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