FlyerTalk Forums - Using valid long-term visa in expired US passport?

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Using valid long-term visa in expired US passport?

My non-RFID US passport is nearing its ten year expiration date, and I understand that I need to apply for a replacement booklet, since the US does not physically "renew" passport booklets. (Or does it?)

In my current passport I have a long-term visa to India - stamped with a 2015 expiration date. The visa was expensive and a hassle to obtain.

When the US State Department issues my new passport, will they return the old passport book with the India visa sticker? If they do return the old book, is the India visa usable with my new passport? If not, is there any way I can use the India visa until its (printed) validity expires in 2015?

I notice that the India visa is printed with the name of the associated US passport, i.e. my current, expiring, passport. Will the new passport booklet bear the same number?

Thanks.

This is a very specific situation and you of course need to check with professionals.

I have heard of similiar situations where one just had to show the old passport with the still valid visa and all was good. Can't remember which passport or which visa that was though.

I'd call the Indian Consulate / Embassy in the country of your residence...

They will return your old passport. Some people have success with traveling on the old passport visa. Probably better to have the visa transferred. It costs 25 dollars. You have to send both passports in and pay the fee. There is also a service fee of $13.https://indiavisa.travisaoutsourcing...lar-fees?id=14

For India that is essentially a scam to make extra money from you, you can legally travel to India with your valid visa in your expired/cancelled passport, JUST LIKE INDIANS can do with their US visas do in their old passports (ever notice how many Indians have several stapled together??)

Visa in expired passport

They will punch holes through your expired passport. Flag all your valid visas with a postit note that says do not invalidate this visa and the visas might not get trashed.

Thailand has no problem with the visa in an expired passport, but I would not take a chance on India. Get the visa transferred to the new passport by the Indian embassy. It should be a simple procedure but they will make it complicated and charge a fee.

Holes through all the pages or just the title page?

Unless things have changed in the past year.... the hole is punched in the entire passport book.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Palal (Post 14647781)

Holes through all the pages or just the title page?

Quote:

Originally Posted by wharvey (Post 14647854)

Unless things have changed in the past year.... the hole is punched in the entire passport book.

I renewed mine last year and they only punched through the title page. I don't know if it makes a difference or not, but to renew mine I had to send it to the American Embassy in London (I am a UK resident) - I didn't flag anything as far as not punching (I didn't realise I should....) and it came back with just holes through the title page....which is how the one before came back when I had it renewed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarming (Post 14647714)

My expired passport was returned to me with ONLY the cover punched. I used my India visa from my expired passport with my current passport this past June in New Delhi with no problem. Just present both passports at immigration.

Quote:

Originally Posted by findingflow (Post 14647008)

If they do return the old book, is the India visa usable with my new passport?

Yes, it is:

[KVS Availability Tool 5.7.4/Diamond - TIMATIC: Visa/Entry Requirements]

Code:

13SEP10 / 1605 UTC

National U.S.A. (US)            /Embarkation U.S.A. (US)

Destination India (IN)          



[Visa Information - Destination] India (IN)



[Information For Normal Passports]

Passport required.

- Passport and/or passport replacing documents must be valid

  on arrival.



Visa required, except for Those holding a PIO (Person of

Indian Origin) card. Note: the PIO must not be confused with

the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card (SEE NOTE 35024) .

[[TIDFT/IN/VI/VS/ID23801]] 

    NOTE 35024: Holders of the Overseas Citizen of India (OCI)

   card are issued with a "U" type visa.

   [[TIDFT/IN/VI/NO/ID35024]]

Visa required, except for (effective from 3 September 2010 up

to/incl. 13 November 2010) Holders of a Non Validated Pass

(NVP) issued to accredited Commonwealth Games Family Members.

This pass acts as a multiple-entry visa. (SEE NOTE 40167) 

    NOTE 40167: The XIX Commonwealth Games will take place in

   New Delhi from 3 to 14 October

   2010.[[TIDFT/IN/VI/NO/ID40167]]

Additional Information:

- Valid visas in expired passports are still acceptable,

  provided accompanied by a valid passport of the same

  nationality of the expired passport.



- Indians on acquiring or holding another nationality,

  [[TIDFT/IN/PA/AI/ID30614]]

- Holders of multiple entry Tourist Visas (visa type code

  "T"), with a validity ranging from above 3 months and up to

  10 years, are required to have at least 2 months between

  visits. [[TIDFT/IN/VI/AI/ID38023]]

- Individual Tourists requiring visas should preferably apply

  for a tourist visa and not for an ordinary visa, to avoid

  problems on departure. [[TIDFT/IN/VI/AI/ID23841]]

- Tourist Groups of all nationals other than Bhutan, Maldives

  and Nepal, [[TIDFT/IN/VI/AI/ID30072]]

- Restricted Areas:

  A special permit is required for foreigners who want to

  visit the undermentioned areas. 

  [[TIDFT/IN/VI/AI/ID25974]]

Warning:

- Non-compliance with the entry/transit regulations will

  result in fines for the carrier and deportation of passenger

  to point of origin on the same or first available flight.







 India (IN)



Vaccination against Yellow Fever is required (SEE NOTE 6268),

if arriving within 10 days after leaving or transiting

countries with infected areas or endemic areas or Zambia. 

   NOTE 6268: Persons without valid Yellow Fever certificate -

  if required - are subject to quarantine for max. 6 days. If

  such persons refuse to pay the costs involved, the

  transporting carrier will be charged.



Exempt from Yellow Fever vaccination:

- Except for passengers transiting India by the same aircraft.

- Excempt are all children under 6 months.

Recommended:

- Malaria prophylaxis. Malaria risk exists throughout the year

  in the whole country below 2000 m. (with 40% to 50% of cases

  due to P. falciparum). There is no transmission in parts of

  the states of Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Sikkim.

  Highly chloroquine and sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine-resistant

  P. falciparum reported.

  Recommended prevention in risk areas: III. In Assam: IV.



CHECK [[TINEWS/N1]] - INDIA: XIX COMMONWEALTH GAMES

Wow. Super helpful information ... thanks!

Maybe the passport agency...

I renewed my regular tourist passport through the mail last April, (It was a non-biometric) the whole book was punched through, though when my Official Passport was renewed at FirstCall on Capitol Hill, only the cover, information page, and the back cover were punched through. The Official Passport was only valid for 2 years at a time so it was a e-passport.

The point of this, you might want wait to wait until two weeks before you travel and visit the passport agency and ask them not to punch through the visa since I'm guessing the visa is machine readable.

Quote:

Ditto. I did flag my unexpired visas in the old passport when turning it in & was told by the passport office agent that it would be returned with the visas intact (& it was, just the cover page was punched).

Can anyone provide what happened here....

I need a new passport soon - and same circumstance - my India Visa (10 year) is still very valid (and used). I live in Los Angeles so there's a passport office here.... what's the best way to proceed? A PM for an answer is ok if anyone wants.

Old thread - now new again.... THANK YOU!

Does anyone know if a China visa can still be used in an expired US passport? I had asked previously in the China forum but there wasn't a clear response.
Thanks