So what is the rule if you've gotten a new passport because your old one expired, but the visa that was on the old passport is still valid. Can you just carry it with you and still travel on it?

I know countless people who HAVE done this. But one official has said that we need to get a new visa. Just wondering what's actually done.

as far as i know, you can travel on your new passport but carry your old one for visa purposes...you also have the option to have your visa transferred to your new passport for a nominal fee.

i think the easier way is to carry both passports. my uncle and aunt traveled with their both passports.

I just recently did that. My visa was valid but I had my passport renewed, and received my old passport back, and on the old passport they even cut off the corners of the first 2 pages and the front cover and stamped "Cancel" on it. I ended up paper clipping the two passports (when I got my new one) so that the page with the picture and other info in the new passport was open, and the page with the visa on the old passport were open. I travelled through another country meanwhile and at each customs spot they check if you have a valid visa to go to your destination. Once I reached my destination country, the customs there didn't really check the passport, just checked that my visa was valid.

Just clip them togather - if they need to stamp you in and out - they will do that on new passport !

Wasey to encounter this, thesedays most of the embassies only issue you the visa till the expiry date of your passport ...... Like if your yoke is getting expired in two years , chance of getting a fiver stamped is much slim ...

Originally Posted by Sahar02

So what is the rule if you've gotten a new passport because your old one expired, but the visa that was on the old passport is still valid. Can you just carry it with you and still travel on it?

I know countless people who HAVE done this. But one official has said that we need to get a new visa. Just wondering what's actually done.

Two options:

1- Cancel old passport and transfer your current visa on new passport
2- Ask concern authority to give cross-entries on both old and new passport instead of cancelling the old passport.

you need to attach your expired passport along with new passport.

you can clip it, so immigration official can view both of them at once.

You should be good to go. However, if this official is from the country that you have the visa for, I would seek a second opinion (for my own sanity).

I had the same problem. And I called the country embassy that I was going too and they said I had to get a knew visa. Expiring of the passport negates the visa and so ... I would rather be safe than sorry. So I would recommend get the visa again.

Originally Posted by fifz

I had the same problem. And I called the country embassy that I was going too and they said I had to get a knew visa. Expiring of the passport negates the visa and so ... I would rather be safe than sorry. So I would recommend get the visa again.

I don't know which country's embassy you called, but that information is incorrect.

If you carry both passports, ie the expired one with the valid visa and the new one without any visa, you can always travel.

I called the pakistani embassy and that is what they told me. I don't want to be turned away at the airport!

Originally Posted by Umer

I don't know which country's embassy you called, but that information is incorrect.

If you carry both passports, ie the expired one with the valid visa and the new one without any visa, you can always travel.

Now two different officials at the Pakistani embassy in DC have said that we need a new visa.

But it just doesn't make sense, given recent experience. I don't really want to pay the hundreds of dollars unless I absolutely have to.

Whatever the rule maybe, I suggest that you put the new visa on your passport. You never know which hard headed dumb ass you come across at the immigration counter and after so many hours of journey, you really wont have patience to deal with some nut head if he said that no you cant enter the country. People back home love to give ex-desis (Desis who now have USA passport) hard time. I say that you spend some money now but avoid the possible confusion and frustration when you arrive there.

Originally Posted by Sahar02

Now two different officials at the Pakistani embassy in DC have said that we need a new visa.

I've never had that situation with a visa for Pakistan (since I hold a POC), but to my knowledge it is an international rule that visas remain valid even if the passport they are stamped on expires. Looks like Pakistan is flouting that rule though.

^Hey, they make $100+ off of each new visa; why not?

Originally Posted by Umer

I've never had that situation with a visa for Pakistan (since I hold a POC), but to my knowledge it is an international rule that visas remain valid even if the passport they are stamped on expires. Looks like Pakistan is flouting that rule though.

EXACTLY! yes, i've traveled myself with visa on expired passport...you carry both [old N new] passport and you are OK.

Umer and KKF -- do you have any links that state this rule?