Traveling to US with Expiring US Passport

Wife is dual USC/UKC. We are planning on going to the US next year for three months. My wife's US passport will expire during that visit.

The plan was to renew her passport while there to avoid this money order nightmare we now have when renewing in the UK.

I always book trips to the US using our US passports to avoid ESTA questions, etc. when leaving the UK, but I presume I can't do that this time if her passport would expire before the return portion.

So I am wondering - book the trip using her UK passport, which doesn't expire for a long time. When we get to the UK airport they ask for ESTA we show US passport. Will that work?

Thanks!

Best to use the US passport to check in, as otherwise it'll flag up that she needs an ESTA.

So long as the passport is valid on the day of entry, doesn't matter in the least how long the trip is for.  As you say, it's easier to renew while there.  You'll have no issues. 

Best to use the US passport to check in, as otherwise it'll flag up that she needs an ESTA.

So long as the passport is valid on the day of entry, doesn't matter in the least how long the trip is for.  As you say, it's easier to renew while there.  You'll have no issues. 

I would definitely do this. (I am also dual U.K./US citizen)

I did something similar in 2011, entered the UK on my UK passport and renewed it during the few months we were staying there.

Cheers for the helpful replies! 

I don't have a link to a text that proves this, but I know that if you have US citizenship then you MUST use your US passport to enter the USA. Always. A friend of mine who has both US and Canadian citizenship once ran into trouble attempting to enter the US with her Canadian passport.

As she's a citizen, I doubt they will be bothered that it's expiring.

I don't have a link to a text that proves this, but I know that if you have US citizenship then you MUST use your US passport to enter the USA. Always. A friend of mine who has both US and Canadian citizenship once ran into trouble attempting to enter the US with her Canadian passport.

As she's a citizen, I doubt they will be bothered that it's expiring.

Yes, this is correct. As a citizen, you have to enter and leave the US with your US passport.

I don't have a link to a text that proves this, but I know that if you have US citizenship then you MUST use your US passport to enter the USA. Always. A friend of mine who has both US and Canadian citizenship once ran into trouble attempting to enter the US with her Canadian passport.

Yes, that’s correct .

Some official text:

From the US government website:

U.S. nationals, 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 to travel to or from a country other than the United States is not inconsistent with U.S. law.



From the US Embassy website:

DUAL CITIZENSHIP
In the 1980's, the Supreme Court ruled that U.S. citizenship is a constitutional right that cannot be taken away from a citizen who does not intend to relinquish it. Therefore, such actions as naturalization in a foreign country, travel on a foreign passport, employment with a foreign government, and voting in a foreign election do not automatically jeopardize American citizenship.
However, please note that all U.S. citizens, even dual nationals, must enter and depart the United States on U.S. passports.




Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I don't have a link to a text that proves this, but I know that if you have US citizenship then you MUST use your US passport to enter the USA. Always. A friend of mine who has both US and Canadian citizenship once ran into trouble attempting to enter the US with her Canadian passport.

While Lord Mayor of London Boris Johnson, born in the USA while his father was an embassador in Puerto Rica, had a well publicized denial of entry in 2006 while traveling with his family to Mexico via the USA and was not allowed to board the aircraft in London. He had to take another flight that did not go via the USA and met up with his family in Mexico.

http://www.boris-johnson.com/2006/08/29/american-passport/

Last Sunday lunchtime we were boarding a flight to Mexico, via Houston, Texas, and we presented six valid British passports. As soon as the Continental Airlines security guy saw my passport, he shook his head. ‘Were you born in New York?’ he asked. ‘Have you ever carried an American passport?’
Yes, I said, but it had long since expired. ‘I am afraid we have a problem,’ he said. ‘The US Immigration say you have to travel on an American passport if you want to enter the United States.’ B-but I’m British, I said, and my children chorused their agreement. Had the guy stuck around a moment longer, I would have told him how jolly British I was — but luckily for him he’d gone off in search of reinforcements.
When the ranking officer arrived, the story was the same. ‘I’m sorry, sir,’ he said, ‘but you’ll have to go to the US Embassy tomorrow morning and get a new American passport.’

Thanks. I know about the entry requirement, but my question was about booking flights. The part where you have to give the airline your passport number in advance of the flight.  Then they expect to see that same passport when you turn up. The number my wife would give would not match for the return leg.

Thanks. I know about the entry requirement, but my question was about booking flights. The part where you have to give the airline your passport number in advance of the flight.  Then they expect to see that same passport when you turn up. The number my wife would give would not match for the return leg.

Honestly, that does not matter. We booked a cruise from England to the USA earlier this year and gave our US passport details. We have since renewed our passports and today I updated our record with the new passport numbers. It is the same when you fly, just turn up for your return flight with your new passport.