US and of my country which is in EU)
officer stopped me and I presented my EU passport but he caught a glimpse of my US passport ..to cut a long story short ..I was taken to a room and my US passport checked for 2 hours ..!..I protested that I'm EU citizen but they said ..they have "trouble" with us citizens so they are checking even "double" citizens ..so word of advise ..us passport ..BAD !!

 

[König]

..so word of advise ..us passport ..BAD !!

Suum cuique pulchrum est. I've travelled to Europe (mostly Germany, specifically FRA) many times, and nobody ever said a word to me - with or without US passport. It was my experience that if you have proper documents (visa or visa-waiver country passport), then they quietly stamp you in. The problems may arise if your country of citizenship has very tight restrictions regarding the dual citizenship, and many European countries have such restrictions. As a side note, when I say "Europe" I mean "Continental Europe" because entering the UK can be quite a challenging experience.