When I enter the US, should I show my old or new passport to the US immigration? Or does the US immigration only look at my US green card?

When I enter the US, should I show my old or new passport to the US immigration? Or does the US immigration only look at my US green card? - Bridge with metal arch among concrete buildings

I am a French citizen domiciled in California and with US permanent residency (US green card). I exited the US using my French passport, and and got a new French passport when outside the US (because the old French passport's condition wasn't satisfying some airline's employee, not because of it had expired and were about to).

When I enter the US (by plane), should I show my old or new passport to the US immigration? Or does the US immigration only look at my US green card? Note that my stay outside the US may be between 6 months and 1 year, in case this changes what the US immigration will look at. I'm not sure yet where I'll be flying from but likely somewhere in Asia.



Best Answer

Because you have been issued a new passport, your previous passport is no longer valid. When your consulate issues you a new passport, they should do something to the old passport to indicate this:

  • keep it and not return it to you
  • clip a corner of the cover
  • punch holes in it
  • stamp it as "invalid" somewhere
  • give you a "cancelled" sticker to put on the old passport

Always use your newest passport to enter any country. It may be worthwhile to carry your old passport until its original expiration date, in case the question ever comes up of some document linking to a passport number.


A second valid passport may be issued under some circumstances. However, there is generally a special application process for this, and you would probably know whether you had done this. In the case of France:

En principe, vous ne pouvez pas avoir plusieurs passeports français. Toutefois, un second passeport peut exceptionnellement être délivré dans 2 situations : si votre passeport est immobilisé pendant une période de voyage ou si le passeport risque de faire apparaître des destinations incompatibles. ... Attention: la délivrance d'un second passeport n'est pas un droit, mais une faculté et c'est l'administration qui fixe ses critères d'attribution.

In general, you cannot have multiple French passports. However, in rare cases a second passport can be obtained in 2 situations: if your passport is unavailable during a period of travel [e.g. being held by a consulate for a different visa–ed.], or if the passport will show incompatible destinations [e.g. Israel & Iran—ed.] Note: obtaining a second passport is not a right, but a privilege and the administration sets the criteria for granting it.




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What documentation if any will you need to travel to the United States?

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 a new passport?

When traveling to the USA, the general rule is to have a passport that is valid for at least six months after the planned time of return. However, there are some countries, citizens of which can enjoy a bit more freedom regarding their passport expiry rules when traveling to the USA.

Can a US citizen be denied entry back into the USA?

The same is true for lawful permanent residents: you generally cannot be denied entry to the United States, but declining to answer questions may result in delay or further inspection. Refusal by non-citizen visa holders and visitors to answer questions may result in denial of entry.

Can I get back into the US without my green card?

Lawful Permanent Residents (LPR) of the U.S. must present a Permanent Resident Card ("Green Card", Form I-551), a Reentry Permit (if gone for more than 1 year), or a Returning Resident Visa (if gone for 2 years or more) to reenter the United States.




More answers regarding when I enter the US, should I show my old or new passport to the US immigration? Or does the US immigration only look at my US green card?

Answer 2

The US governmental websites are contradicting themselves on whether presenting a passport is required.

https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-820?language=en_US (mirror) says no:

If you are a green card holder and you do not stay outside the U.S. for 1 year or more, you should have either your green card (I-551) or your returning resident visa to re-enter the United States. You are not required to present your unexpired passport, however it is not a bad idea to carry it with you.

https://www.usa.gov/enter-us#item-34787 (mirror) says yes (if arriving from a country that isn't Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean, or Bermuda):

Arrival From Other Countries: 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.

Unless someone here can provide a clear, authoritative answer, I recommend taking the new passport to be on the safe side and also to try to appease over-zealous airline employees (obviously take your old passport too if your valid US visa is on it, but the OP has a US permanent residency so no visa).

Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

Images: Charles Parker, Charles Parker, Karolina Grabowska, William Fortunato