Do my kids need us passport to visit USA?

Hello. I've been on a ilr visa in the UK and have had it for about 8 years or so. We now have 3 kids born in the UK. I'm desperate to plan a visit to the USA for a couple of weeks but I've been told my other people that my kids will now need USA and British passports. This will cripple us financially but is it true? ALSO, my passport has now expired. Do I renew it or get a new one? Would that mean carrying two passports? Sorry I'm just so confused. This probably isn't the right forum. Wasn't sure where to put this.

Hello. I've been on a ilr visa in the UK and have had it for about 8 years or so. We now have 3 kids born in the UK. I'm desperate to plan a visit to the USA for a couple of weeks but I've been told my other people that my kids will now need USA and British passports. This will cripple us financially but is it true? ALSO, my passport has now expired. Do I renew it or get a new one? Would that mean carrying two passports? Sorry I'm just so confused. This probably isn't the right forum. Wasn't sure where to put this.

Hi.

Your kids don't need US passports UNLESS they ever visit the USA. This is because the USA does not recognise them as anything but US citizens and they MUST enter and exit the US on US passports, as it is US law for them to do so. Did you go to the US embassy  (or consulate) and file their consular reports of birth abroad (I just did this for my 3 month old)? If you haven't, you can apply for their US passports and SSNs at the same time.

You will need to renew your passport, which will give you a new book. So renewing it is the same thing as getting a new one. You would be required to carry your passport with the ILR stamp with you upon entry and exit to the UK as well. You could apply for a biometric residence permit instead (but I don't think you are REQUIRED to unless you work). This is like a visa but it's more like a driving license and is credit card sized. You carry it in your wallet and it isn't stuck into your passport. This has a cost to it and can take several months, during which time you would be without your passport. More info:

https://www.gov.uk/transfer-visa

As with all things in life (and especially expat life) these have a cost... sorry it's not the news you wanted to hear.

Unfortunately, it is correct that US citizens must have a valid current US passport to enter the US.  As physicskate said, it's one of those joys of being an expat.     

All U.S. citizens traveling internationally by air are required to present a valid U.S. passport to board a flight to the Unites States.

https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/3618/~/u.s.-citizens---documents-needed-to-enter-the-united-states-and%2For-to-travel

By the way, they take this VERY seriously at the border.

Have you been filing your USA taxes?  As you get a tax CREDIT (money in your pocket) of $1300 per child per year.  Which will easily offset the cost of the passports.  You can amend up to three years of returns so could potentially get thousands back on your taxes if you didn’t take the credit the first time around.

As long as you don’t work, you can simply renew your US passport and carry both the new and expired passport.  If you work, you need to file a “Transfer of Conditions” to a Biometric Resident Permit.

Have you been filing your USA taxes?  As you get a tax CREDIT (money in your pocket) of $1300 per child per year.  Which will easily offset the cost of the passports.  You can amend up to three years of returns so could potentially get thousands back on your taxes if you didn’t take the credit the first time around.

As long as you don’t work, you can simply renew your US passport and carry both the new and expired passport.  If you work, you need to file a “Transfer of Conditions” to a Biometric Resident Permit.

I do work. 12 hours a week. So I need a biometric permit to travel or in general? I didn't know I had to file us taxes? This is so confusing.

Hi.

Your kids don't need US passports UNLESS they ever visit the USA. This is because the USA does not recognise them as anything but US citizens and they MUST enter and exit the US on US passports, as it is US law for them to do so. Did you go to the US embassy  (or consulate) and file their consular reports of birth abroad (I just did this for my 3 month old)? If you haven't, you can apply for their US passports and SSNs at the same time.

You will need to renew your passport, which will give you a new book. So renewing it is the same thing as getting a new one. You would be required to carry your passport with the ILR stamp with you upon entry and exit to the UK as well. You could apply for a biometric residence permit instead (but I don't think you are REQUIRED to unless you work). This is like a visa but it's more like a driving license and is credit card sized. You carry it in your wallet and it isn't stuck into your passport. This has a cost to it and can take several months, during which time you would be without your passport. More info:

https://www.gov.uk/transfer-visa

As with all things in life (and especially expat life) these have a cost... sorry it's not the news you wanted to hear.

I do work in the UK though.

I do work. 12 hours a week. So I need a biometric permit to travel or in general?

If you work, there are specific ‘right to work’ documents that your employer must have a record of to confirm that you are legally allowed to work.

You must have either:
- an ILR sticker in a VALID passport
Or
- a valid passport without an ILR sticker in it AND a BRP card showing you have ILR (so you can’t just show them the expired passport with ILR in it)

So, if you renew your passport, meaning your ILR is now in an expired passport, you must also apply for a BRP to be able to prove your right to work to your employer.

You can then either travel carrying the new passport and the BRP card, or both the old and new passports.

See here for how to apply for a BRP once you have your new passport:
https://www.gov.uk/transfer-visa

I didn't know I had to file us taxes? This is so confusing.

The US is one of the only countries in the world that taxes based on citizenship and not residency. Therefore, it is a legal requirement that you file US taxes every year of your life, regardless of where you live and work. You should not be double-taxed, as there is a ‘foreign-earned income exclusion’ meaning if you earn less than I think about $100,000 a year, you only have to pay U.K. taxes, but you must still file taxes every year, or there can be penalties if you go back to the US without having filed.

See here:
https://www.irs.gov/individuals/international-taxpayers/us-citizens-and-resident-aliens-abroad
And
https://www.efile.com/american-citizens-abroad-overseas-offshore-assets-late-u-s-tax-returns/


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How long has your passport been expired? If it has  been five years or less it would be considered a renewal, if it has been longer than five years it would be considered a new application.

Would that mean carrying two passports?

Unless I've misunderstood (which I might've as I'm coming off holiday brain), YOU wouldn't need to carry two passports for yourself if you're on ILR. You wouldn't qualify for a British passport (as far as I'm aware) on ILR, you would need to apply to naturalise if you wanted to hold a UK Passport in addition to a US passport (so you would only be carrying one passport). Your kids, on the other hand, I believe you'd need to carry 2 (unless they can enter the UK on their US passports.

Unless I've misunderstood (which I might've as I'm coming off holiday brain), YOU wouldn't need to carry two passports for yourself if you're on ILR. You wouldn't qualify for a British passport (as far as I'm aware) on ILR, you would need to apply to naturalise if you wanted to hold a UK Passport in addition to a US passport (so you would only be carrying one passport). Your kids, on the other hand, I believe you'd need to carry 2 (unless they can enter the UK on their US passports.

The OP holds ILR but her passport has expired, so she is asking about what happens to her visa when she renews her US passport, since her ILR is a sticker in the expired passport and not a BRP.

[For the OP: in order to 'get a new passport', you have to renew it... you can't get a another one without renewing it]

If she is just travelling and doesn't work in the UK, then she could just carry both US passports with her when leaving and entering the UK (the current one and the expired one with the ILR sticker).

However, as she works in the UK, when she renews her passport, she will be required to apply for a BRP anyway, as proof of right to work. Once she has her BRP, she will only need to carry the new US passport, plus the BRP card when she travels, and not 2 passports.

The OP holds ILR but her passport has expired, so she is asking about what happens to her visa when she renews her US passport, since her ILR is a sticker in the expired passport and not a BRP.

Ahhhhhhhh right. Sorry, I was confused as thought she was asking about needing to carry a US AND UK passports. Makes sense now

The USA does not recognise dual nationalities. So yes, you must have your US passport. So if you are a dual national,  you need to bring both passports with you. The US passport for  entering the US, and your other passport for coming back. It's no different for  children. I still remember they effing FINGER PRINTED my young son at US immigration when we visited stateside when he was only around the age of 4. Couldn't believe that. Even now, even though I was born in California, because I've lived here so long, I have to disclose where I'm staying when I visit stateside. I find that quite intrusive and out of order as again I was born in California, but that's the way they are. And ironic given many immigration officers look hispanic or speak as if they are not native to the USA. A bit rich, right? Some official asking you what your intent is when you are from there, and they aren't. You have to laugh.

And keep in mind it's an absolute pain in the **** to renew US passports over here. You either have to trek to London (OK if you live in London but not OK if you dont), and pay for a hotel given the latest embassy appointments are around 10am, or you have to use their useless courier, DX, who *bleep* up everything habitually.

The USA does not recognise dual nationalities. So yes, you must have your US passport. So if you are a dual national,  you need to bring both passports with you. The US passport for  entering the US, and your other passport for coming back. It's no different for  children. I still remember they effing FINGER PRINTED my young son at US immigration when we visited stateside when he was only around the age of 4. Couldn't believe that. Even now, even though I was born in California, because I've lived here so long, I have to disclose where I'm staying when I visit stateside. I find that quite intrusive and out of order as again I was born in California, but that's the way they are. And ironic given many immigration officers look hispanic or speak as if they are not native to the USA. A bit rich, right? Some official asking you what your intent is when you are from there, and they aren't. You have to laugh.

And keep in mind it's an absolute pain in the **** to renew US passports over here. You either have to trek to London (OK if you live in London but not OK if you dont), and pay for a hotel given the latest embassy appointments are around 10am, or you have to use their useless courier, DX, who *bleep* up everything habitually.

I find it incredibly easy to see why you have a difficult time fitting in here. I would find you insufferable and would do whatever I could to avoid you.

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And ironic given many immigration officers look hispanic or speak as if they are not native to the USA. A bit rich, right? Some official asking you what your intent is when you are from there, and they aren't. You have to laugh.
.

While I'm not going to engage much in your posts because I just cant agree with the tone of them, I cant help but take the bait on this one... this is....not a good look for you (or anybody).

I also found it pretty easy to renew my passport. The most complicated part was the payment. Everything else was pretty black and white and straightforward. You can only go to the embassy if it's an emergency (just to save you on your trek as you wont be seen for a normal passport renew).


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