Can I travel back into the US with a foreign passport and a Certificate of Naturalization? [closed]
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I need to travel internationally on the day of my citizenship interview. Luckily the interview is really early in the morning and my flight is in the early evening.
There is a slight chance they ask me to take the oath on the same day. If this is the case, they will take away my Green Card. I have been advised not to reschedule this as the process may sometimes take more than 6 months.
My question is: Can I travel back to the United States with a foreign passport AND my Certificate of Naturalization? Will American Airlines let me board the plane? Will the Customs Officer let me back into the US?
I will be gone for 9 days so I have also looked at the possibility of having a expedited passport sent to France. But there are so many things that could go wrong in this scenario.
I am starting to think that my best option would be to decline a same-day oath ceremony. This way I can keep my Green Card until I get back into the US.
One of my major concerns with getting an emergency passport expedited to France is that I need to send my Certificate of Naturalization along with the passport application. So if this does not go through fast enough, I would have zero proof of citizenship.
Best Answer
No airline will board you on a direct flight to the US without a passport or green card. This is because check-in staff rely on the TIMATIC database to verify documentation, which says a passport, green card, emergency passport, transportation letter or (if flying from Canada) NEXUS card is required to enter the US by air.
(in addition, you cannot get a visa as a US citizen, and you state that your foreign passport would require one)
However, per TIMATIC, US citizens can fly to and enter Canada with only their naturalization certificate. From there you can cross into the US by land and, if need be, catch a domestic flight.
So either get that emergency passport, or book your return trip through Canada. In the latter case, if you face problems at check-in/boarding for the flight to Canada, insist that the staff check TIMATIC, putting USA as your nationality.
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Can you reenter the US with a certificate of naturalization?
If you were not born in the United States, you can use your original Naturalization Certificate or Certificate of Citizenship. Many countries require that U.S. citizens have a visa issued by that country to enter.Can I leave us with foreign passport and enter with U.S. passport?
Most U.S. citizens, including dual nationals, must use a U.S. passport to enter and leave the United States. Dual nationals may also be required by the foreign country to use its passport to enter and leave that country. Use of the foreign passport does not endanger U.S. citizenship.What does a US citizen need to reenter the US?
All travelers entering the United States from all other countries need a passport upon arrival (regardless of their country of citizenship). Permanent residents and foreign nationals may also need a U.S. visa. You must apply for a visa before you start your trip.Can I travel to USA with my old passport?
Extension of Temporary Measure Allowing Return Travel to the United States on Expired U.S. Passport. U.S. citizens currently abroad whose passports expired on or after January 1, 2020, may be able to use their expired U.S. passport for return travel to the United States until June 30, 2022.Can I Travel While My Naturalization Case is Pending
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