What Happens to Valid Visas in Old Passports?

Globetrotting friends, have you ever faced the problem of having a valid visa in a passport you need to renew? By the time your passport is out of visa pages or close to the expiration date, you may have collected quite a few visas. When you have long-term visas to visit other countries, it seems like a shame to give them up when your passport is cancelled!

The good news is that some of the valid visas in your old passport may still be of use. Read on to learn more about what happens to the valid visas in cancelled or expired passports!

The General Rule About Valid Visas in Old Passports

In general, when your passport expires or is cancelled, all the visas inside it are automatically cancelled as well. Unless you have specific confirmation that you can use a visa in an old passport, assume that any visas in your old passport are not valid for travel. Better to be safe than sorry! You don’t want to fly halfway around the world only to find out that your visa is no good.

However, there are a few important exceptions to the rule that you can’t use valid visas in old passports. Several countries that issue long-term multiple entry visas to US citizens have special rules that may allow you to use the visa in your old passport.

Brazil Visas

Brazil is one of the rare countries in the Americas that requires visas for US citizens to visit. The good news is that if you’re visiting for tourism or business meetings, you will be granted a visa valid for ten years with multiple entries. (If you are visiting for other reasons, like volunteering or doing technical work, you may be granted a shorter duration on your visa.)

Your Brazil visa will be valid starting on the day it is issued, and you’ll be able to enter Brazil as many times as you like while it is valid. You can stay up to 90 days on each entry, for a maximum of 180 days per year.

Since the visas are issued for 10 years, and US passports are valid for 10 years, it’s inevitable that your passport will need to be renewed before your Brazil visa expires. But that’s no problem! You can keep using your Brazil visa until the day it expires. You will need to carry both passports with you when you travel – your new passport, and your old passport with the Brazil visa.

China Visas

In recent years, the Chinese government has also moved toward issuing 10 year visas to US citizens as a matter of course. If you’re visiting China for business or tourism, you’ll likely be granted a multiple entry visa that is valid for a full ten years. You may be granted a short-term visa if your passport is close to expiring, though.

Now that ten year China visas are available to US citizens, it’s great that China has followed the example of Brazil. They, too, allow you to keep using your valid Chinese visa even after your passport has been renewed. You will need to carry both passports with you when you travel. They do have one specific rule, however: all of your personally identifying information has to be the same on both passports. This means that if you change your name when you renew your passport, you can’t use the Chinese visa on your old passport. It also means that if you have dual citizenship, you can’t use the Chinese visa on your old US passport if you are traveling on your non-US passport.

Just to make sure everyone knows the rules, the Chinese consulates even stick a note into your passport when you get a new visa!

India Visas

Like China and Brazil, India is another popular destination that offers long-term visas to US citizens. Tourists who apply for an Indian visa to be stamped into their passport will be issued a multiple entry visa valid for 10 years. Business travelers aren’t automatically granted long-term visas, but they are eligible to apply for an Indian business visa valid for one, five, or even ten years.

If you’ve got a valid visa for India in your cancelled or expired passport, you actually have two options to continue to use it. One option is to travel carrying both your old and new passports, just the way you would for Brazil or China. Your other option is a little more complicated up front, but might be easier in the long run. You can apply for a visa transfer to have your remaining visa validity stamped into your new passport. Visa transfers are applied for just like any other visa. You’ll need to fill out a new visa application, and submit your passport, a new photograph, and all the normal supporting documentation. The big difference is that the consular fee for a visa transfer is a lot lower than getting a brand new visa! The nice thing about a visa transfer is that you don’t have to fuss with carrying two passports when you travel.

Other Countries

The majority of the other countries in the world do not allow you to use visas that are in an expired or cancelled passport. If you want to check on the validity of any of the visas in your old passport, you can start by looking on the website of that country’s embassy in Washington, DC. If you can’t find an answer there, you can try calling the embassy, or check with a reputable visa expediting company like RushMyTravelVisa.com or G3 Global Services.

Source: https://passportinfo.com/valid-visas-in-expired-old-passports/

How to Renew US Passports?

Has your US Passport been expired or is going to expire within 6 to 7 months?

Either way, you might be seeking help to understand the passport renewal process, which passport application form you need to fill, where to apply for it, and how much time and money it can take.

Here is the answer to all your passport renewal queries and a step by step infographic to guide you through the process

Source: https://passportinfo.com/how-to-renew-us-passports/

Get Your Family's Passports Ready for Spring Break Travel

Are you taking the family on an international vacation for spring break? Awesome! You’re going to have a great time. You might be busy with planning excursions and figuring out what to pack, but don’t forget to check to make sure everyone in the family has a valid passport before your trip.

It’s especially important to check your children’s passports before your spring break trip. Adult’s passports are valid for 10 years, but passports issued to kids under age 16 are only valid for five years! If it’s been a while since your last big family trip, your children’s passports might be closer to expiring than yours.

Today, we’ll review some of our top tips for passports for family vacation travel.

Tip 1: Check the Passport Validity Requirements for Your Destination

Spring break is the perfect time to pack up the family and head to a sunny destination like Mexico, Jamaica, or the Bahamas! Keep in mind that everyone in the family needs to have a valid passport book any time you are flying out of the United States. But just how much validity does your passport need to have? Some countries require you to have a minimum of six months validity left on your passport in order to enter, but other countries will let you enter even if your passport is closer to the expiration date. Not sure of the passport requirements for your destination? Check out PassportInfo.com’s page on popular destinations, or review the State Department’s Country Information.

Here are the passport validity requirements for some of the most popular destinations for spring break travel:

• Bahamas: passports must be valid at the time of entry.
• Bermuda: passports must be valid at the time of entry.
• Costa Rica: passports must be valid for the full duration of your stay.
• Jamaica: passports must be valid at the time of entry.
• Mexico: passports must be valid for six months past the end of your stay.

Passport Renewal Made Easy!

February 10, 2017 By Summer Jenkins

Time for a passport renewal? It’s quick and easy to renew your passport with G3. Read on for our complete guide to passport renewals.

Are You Eligible for a Passport Renewal?

The first thing to do is to make sure that your passport can be renewed. All of the followings must be true!

1. Your current passport must have been issued after you turned 16.

If you were under 16 when your last passport was issued, you’ll need to use the New Adult Passport procedure to get a new passport… unless you are still under 16, in which case you’ll need a Minor Passport.

2. Your passport must have been issued no more than 15 years ago.

If it’s been more than five years since your passport expired, you are required to use the New Adult Passport service to get a new passport.

3. Your passport must have been issued for 10 years validity.

If you were issued a limited-validity passport, such as an emergency replacement for a passport lost overseas, please contact G3 for special assistance to get a new passport.

4. Your passport must be in good condition.

If your passport has a loose or missing cover, tears or cuts on the cover or any page, or other severe damage, you’ll need to do a Mutilated Passport Replacement instead of a Passport Renewal.

5. Your passport must be in your possession.

You’ll need to submit your current passport book in order to renew it. If you can’t find your passport, you can get a new passport through the Lost Passport Replacement process.

How to Renew Your Passport with G3

With G3, your passport renewal is swift and simple!

1. Place your order online, selecting the processing speed you’ll need.
2. We’ll email you a detailed checklist of all the documents you’ll need to send in, including a link to fill out your passport application.
3. You’ll be directed to call G3 to go over the checklist with a passport associate. Your passport associate will answer all your questions and will email you a FedEx airbill to use to send in your renewal request.
4. Send all your passport renewal documents to G3 using the provided FedEx airbill. You can drop off your FedEx package at any FedEx office or FedEx box.
5. We’ll hand-carry your passport renewal request into the Passport Agency for expedited processing.
6. Your new passport will be sent back to you via FedEx! You’ll get an email when your passport is complete to let you know it is on the way. This email will contain the FedEx tracking number for your package.

What Documents Do You Need for Your Passport Renewal?

Here’s the good news — you don’t need to supply as many documents for your passport renewal as you did to get your passport for the first time.

We’ll send you a detailed checklist of all the items you’ll need when you place your order.

Here’s a sneak preview of what you’ll need for your passport renewal.

• Your expired or expiring passport book
• Form DS-82, the passport renewal application. You’ll fill this out online and print it out.
• A signed Letter of Authorization — this allows us to submit your application to the Passport Agency on your behalf. We’ll send you the Letter of Authorization via email.
• A new passport-style photo. Make sure not to wear glasses, uniforms, or headgear in the photo!
• Proof of your upcoming travel plans.
• A check or money order for your government fees.

Source: https://www.g3passports.com/passport-renewal-made-easy/

Passport News Roundup: Photo Update and More

Welcome to the latest PassportInfo.com Passport News Roundup! In today’s edition, we’ll be focusing on the new US State Department rule for passport photos. We’ll also be exploring your new options for applying for a new passport this November. There are new passport acceptance facilities that have opened in some places, and in others, passport fairs have been scheduled to let you apply for your new passport outside of standard business hours. Read on for the freshest passport news in town!

Starting Today, No Glasses in Passport Photos

Need to get a photo for your new passport? Put your glasses back in their case. Starting today, the State Department will not accept any passport photographs that include eyeglasses.

Six weeks ago, we brought you the news that the US State Department was changing their official requirements for US passport photos. Previously, passport applicants were allowed to wear glasses in their passport photos as long as they had clear lenses. Applicants also had to be careful to make sure that the camera flash did not cause any glare on the glasses that would make their eyes hard to see. Unfortunately, one of the most common reasons for passport applications to be rejected is a photo that does not meet government standards. Many applicants have had to resubmit their passport applications because of photos that had glare on glasses or too-dark tinted lenses. The new rule that glasses can not be worn will prevent those problems.

If you have already received a passport that shows you wearing glasses, don’t worry - your passport remains completely valid. You’ll just need to take your glasses off when you get the photo done for your passport renewal!

Common Passport Mistakes to Avoid

Are you making mistakes with your passport? Your passport is a valuable document, so it pays to take good care of it to ensure that it’s always available and valid for travel. Over our many years working with passports and visas, we’ve seen a lot of people make mistakes with their passports that wind up causing them a lot of hassle! Read through our list of the most common passport mistakes so that you won’t have any unpleasant surprises the next time you travel.

Mistake: Not Making a Photocopy of Your Passport

A photocopy of your passport can’t be used for travel, but it is still an incredibly useful document to have on hand. When you travel, we recommend that you leave a photocopy of your passport at home with someone you trust, and take a copy or two with you. If you passport is lost or stolen while you are traveling, it will be much easier to get a new passport at the nearest US Embassy or US Consulate if you have a photocopy of your lost passport to show them. Even if your passport is lost at home, your photocopy will be useful, because you’ll need to fill in the number and issue date of your lost passport on your application for a new one.

While traveling overseas, a photocopy of your passport can also be very useful when you are checking into hotels. Most hotels are required to register the passport details of their foreign guests, and some will ask you to leave your passport at the front desk while they fill out the paperwork. If you have a photocopy with you, you can just show them your original passport book, and then leave the photocopy at the desk. That way, your passport will stay safe with you!

Mistake: Forgetting to Sign Your Passport

Did you know that your brand new passport is not fully valid until you sign it? Many countries will not allow you to use an unsigned passport to enter. It’s even more of an issue if you have to apply for a visa before you travel. Embassies and consulates won’t issue visas on unsigned passports, so if your passport isn’t signed, you’ve signed yourself up for delays and additional shipping costs!

When you get your new passport, follow these guidelines to make sure your passport is signed properly:

• Sign your passport in blue or black ink. Do not use pencil or marker.
• Sign your passport with your full name as listed on your passport, including any middle names and suffixes.
• Children under age 16 may sign their own passports if they are capable of doing so, but the passport must also be signed by at least one parent.

Mistake: Keeping Your Passport in Your Back Pocket

Your back pocket is quite possibly the worst place you can carry your passport! Anything carried in your back pocket especially something large and slim like your passport – is easy pickings for thieves. Trust us, you don’t want to spend your vacation dealing with the headache of replacing a stolen passport!

Keeping your passport in your pocket is also an invitation to passport damage. We’ve known far too many people who have ruined their passports by leaving them in their pockets and tossing them in the washing machine! It’s an easy enough mistake to make when you’re tired after a trip, and it’s a good argument for not keeping your passport in your pocket in the first place. Even in the best case scenario, when your passport doesn’t wind up in the hands of a pickpocket or submerged in your washing machine, your passport can be badly damaged from repeatedly sitting on it.

If you want to keep your passport on your person while traveling, a much safer option is to use a traveler’s wallet around your neck under your clothes.

Mistake: Not Getting a Passport for Your Newborn

Many people think that newborn babies don’t need passports to travel internationally... but this is completely wrong! There’s no such thing as being "too young" for a passport. Every traveler needs to have his or her own passport, regardless of the traveler’s age.
The only time a child can travel outside of the US without a passport is if he is traveling to Canada by land or sea along with both parents. The parents will still have to prove the child’s US citizenship by carrying an original birth certificate showing birth in the United States. However, if you’ll be flying to Canada (or flying back to the United States!), you will need to have valid passport books for every member of your family.

Passports for newborn babies are issued according to the minor passport procedure. For more guidance, see our blog series on passports for newborn babies:

• Getting a Passport for Your Newborn Baby, Part 1: Birth Certificates
• Getting a Passport for Your Newborn Baby, Part 2: Essential Documents

Mistake: Not Checking the Validity of Your Passport

When does your passport expire? Not sure? Take a moment to check your passport’s expiration date. Trust us, it’s better to check your passport ahead of time than to discover at the airport that your passport expired a month ago!

Far too many people skip the step of checking their passport validity when they start making travel plans, and they discover too late that their passport is either expired or does not have enough validity left for their trip. Many countries require that you have at least six months validity remaining on your passport, so even a "valid" passport might not be valid long enough for your travel plans!

The least expensive way to renew your passport is to use the government’s standard speed mail-in service, which requires 6 to 8 weeks to complete. If your travel date is less than two months away, you’ll need to expedite your passport renewal. If you’re really in a hurry to get your passport, call a reputable passport expediting service - they can help you get a new passport in as little as 24 hours.

Have you ever made a passport mistake, or had a near-miss of a passport disaster? Tell us about it in the comments!

Source: https://passportinfo.com/common-passport-mistakes-to-avoid/

When Should You Renew Your Passport?

Are you wondering when you should renew your passport? There are a lot of factors involved in figuring out the best time for your passport renewal. It’s not just all about when your passport expires! There are other reasons that you may need to renew your passport, and yes, there are times of the year that are better or worse for passport renewals!

 

The Best Time of Year to Renew Your Passport

It’s always possible to get fast service for your passport renewal – especially if you use a passport expediting service – but the US Passport Agency does experience surge times every year when they get large volumes of passport requests. The highest numbers of passport services are requested every year in early spring and again in late spring/early summer, as tourists prepare for spring break and summer vacations. Fewer applications are sent in during the fall and winter, so if that timing works out for you, you may want to plan to renew your passport during one of the chillier months of the year!

The State Department is also urging travelers whose passports will expire soon to renew early. There was a huge boom in passport issuance in 2007. More than 6 million more passports were issued in 2007 than in 2006! All of the adult passports issued in 2007 will expire in 2017, so the State Department expects to be very busy next year with passport renewals. If you renew now, you’ll beat that rush.

Passport Cards: Your Questions Answered

US passport cards are becoming increasingly popular… and that means that more and more travelers have questions about passport cards! At PassportInfo.com, we love answering your questions. Recently, we’ve had a lot of travelers inquire about passport cards, so we’ve compiled this article to answer the most popular questions.

Q. If I already have a passport book, do I have to send it in to get a passport card?
Yes, you will have to send in your passport book when you apply for a passport card. Your passport book will be returned when your card is issued. We recommend putting a sticky note on the book’s cover that reads “Do Not Cancel – Passport Card Request.”

Q. Will my passport card have the same number as my passport book?
No, your card will have a different number. Separate number formats are used for passport books and passport cards.

Q. My passport book expires in two years, but I want to get a passport card. Will my passport card expire at the same time as my passport book?

Pro Tips for Passport Renewals

Passport renewals are one of the most commonly utilized US passport services. It is a fairly simple procedure that does not require visiting a passport acceptance agent. Although it's a straightforward and frequently used service, there are some nuances to the procedure that you may not know. Here are our pro tips and insider information about renewing a US passport!

Tip 1: You don't need to wait until your passport is expired to renew it.

We recommend renewing your passport at least six months before it expires. Many countries, including popular destinations like Mexico, enforce the "six month rule," which means that you must have at least six months of validity remaining when you enter the country.

Tip 2: There are reasons to renew a passport other than validity time.

Some travelers may need to do an early renewal of their passport, which means renewing the passport more than one year before it expires. Reasons for renewing your passport early include:

• Your passport is low on blank visa pages.
• Your name has legally changed and your passport is more than one year old. (If your passport was issued less than one year ago, you can do a "re-application" service to change the name on your passport.)
• Your passport is looking worn but is not badly damaged enough to be considered mutilated.
• Your appearance has changed significantly since your passport was issued.

Time is Running Out to Apply for Additional Passport Pages

Take a minute now, and pull out your passport. Check the expiration date. Do you have several years left before it expires? Good. Now flip through the pages, and count how many completely blank pages marked “Visas” are left. If you are running low on blank pages, the time to add pages is now! On November 19, the US State Department officially announced that as of December 31, 2015, they will no longer add pages to valid US passports. Starting on January 1, 2016, if you run out of blank passport pages, you will need to renew your passport.

Why Are Blank Passport Pages Necessary?

 

When you travel internationally, your passport may be stamped upon entry and exit of each country. Most countries want you to have at least one blank page for these stamps. South Africa, for instance, requires that you have two blank pages side-by-side, and if you will enter South Africa more than once on your trip, you will need a set of two blank pages for every entry! If you go to a country that requires a visa, it is even more crucial to have blank passport pages. The majority of countries that require visas will need you to have two blank passport pages side-by-side, one for the visa and one for entry stamps. At the very least, you will need one completely blank page for your visa sticker, as international law forbids consulates from putting visa stickers over top of entry stamps or on amendment pages.

Time is Short – Use a Passport Expeditor!

 

With only one month before the US State Department permanently discontinues additional passport pages service, there is no time to waste! Standard passport service by mail takes up to 8 weeks to process, and the State Department has not clarified what will happen to additional passport pages requests that are in process at the start of the new year. If you need extra pages, we recommend you use expedited service to make sure you get your passport pages in time. The most reliable way to ensure your additional passport pages service is completed before December 31 is to use a registered passport expediting company like www.G3Passports.com or www.RushMyPassport.com. But don’t wait to contact them – many services are telling us that they are experiencing high volumes as travelers hurry to have pages added to their passports before the deadline.

Source: https://passportinfo.com/apply-for-additional-passport-pages-in-time/

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Speed Through Arrivals in Britain with the Registered Traveller Service

Frequent travelers to the United Kingdom know that one of the most unpleasant parts of the journey is the long wait to get through the immigration lines for non-European Union citizens. The waits can be particularly long at London’s Heathrow and Gatwick airports, where US citizens frequently have to stand in line for an hour or more to get through UK border control. But there is good news for frequent visitors to Britain’s green and pleasant land: the UK has launched the “Registered Traveller Service” to speed members through British immigration procedures.

The new Registered Traveller Service is open to citizens of the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan who are age 18 or older. Applicants must either hold a UK visa (such as a work or student visa) or must have visited the UK four or more times within the last 52 weeks. The program is likely to appeal to businesspeople who need to visit Britain regularly, as well as to people who travel to the UK frequently to visit family and friends. The US government has begun to alert Global Entry members to the availability of the UK Registered Traveller Service.

“Apply Early” Initiative Urges Travelers to Beat the Rush

The US State Department has launched a new “Apply Early” passport initiative to encourage travelers to apply for passport service well in advance of any travel. Every year, the State Department’s Passport Agencies are inundated with more and more passport applications, and the number of applications is expected to rise rapidly in the next two years. Why? The answer lies in recent history.

In 2007, the US government implemented the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative, which required that US citizens carry a passport for all travel outside of the country, even to countries like Canada, Mexico, and Caribbean nations which would previously allow travelers to enter without a passport. Because of this, the State Department saw an unprecedented flood of passport applications. The surge was particularly intense in late winter and spring of 2007, as travelers scrambled to get their passports in time for spring break and summer travel to Mexico and the Caribbean. Unfortunately, many travelers who waited until the last minute were not able to get their passports in time, as the overloaded Passport Agencies struggled through their backlog and processing times slowed down.

Passport Issues for Transgender Travelers

The issue of passports for transgender travelers recently made international news when a transgender Indian citizen had her US visa application temporarily suspended because her passport, which lists her gender as “T” for transgender, and her US visa application, which showed her gender as female, didn’t match. India is one of a growing number of nations, including Australia and Denmark, which allow their citizens to identify themselves as something other than male or female on their passports and other official identification.

In the United States, the State Department requires that all passport applicants list their gender as either male or female; there is no option to show gender as transgender, bigender, or agender. However, they have provided clear procedures for changing the gender listed on the passport for individuals who are transitioning from one gender to the other, or who have completed medical gender reassignment.

What Good is an Old Passport?

If you are renewing your passport for the first time, you might wonder what will happen with your old passport. The old passport you submitted with your passport renewal request will be marked cancelled, even if it is already expired, and it will be returned to you. Passport books can be marked cancelled with a stamp or by having holes punched in the cover. If you also submitted a passport card, it will be cancelled by having one corner snipped off. Don’t be surprised if your cancelled passport arrives in the mail after your new passport, in a separate envelope.

What should I do with my Cancelled Passport?

You might think that it’s a good idea to shred or destroy your old passport, the way that you cut up your old credit card when you get a new one. Don’t do it! Hold on to your cancelled passport. Store it in a safe place – you may want to store it in a different location than your valid passport.

Your old passport, even though you can’t use it for travel, is still a useful document. Here are some of the reasons you should keep your old passport.