Getting a new Passport with a Current US Visa in Old Passport

A common concern of foreigners on all types of US visas whether it may be;
– work visas like the H1B visa, L1 Visa, E3 visa, J1 visa, H2B visa, etc.
– study visas like the F1 visa
is what happens if they have an unexpired US Non-Immigrant Visa in their current passport but have to get a new passport either because they need new pages for their travels or because their current passport is expiring?

As every foreigner knows who is on a US visa of any type and has attended a US Consulate Interview that it is a not a fun or quick process. It is a process that anyone would want to limit as much as possible given the many uncertainties and inconsistencies of it all.

So if you do have a perfectly valid US visa but need to get a new passport with your home country, what can you do?

For once we have good news to report as far as the US Immigration system is concerned as your they will accept your unexpired and valid US visa in your old passport even if you have a new passport. Just ensure that when your home country cuts your old passport (as they tend to do to signify a passport is not current), that they do not cut the specific page your US visa is on.

So when you enter or re-enter the US, you present both passports to US customs and border officials. Your current passport serves as your travel document and identification. Then your old passport with the US visa serves as the basis for your entry and the conditions of your stay. They will still staple your white I-94 card document to your new passport.

Just ensure you don’t lose that old passport as far as the US is concerned it is just as important as your new passport. It is rare, but this is one case where the US immigration systems trumps many other countries’ immigration systems whereby you would not be able to this and would have to get a new visa.

It is nice to know someone in there thinks of the foreigners at least once 🙂

CJ

48 thoughts on “Getting a new Passport with a Current US Visa in Old Passport

  1. What if you lose your passport which has the E-3 visa pasted on the inside — then what are your options?

    Do you have to return to Australia to redo the whole process or can this be done inside the US?

    Thanks
    Warren

  2. Hi Warren,
    If you lose your passport, ensure you file a police report and keep that with you as you will need it for future US visa applications. If you remain within the US and your E3 visa date is not expired then you are fine. However the moment you leave the US, and want to reenter you will have to re-do the E3 visa process, regardless if your E3 visa is still unexpired.
    CJ

  3. Good to know that you can travel with the old and new passport together.

    But if you want to transfer the valid visa from old passport to new from within US, is there a process ?

    Thanks,

    Gok

  4. Hi Gok,
    Yes that is the point that you can use your old passport for the purposes of the US visa.
    You can’t transfer the visa to your new passport as the only way to get a new visa in the new passport is to go to a US Consulate or Embassy interview and get approved.
    CJ

  5. I have passport with US B1/B2 Visa, Passport having minor spelling mistake in family name so I want to Issue new passport.
    Can I use my Old Passport with US Visa and New passport with corrected name while visiting US?

  6. What are my options if my valid US visa is in my 2nd last expired passport? Can I travel to the US with my last 3 passports A,B and C where A is an expired passport containing the valid US visa, B is my last expired passport and C is my current valid passport?

  7. What are my options if my valid US visa is in my 2nd last expired passport? Can I travel to the US with my last 3 passports A,B and C where A is an expired passport containing the valid US visa, B is my last expired passport and C is my current valid passport?

    Thanks, Ong

  8. Hi Bhaumik,
    So different names on passports can get tricky when entering the US. However yes in theory you can use both passports when entering the US with one as the active passport and one with the visa.
    Cj

  9. My old passport with a valid US B1/B2 was cut diagonally (when I renewed it) in the corner tip of it. One corner of the US visa sticker was slightly cut but it was on an empty part, which is under the series of letters. Do you think I can still use it?

    Thanks, Dana

  10. I have a new passport with me since the old passport expired on 14th august this year . In the old passport I have the U.S visa B2 valid upto 2019 . I submitted my old passport to the Indian Passport office for getting new passport . Now , the old passport which expired in August is lost – got detatched from new passport and I am not able to locate recently . The old passport has U.S visa attaced . Now how do I get a visa stamped in mu neww passport . Do I need to complain to police for the expired passport . Please let me know procedure.

  11. I have dual citizenship, one from Turkey other from Bulgaria. My Turkish passport has been expired and has a valid US visa. My Bulgarian passport is valid and does not have US visa. Can I get in US if I show both of them? (FYI, I will depart from Turkey. And my Turkish passport does not have a puch or hole on it.)

    Thank you so much.

  12. I thank you for the information .so if i want travel there is no need of going to the U.S embassy .i just have to ttravel with my old and new passport

  13. I have a problem, i renewed my passport but the consular service cut the corner of all pages so, the corner of my visa is missing, its a half number missing ( i recover the little piece of paper and put it together with some tape, but I really doubt if it stills valid..

  14. HI,

    I have a L1 Visa in my Idnia passport. I am now eligible to apply fro aBritish passport. If I get British passport is there any way ly L1 visa will be transferred onto my British passport ?

  15. Vlachery, your L-1 visa can’t be transferred to a new passport however it is still valid and you just show both passports at US Customs when you enter the country. Just ensure they don’t cut the page where the visa is currently on.
    Cj

  16. Carolina I am not sure how US customs will view that and you may get different answers depending on who you ask as to its continued validity. Asking USCIS is the best advice I can give.
    Good Luck,
    Cj

  17. Lorine if you have a valid visa in your old passport then yes travel with both.
    Cj

  18. My old passport with a valid US visa (will expire 2019) got wet when our house was flooded. The entries, in the passport as well as in the visa, are still legible. The old passport expired last month.

    Do I need to get a new US visa?

  19. Hi there.

    So it’s certain that I don’t need to have my B1/B2 travel visa transferred to my new passport?

    I’m an Aussie travelling from Sydney

    Please tell

    Thanks so much

  20. Hi Cecillo,
    You can use an old passport with a valid visa with in conjunction with a new passport to travel in and out of the US. However damage to the passport is a situation that can only really be known by the person looking at your documents.
    Cj

  21. Hi,
    My H1 Visa expires on Apr 2015 and my passport by Sep 15. and am still in home country and will plan to travel by Oct 2014. Can you please guide me with the below clarification
    1. Can I apply for new passport from home country? Suppose, If my employer files for H1 extension, do i need to go for stamping on my new passport as well?
    2. what are the options available if I don’t renew the passport in home country? and my employer plans to extend my H1

  22. I have my L1A(spouse) visa in my indian passport. I am going to get new canadian passport in two weeks. so if need to travel USA from Canada.

    q1) Do i need to trasfer this visa to new canadina passport or i can travel with both cancelled indian passport and canadian passport?

  23. Hi,
    I was in B1/B2 when I came to US than changed the status to F1. Last week I found that my current Indian passport expired. The expiration has been about a week. Can I renew the passport in the Indian consulate in US. Thanks

  24. I am a Malaysian, I want to appy for L1 Visa, which I never applied before. In order to apply L1 visa, 1 document needed is old and current Passport. Unfortunately my old passport is missing. What can I do in order to proceed my L1 application?
    Thanks.
    Edward

  25. Hello,
    I am on F1 visa, just started this fall. I want to apply for new passport for name change( firsthname: Shravan kiran, no surname to firstname: Shravan and surname: kiran)and passport will expire in 2yrs. So if I get a new passport with name split and have visa in old passport with old passport name . Will it cause any problem??
    Thank you

  26. Hi,
    I recently got a new citizenship. I was a Srilankan citizen, but now I am Italian ( in the process of getting dual citizenship). Before getting my new citizenship, I had to get my f1 visa on my old passport ( Srilankan passport). Can I still use my Srilankan passport to get in the US with a valid F1 visa even though I now have an Italian passport? Note that both my Srilankan passport and F1 visa do not expire until 2018 and 2020 , respectively.
    Will I have to get a new visa on the Italian passport? or can I travel with both passports and just show my valid visa on the Srilankan passport?

  27. Hi I am currently on a H2B visa with plans to extend. Unfortunately I lost my Irish passport with the current unexpired visa attached inside. Can I renew/get a new visa here in the US along with a new passport or do I have to go home to Ireland and start the process from there? Please tell. Thank you

  28. hy i have us b1 b2visa witch exparie in 2021.but now i near by granting dominica citizenship then what about my us valid visa on my indian pasport it will be transfer or have to get new us visa.thx op joshi

  29. Im Filipino (Philippine passport holder) and i am Permanent resident here in Canada, however i have already US visa but suddenly we lost our house burned to the ground. I have my new Philippine passport so my question i want to get my visa back to my passport do i need to apply a new visa just like the way i apply before or i will go straight to US embassy in Calgary even no appointment so they will allow me to get my visa.

  30. Great blog, exactly the question I had. I just received my new passport but still have 1 year left on my E3 visa

  31. I will have L1 visa on my Indian Passport – I will also get my British Citizenship in sometime and then my Indian Passport will be canceled. So, then do I need to transfer my L1 visa to British Passport?

    Please reply urgently.

    Thanks
    Dipti

  32. If you have a green card that is one .name and a passport that is another name can you travel outside the country and what documents do you need

  33. My Canadian passport was stolen in Los Angeles, along with my L1 work visa.

    1) Can I apply for a replacement passport at the Canadian Consulate?
    2) Do I need to leave USA to have a new L1 issued?
    3) Can I still legally work without having either document in my possession?

    My employer doesn’t know I’ve lost these documents and I’m afraid that I might get fired, deported or both.

    Please help a brother out.

    Thanks,
    John.

  34. Hi

    My passport will expire by 19th June, 2017 and I have a US visa on it. I have already applied for the renewal of the passport but I am to travel in 4 days time . Should I travel with the current passport and complete the renewal when I come back or can I complete the renewal and use the new passport for the journey. Is there any implication taken any of the decision.

    Thanks

    Festus Akin from Nigeria

  35. Hi,

    I am re-applying for my E3 Visa, however my passport does not have a full 2 years left on it. I will be re-applying for a new E3 before sept 28 2017 and my Passport expires July 2019. Will this cause any issues relating to renewing? Or will they simply just provide my new e3 until the expiration date of the visa?

    Your help is appreciated.

  36. Hi
    I have L2 visa on my Indian passport and soon i will be acquiring Australian citizenship and hence my Indian passport will be cancelled.Do I need to reapply for l2 visa again or can I enter US on my Australian passport with visa on cancelled passport.

  37. Hi ,
    My case is different , a senior person has lost her valid passport with the valid visa
    Before traveling & leaving her country
    What is the proses for getting the same visa on a new passport ..?
    Your quick help is appreciated
    Mary

  38. Hi .. I got robbed and my passport was stolen with my bags .. I made a police report and avidavict … and I got a new passport within some few period before proceeding to the us embassy to make report .. few days later , I got a call from the police that my passport has been recovered with other stolen items .. so I went to the immigration office and told them my passport has been recovered and asked if I need to go to the embassy again .. I was told that I don’t to go the embassy that all I need to do is to cancel my old passport leaving my valid visa on it .. but I need to hold my new passport and new passport while traveling….so I want to ask if this is right and won’t give me a problem at the US POE ? Thanks

  39. I have US B1/B2 Visa valid up to 2022 in my old passport. Now I already got my new passport since my old passport will be expired on next September. I’m a srilankan passport holder and live in Qatar. I renewed my passport bit early when I had vacation in srilanka.
    I wish to travel US next July.
    Can I use old passport with visa together with new passport?
    If it is need get US visa sticker in new passport what is the procedure.
    Your support is highly appreciated.

  40. I have a cancelled passport issued from India with a B1/B2 visa for US valid until 2022 with annotation on the visa saying,” pe rmanent resident of canada”.
    Now am a canadian citizen with a dual citizenship of canada and india.
    I have a canadian passport and a OCI passport.
    Can i get the US visa transfered over to canadian passport?
    I wish to to use the multiple entry visa for adjustment of status.

  41. I have just received my new passport, but I have my old passport with my E3 visa inside it.

    Do I need to let the US Consulate know that we have obtained a new passport and give them my new details?

    Thanks!

  42. Hi

    I have a current Us B2 Travel visa, and i have to renew my passport as it was expiring. my new passport i have, i have gone back to my Maiden name but the visa is on my passport with my married name. Can i still use the visa to travel to the USA. I do have an older passport with my Maiden name on it.

  43. I am tourist in the Philippines, I travel quite a bit and had to get a new USA passport because I ran out of blank pgs. I have my old passport now with holes punched in it. Is there anything else I have to do to travel again??? ie transfer stamps etc.

  44. Hi everyone,

    I have B1/B2 visa on my expired passport but visa still valid till 2021 so please guide me do I need to transfer visa to new passport. I am permanent resident of Australia.

    Thanks in anticipation for your guidance.

  45. Hi Team,

    I need an advise: I have my old passport (Georgian) with valid US visa in it . Now i have a new passport which is from different country Netherlands. My old passport with visa is not valid as the Netherlands doesn’t allow dual nationality . In the article i see i can travel with both but is there a reference to the law in case they argue with me at the customs ?

    Thank you

  46. My US visa will expire on July 13, 2021, can I still travel on around next year before the expiration date? And my US visa is in my last two old passport.

  47. I have a Valid B1/B2 US Visa till 30th September 2024 with a Valid Ghanaian passport which was stolen inside a Greyhound bus in Kansas city; State of Kansas; USA on 24th November 2021. I came back to Ghana with a travelling Certificate on 18th March 2022.

    I have a Police report and a Sworn Affidavidt. I also have my Form I-94 from USA with me.

    I have just applied for a New Passport. I don’t have the Old passport anymore; but i have Certified copies of both my Old Passport and the Valid Visa.

    I am doing to travel back to the USA in October 2022; Would my New Passport together with the Printed Copies of my Old Passport and Valid USA Visa; coupled with the Police report of Missing Old Passport with Visa and Sworn Affidavidt and Form I-94 be enough to allow me entry into the USA?

    I need your Advise?

    PIUS DUMBA

    GHANA

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