What's the fastest option to obtain the passport?

R

rj328

Registered Users (C)
Hi all,

I just got my oath letter yesterday and it is scheduled to be on 4/27. However, I need to attend a wedding in Canada on 4/30. So what's the fastest option to apply for the US passport? It looks like the expedite option requires about 2 weeks, although my friend claims that they can get it by 5 busines days. Can I go to a local INS office (like San Francisco) and get a much faster service (like next day service)?

I have a few options to think about:

1. Find a mechanism to "walk-thru" the passport application to get it in 2 days.

2. Since I am a Canadian citizen, perhaps I can just leave according to my schedule with my Canadian passport, while applied for the expedite service and have some local family members fed-ex the passport to Canada to me when it arrives... hopefully it will be before my scheduled return day (one week later)...

3. Delay my oath ceremony until later (my least preferred option).

Any ideas?

Thanks in advance.

rj
 
Guys, Thaks for the quick responses.

houstonian-tx - is this always the case? How likely is this, assuming I am able to make an appointment for the afternoon right after the ceremony? When I called the customer service, they said it could be between 1 - 3 days. Is she just trying to be on the safe side?

nkm-oct23 - Is there any further info/links with more info about travelling to Canada with Naturalization certificate (and my Canadian passport when entering Canada)?

Thanks.

rj
 
rj328 said:
Guys, Thaks for the quick responses.

houstonian-tx - is this always the case? How likely is this, assuming I am able to make an appointment for the afternoon right after the ceremony? When I called the customer service, they said it could be between 1 - 3 days. Is she just trying to be on the safe side?

nkm-oct23 - Is there any further info/links with more info about travelling to Canada with Naturalization certificate (and my Canadian passport when entering Canada)?

There are many links available and all provide more or less the same information. Copy and paste the following links in a new internet explorer browser.

http://www.chestnet.org/CHEST/travel.php

http://www.amcits.com/entry_ca.asp

https://mavdisk.mnsu.edu/bothmr/OLAC/travel.html

Hope they help. :rolleyes:

Thanks.

rj
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From what I have read in this Forum, you should be able to get your Passport in one day. But, in case they don't guaranty it, I think if you can reenter USA with your Green Card, then you can definitely do it with your certificate. So, you shouldn't have any problems. Just explain to them that you did not have time to apply for your passport yet. Also, you must have the original certificate with you. Keep a copy at home.
 
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You can use your naturalization certificate for re-entry into the U.S. (until you're able to get your U.S. passport). Check this site out:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/vacation/kbyg/documentary_req.xml

Once you're a U.S. citizen, always re-enter the U.S. claiming only U.S. citizenship and using your U.S. passport or natz. cert. as proof.

For entry to Canada, use your Canadian passport or other acceptable proof of Canadian citizenship. Canada isn't as sticky about this as the U.S. is, but this is the typical recommendation for dual citizens.

For travel to a third country, it's best to use the passport of the country you're returning to so you don't have stamps in multiple passports in case they want proof of where you've been.
 
Hi all,

Thanks for all your responses! I felt much better now that I know the naturalization cert can be a fall back option for re-entering US. I will still try to make an appt at my local passport center to get the one-day passport when it gets close to the 14 days travel range...

Thanks again. :)

rj
 
If you enter the US on your natz certificate, where do they put your entry stamp for coming back into the USA?
 
buster said:
If you enter the US on your natz certificate, where do they put your entry stamp for coming back into the USA?
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I don't think so they put any stamp when you come to US from Canada and specially when you are travelling by car. I think Nat. Cert. is enough to enter into US.
 
hm11 said:
I don't think so they put any stamp when you come to US from Canada and specially when you are travelling by car. I think Nat. Cert. is enough to enter into US.
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I've flown and also drove between the U.S. and Canada many many times and it always amazes me how differently the two situations are handled.

My experiences of the past 5 years of course all pertain to my situation as a U.S. PR / Canadian citizen. I have almost always received a passport stamp when returning to the U.S. on a flight, annotated with the duration I have been out of the country (the primary intent of this is to document that they've verified that I haven't been gone too long). I typically only present my green card to them, and they inevitably then ask for my passport as well.

Driving is entirely different. I flash my green card, they might ask how long I've been gone, and will often just wave me one without any further action. Sometimes they'll take my green card and swipe it. But I can't recall that they've ever actually asked for my Canadian passport and I don't have any stamps in it (or my old passport) from a land crossing.

For a U.S. citizen, I would think that it's much less likely that you'd get a passport stamp, as obviously you can be out of the country as long as you want.
 
buster said:
If you enter the US on your natz certificate, where do they put your entry stamp for coming back into the USA?
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US does not stamp anything in the US passport when you enter US. I am sure everything is tracked in their computers when they scan your passport (when you leave at the airport and when you enter at the immigration).
 
fitness99 said:
US does not stamp anything in the US passport when you enter US. I am sure everything is tracked in their computers when they scan your passport (when you leave at the airport and when you enter at the immigration).
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DHS does stamp your passport when you arrive from Europe, Asia , Africa etc.
 
hm11 said:
DHS does stamp your passport when you arrive from Europe, Asia , Africa etc.
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DHS did not stamp anything in my US Passport when I returned from India recently. However the passport is scannned.
 
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