Hello
Guest

Sponsored Links


Topic: Kids travelling without two passports  (Read 3460 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

  • *
  • Posts: 44

  • Liked: 0
  • Joined: Apr 2014
Kids travelling without two passports
« on: August 29, 2017, 11:23:33 PM »
We are due to go to the states in November to see OH's family. We did the whole notification of birth abroad thing with first child so she has two passports but have never got round to it with second child (now 1) so he has only got a UK one. We really don't have time to travel up to Edinburgh (our nearest consulate) before we go to get it sorted if we can at all help it...

I know by the letter of the law he should travel on an American passport when we go the states but wondered if anyone had ever been pulled up on this?

Guess if we are going to do something about it we need to get a shimmy on!

Thanks :)


  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 16322

  • Also known as PB&J ;-)
  • Liked: 850
  • Joined: Sep 2007
  • Location: :-D
Re: Kids travelling without two passports
« Reply #1 on: August 30, 2017, 11:58:25 AM »
I think it's been done accidentally and folks have ranged from getting through fine through to a right bollocking. 
Why risk it?  November is still a fair bit of time away to get a passport. 
I've never gotten food on my underpants!
Work permit (2007) to British Citizen (2014)
You're stuck with me!


  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 26886

  • Liked: 3600
  • Joined: Jan 2007
Re: Kids travelling without two passports
« Reply #2 on: August 30, 2017, 12:06:04 PM »
I personally wouldn't risk it - as you are aware, it's illegal for a US citizen to enter the US on a foreign passport, and you could have trouble with US immigration if you try to enter without her US passport... especially if other members of the family have US passports and she doesn't, because they're more likely to question why she doesn't have the same nationality as her sibling.

You have a couple of months before you travel, and looks like it's currently taking about 5 weeks for the Edinburgh consulate to process the report of birth abroad and first passport (you have to submit the documents 7 days before the appointment), or if you can get to the London Embassy, it's taking 4 weeks (and you just take the documents with you to the appointment).


  • *
  • Posts: 18238

  • Liked: 4993
  • Joined: Jun 2012
  • Location: Wokingham
Re: Kids travelling without two passports
« Reply #3 on: August 30, 2017, 02:20:50 PM »
Same as PB.  I've heard of several people being held up and missing connections as a worst case.  Others have said they've seen refused entry but that's only heresay.

You have lots of time, I'd just do it and have it done.  You could renew kid #1's passport at the same time and "be done" for five years.


  • *
  • Posts: 322

  • Liked: 43
  • Joined: Oct 2010
  • Location: Scotland
Re: Kids travelling without two passports
« Reply #4 on: August 30, 2017, 07:35:58 PM »
Edinburgh is always ridiculously, hilariously quick. Get yourself an appointment all you'll have the docs in hand seven days later - no joke.
Sept 2001 - June 2006: studied at the University of Glasgow and the University of Strathclyde
Aug 2010 - Dec 2010: in UK on holiday visa
Jan 2011: issued fiancée visa
July 2011: issued FLR(M)
March 2012: DD1
June 2013: issued ILR
November 2013: DD2


  • *
  • Posts: 44

  • Liked: 0
  • Joined: Apr 2014
Re: Kids travelling without two passports
« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2017, 04:20:59 PM »
We have an appointment next week in Edinburgh :) Hopefully it will be riduculously, hilariously quick! Lol. It was last time to be fair....we are just being lazy! ;D


  • *
  • *
  • *
  • Posts: 26886

  • Liked: 3600
  • Joined: Jan 2007
Re: Kids travelling without two passports
« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2017, 04:47:01 PM »
We have an appointment next week in Edinburgh :) Hopefully it will be riduculously, hilariously quick! Lol. It was last time to be fair....we are just being lazy! ;D

Glad you're getting it sorted :). Fingers crossed it's nice and quick for you.

Immigration is not something you want to be lazy about... you would have been breaking the law if you'd tried to enter the US without your son's US passport, and I'm not sure it would be worth taking the risk of doing that.


  • *
  • Posts: 44

  • Liked: 0
  • Joined: Apr 2014
Re: Kids travelling without two passports
« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2017, 04:49:08 PM »
No....well when you put it like that!  :o


  • *
  • Posts: 6608

  • Liked: 1906
  • Joined: Sep 2015
Re: Kids travelling without two passports
« Reply #8 on: September 04, 2017, 11:46:15 AM »
They take that law about entering the US on the right passport very seriously.  They sat me down at the US embassy and gave me s pre emptive lecture about it .  Don't underestimate this.


  • *
  • Posts: 1035

  • Liked: 6
  • Joined: Jun 2011
Re: Kids travelling without two passports
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2017, 02:30:15 PM »
They can't refuse a US Citizen entry to the USA. 


  • *
  • Posts: 17767

  • Liked: 6116
  • Joined: Sep 2010
Re: Kids travelling without two passports
« Reply #10 on: September 12, 2017, 02:48:15 PM »
They can't refuse a US Citizen entry to the USA.

But they can make the experience very uncomfortable if they want to.


  • *
  • Posts: 1035

  • Liked: 6
  • Joined: Jun 2011
Re: Kids travelling without two passports
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2017, 03:08:18 PM »
But they can make the experience very uncomfortable if they want to.

In what way, genuine question.  I have a friend who is considering take their kids to the USA on their British passport, she's not even sure whether they qualify for an American one and the Embassy are asking for documents she doesn't have.


  • *
  • Posts: 18238

  • Liked: 4993
  • Joined: Jun 2012
  • Location: Wokingham
Re: Kids travelling without two passports
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2017, 03:11:17 PM »
In what way, genuine question.  I have a friend who is considering take their kids to the USA on their British passport, she's not even sure whether they qualify for an American one and the Embassy are asking for documents she doesn't have.

I know someon who was held up for hours and missed her connecting flight.  Just not worth it after a trans-Atlantic with a kiddo or two!


  • *
  • Posts: 1035

  • Liked: 6
  • Joined: Jun 2011
Re: Kids travelling without two passports
« Reply #13 on: September 12, 2017, 03:22:52 PM »
I know someon who was held up for hours and missed her connecting flight.  Just not worth it after a trans-Atlantic with a kiddo or two!

They've got a couple of kids too, but she doesn't know what else to do, she can't get them an American Passport as she can't prove they're entitled to one.

On what grounds do they hold up children for hours?  I can understand holding an adult who had/has an American passport and didn't use it for whatever reason, but a child, who is unable to get an american passport and hasn't been to american in their lives - that seems a tad unfair?


Sponsored Links