Re: Travelling from Pakistan to US using two passports
To make your life easier get that NICOP card. That way you can show that with your US passport and you are set for visa free entry. The fact that you have two passports that are brand new with no entry or exit stamps is weird and will raise eye brows.
Whenever you enter Pakistan your passport gets stamped. So how did you enter Pakistan?
Re: Travelling from Pakistan to US using two passports
On my mom's passport 20 years ago. Back then toddlers could travel on their mom's Pakistani passport. The consulate in LA wrote my name in my mom's Pak passport and stamped it.
NICOP card won't solve that. If you have a Nicop your US passport gets stamped. There's still a case of missing stamp.
Re: Travelling from Pakistan to US using two passports
So wait you haven't left Pakistan in 20 years? Seriously? Not even Dubai or Doha? Here is how it happens in Islamabad and Lahore and you can draw your own conclusions.
Your air line will first ask for your visa/passport and you show them your american one. They care little for the stamp. But at immigration they may look or they may not. Its happened with my brand new Pakistani passport which had been made 2 months earlier and I just said my old passport expired and the passport office kept it.
Re: Travelling from Pakistan to US using two passports
Hmm.....you are in a tight fix to be honest. I can see the potential for this to go very wrong as well as the immigration guy not giving a crap. You got the Pakistani "how dare you ask me such a question" attitude at the ready? :p
Re: Travelling from Pakistan to US using two passports
Yup, it all depends on the mood of the immigration officer you get. Things could go seriously wrong because you are traveling with two fresh passports from two different countries (Helllooo Red flag). Or the dude could not give a hay and let you through. Phookho some duas his way before approaching.
Re: Travelling from Pakistan to US using two passports
I cannot imagine why immigration officer at pakistan airport will have any problem. Whenever I have been at the airport, the officer's concern is to make sure I have a valid visa/status to enter US. I have traveled with a US green card +pakistani passport and US passport +pakistan visa.
In any case the concern was if I can enter USA legally.
Also when entering US, the immigration officer always asks how long you stayed out of US and what was the purpose of the visit. Although as a US citizen you can stay out of US however long you want, the officer may still interrogate more if you tell them 20+years.
Re: Travelling from Pakistan to US using two passports
Saeed miyaaN, parishaan na hoN...apne US passport ko iste'maal kareN aur us passport and or visa kii copy rakkheN jis par aap Pakistan aaye hoNge 20 saal pahle. i believe your name was endorsed on your mom's passport. take the copies of relevent pages of that passport and also the copies of your mom's status in the US and/or entry/exit into Pakistan.
Re: Travelling from Pakistan to US using two passports
I cannot imagine why immigration officer at pakistan airport will have any problem. Whenever I have been at the airport, the officer's concern is to make sure I have a valid visa/status to enter US. I have traveled with a US green card +pakistani passport and US passport +pakistan visa.
In any case the concern was if I can enter USA legally.
Also when entering US, the immigration officer always asks how long you stayed out of US and what was the purpose of the visit. Although as a US citizen you can stay out of US however long you want, the officer may still interrogate more** if you tell them 20+years**.
I'm not going to lie. And I'm not even worried about that, Karachi airport is scary though.
Re: Travelling from Pakistan to US using two passports
I'm not going to lie. And I'm not even worried about that, Karachi airport is scary though.
I used 'if' incorrectly, should have used 'when'
Of course you cannot lie and I never meant to mean that. What I meant was I think Karachi airport should not be a problem.
You are not living illegally in Pakistan and not entering US illegally.
Re: Travelling from Pakistan to US using two passports
From a legal point of view it’s straight-forward: As a Dual-citizen you are allowed to stay in Pakistan as long as you want and in the US as long as you want.
But when it comes to Immigration officers at Pakistani airports the “legal point of view” is not always so clear.
Re: Travelling from Pakistan to US using two passports
Also be prepared for secondary screening/ questioning when you land in the States. They will wanna know why you were away for so long etc. It may be good for you to carry any copies of any diplomas that you have etc just in case.
Re: Travelling from Pakistan to US using two passports
Also be prepared for secondary screening/ questioning when you land in the States. They will wanna know why you were away for so long etc. It may be good for you to carry any copies of any diplomas that you have etc just in case.
As a male, young Desi with a Muslim name you are very likely to be taken aside for secondary screening/questioning anyway when you arrive in the US. :)
Re: Travelling from Pakistan to US using two passports
The US embassy has no role to play in the internal processes of the Pakistani immigration service.
Correct. And me being a Pakistani citizen complicates things. As far as the Pakistani authorities are concerned I'm a Pakistani and US gov shouldn't care how I get treated here.