I read the thread in this forum about traveling with 2 passports. I have a question about it. As a European National with a second US passport, I need to travel to Brazil on short notice (too short to get a visa for my US passport). I talked to the airlines and they said "bring the other passport", I talked to a customs official, and he said "as long as you have a valid passport you're OK to come back in", and I looked on the US state department website, which basically says it's not illegal to use another passport when traveling. However, that website also says that you have to use the US passport to leave and enter the country. So here is my question: When I get to the airport to catch my plane, what passport do I present at check-in? The US passport does not have a visa for Brazil, while the European passport puts me at odds with the state department statement. Also, when I get back stateside, I will have to fill out an entry form, which asks where I come from. Will that not rouse suspicion when I tell customs I came from Brazil, but there is no visa or entry stamp from Brazil in the passport? Has anybody been in a similar situation?
Posts: 3 | Location: Denver, USA | Registered: 14 April 2008
My husband has dual citizenship--U.S. and Swedish. When we leave the U.S. and enter the U.S., he presents the U.S. passport. When we enter and leave whatever country we're visiting, he presents the Swedish passport. We've never had a problem with this. If there is some confusion at the airport over where your visa is, just show them the other passport with it in it. We've shown both passports before at the U.S. ticketing counter, and that's not a problem. They'll peek at the visa, but then scan the U.S. passport. And if he's been asked at customs about where he has been and why he doesn't have stamps, he explains that he traveled on the other passport and shows it to them if they ask. We were a little uncertain about all of this too when we first handled these situations, but we've never had any problems.
Originally posted by Theresa_B: My husband has dual citizenship--U.S. and Swedish. When we leave the U.S. and enter the U.S., he presents the U.S. passport. When we enter and leave whatever country we're visiting, he presents the Swedish passport.
I have a U.S. passport & a British one and this has been true for me too. US when leaving and entering the US, British passport when entering other countries. I've only ever been asked if I had another passport once, boarding a flight back to the US and once they saw the other passport there was no problem.
As far as I'm aware you should have no problem using the US passport to leave the US and the EU passport to arrive in Brazil.
Just in case anybody is interested: I just got back from my trip and everything worked without a problem. Upon getting to the airport I gave the check-in person both passports, and she said she needed only the European one to check me in. I had to show the passport again in DC for the international flight. In Brazil, I gave them the European passport and they checked me in. On the way back, I went to the airport in Sao Paulo and again gave the check-in creaw both passports. This time they used the US passport to issue a boarding pass. I had to go through customs in Sao paulo and was told to give them the European passport, as that had the entry stamp. they stamped it again and I was off to the US again. Arriving in DC, the customs officer didn't even look for stamps, although I had declared that I came from Brazil. Gave me a stamp, and I'm back.
Posts: 3 | Location: Denver, USA | Registered: 14 April 2008
"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."
Posts: 3 | Location: Denver, USA | Registered: 14 April 2008
