Step by Step Guide to Entering & Exiting a Country with Two Different Passports

I’m not sure when it happened, but my post on How to Travel with Two Passports has become the most popular post on this site by far. Because of the volume of (very similar) comments I receive on that post, I’ve created both an eBook and this post as a follow-up!

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If you haven’t read the first post go and check it out. If you have and still aren’t sure about traveling with two passports,  this post is for you. I’m going to run down a step by step guide on how to enter and exit a country with two different passports. I will walk you through each step that would require presentation of passport. If anything is still unclear, please ask me in the comments.

Immigration Arrivals in Istanbul

Step 1: Starting Point
dynnamitt_home
You most likely you have some sort of permission to live and work in the country you reside (Home Country). This could be a passport from that country that denotes citizenship, or a visa in another country’s passport that allows you to stay there. We will assume that wherever you are beginning your trip is your home. You were either born there or you entered with some sort of permission. With all that aside, decide where you want to travel to (Destination Country).
Example: Michael has both US and Italian citizenship and resides in the USA. He decides he wants to go to Brazil. Brazil requires a complicated visa for US citizens, but no such visa for Italians. He will therefore enter Brazil as an Italian.

Step 2: Book a Ticket
TheresaKnott_Boeing_B47EAuthority:
Airline
Passport to Show:
The One You’ll Use at Your Destination
Often when you book a plane ticket to an international destination the airline will ask you for your passport details. If you have two different passports, you should provide the details of the passport you plan to enter the country you are visiting with. The reason the airline asks for passport details is in order to determine if you are allowed to go where you are going. If you are American booking a ticket to China it’s the airline’s responsibility to make sure you have a valid visa – otherwise they risk a huge fine. If you show them a Chinese passport that’s obviously just as good. Whatever document you plan to use on arrival is what you want to give the airline here.
Example: Michael books a ticket to Brazil and enters his Italian passport details with the airline.

Step 3: Check in at the Airport
TheresaKnott_Boeing_B47EAuthority:
Airline
Passport to Show:
The One You’ll Use at Your Destination
Here we do the same thing as step two. We show the airline the passport we plan to use when we reach our destination country. It doesn’t matter if that passport does not allow you to be in the country you are departing from. That is not their concern.
Example: Michael checks in to his flight in the USA using his Italian passport.

Step 4: Departing Immigration
Anonymous_aiga_immigrationAuthority:
Government Immigration Department
Passport to Show:
The One That Allows You to Be Where You Currently Are
In most countries you need to clear exit immigration before departing the country. The US is a notable exception to this. Typically before you get to your gate, you have to present your passport and boarding card to some sort of immigration authority. Here is where things get tricky as you must present the passport that allows you to be where you are (home country) – NOT the one that allows you to go where you are going (destination country). Exit immigration authorities are concerned with if you are allowed to have been where you were. Not if you will be able to enter your destination. If you are starting in a country that you don’t hold citizenship in they will be looking for an entry stamp or visa that authorizes you to have been there.
Example: Michael presents his US passport in order to depart the US (not really applicable since the US doesn’t check this)

Step 5: Arriving Immigration
Anonymous_aiga_immigrationAuthority: Government Immigration Department
Passport to Show: The One that Allows You to Enter That Country
Chances are after you checked in with the airline they sent a list of everyone on the flight to the immigration authority of your destination country. It is therefore very important that when you present yourself at immigration that the document you present matches the airline manifest. Here immigration is concerned with if you have permission to enter the country you’ve arrived at, not if you had permission to be in the country you’ve just come from.
Example: Michael presents his Italian passport (matching what the airline shared) at Brazilian immigration and enters visa-free.

*Michael enjoys his vacation in Brazil*

Step 6: Check in at Airport for Return Flight Home
TheresaKnott_Boeing_B47EAuthority: Airline
Passport to Show: The One that Allows You to Return to Your Home Country
Regardless of what passport you used to enter your destination country, it’s time to show the one that allows you to be in your home country – since that’s where you are going. We are basically just doing steps 1-5 in reverse now.
Example: Despite entering Brazil as an Italian, Michael presents his US passport to the airline in order to fly home.

Step 7: Departing Immigration
Anonymous_aiga_immigrationAuthority: Government Immigration Department
Passport to Show: The One You Used to Enter
Here we continue to do things in reverse. Present the passport you used to enter your destination country in order to exit. Authorities will look for the entry stamp in order to match it with an exit stamp and complete your visit.
Example: Michael shows his Italian passport which he used to enter Brazil at the start of his trip.

Step 8: Arriving Immigration
Anonymous_aiga_immigrationAuthority: Government Immigration Department
Passport to Show: The One Allowing You in Your Home Country
We have come full circle now and returned to our home country. The passport you show here should be the one that allows you to live there, and also be aligned with the one you used in step six.
Example: Michael shows his US passport to the US immigration authorities.

Remember that you always must present yourself as a citizen of a country to authorities from that country. If you hold US and Italian citizenship you can not present yourself as an Italian to US authorities. The countries that issue you a passport will always consider you their citizen and never a citizen of somewhere else. This is very important. More questions? Want a personalized consultation? Check out our eBook!

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654 Responses to “Step by Step Guide to Entering & Exiting a Country with Two Different Passports”

  1. Cj
    February 8, 2014 at 9:47 am #

    Are your procedures same as having an Australian passport and us passport…
    Example..I am currently living in Australia but will go back to US.. Can you please let me know if I understood what you meant on your blog….I already booked my ticket and they never asked for it…so I will move to

    step 3: check in – Airline —I have to show my US passport

    Step 4: departing immigration – I have to show my australian passport

    Step 5: arriving immigration – I have to show my US passport

    Return flight

    Step:6 checked in airline – I have to use my australian passport

    Step 7: departing immigration : I have to use my us passport

    Step 8: arriving immigration : I have to use my australian passport

    Did I understand it correctly?

    • StyleHiClub
      February 8, 2014 at 10:20 pm #

      Yes, that is correct, these rules apply regardless. Note that Step 7 that you’ve outlined, there is no “departing immigration” in the US. You will only show your passport at the airline check-in counter.

      • Cj
        February 9, 2014 at 9:53 am #

        Hello,

        Under step 4:departing immigration….if I will show my australian passport to the departing immigration officer and he/she will put a stamp on it…will the arrival immigration officer under step 5 not questioned me if I handed my us passport without a samp?

        • David DiGregorio
          February 9, 2014 at 5:33 pm #

          No, they won’t. They know where you’re coming from and you’ll say where you’ve been. If they look for a stamp and can’t find it just show your other passport. But they won’t.

          • Cj
            February 10, 2014 at 5:04 am #

            Just another question under step 4 departing immigration…what will happen if I handed my us passport to the departing immigration officer instead of my australian passport?

          • David DiGregorio
            February 10, 2014 at 5:19 am #

            Assuming you did not enter Australia with your US passport, you showing your US passport to immigration would cause problems. Your passport would be scanned and no record of your entry into Australia (or your obtaining of an Australian travel visa which is required for Americans) would be found. They would want to know how you got into the country with no record of you being there. This is the reason you depart on the same passport you arrived on. Departing on a passport that you had no permission to be there with will cause problems. Remember the different in immigration and airline. While you are departing immigration as an Aussie, you’ve checked into your US bound flight as an American thus alerting the American immigration authorities to expect an American. When you arrive in the US you enter using that US passport that was pre-sent by the airline to US CBP. Then when you leave the US you do it all in reverse.

          • Anon!
            February 20, 2014 at 10:14 pm #

            “But they won’t.”

            Um, no, they actually sometimes do. I have seen on more than one occasion — and personally been asked once by — US immigration officials to see the stamp/visa of the country I just arrived from, regardless of which passport it’s on.

            Sometimes this leads to frustration, more questioning, and, yes, being pulled out for further discussion. Sometimes, in my case, the immigration officer just wants to see if the stamp looks cool. Bottom line: bring both passports, but always always always be PREPARED to show both, no matter wtf happens.

          • David DiGregorio
            February 21, 2014 at 7:30 am #

            Thanks for this. You make a good point. The procedure I am describing in this post is merely to smooth things along and make it as easy as possible. It is always a possibility that you will be questioned further and need to explain. You should at any time be prepared to be honest and forthcoming with authorities and if necessary show your other passport to support the truth.

  2. Maria
    February 8, 2014 at 11:28 pm #

    I have argentine passport with US visa. and Italian passport. traveling from the US to
    Canada (Italian’s don’t need visa there)

    When I leave the US, do they stamp my passport (argentine, with us visa) to show I left?
    Then I enter Canada with my italian passport.
    Leave Canada with my argentine passport with us visa.
    Enter US with my argentine passport with us visa.
    But, if they didn’t stamp my passport when I left, wouldn’t they question me why I don’t have an EXIT stamp? or they don’t check that?
    Thank you

    • David DiGregorio
      February 9, 2014 at 5:38 pm #

      Immigration authorities care about when you enter and depart their own country. They do not check for exit stamps from other countries. Why would they? Also the US doesn’t stamp passports on exit.

  3. MC
    February 9, 2014 at 12:10 am #

    Regarding the airline & immigration, do their computer systems not talk to each other? Wouldn’t there be a discrepancy if Michael shows his US PP at the airline and Italian PP at immigration when trying to fly back to US?

    • David DiGregorio
      February 9, 2014 at 5:40 pm #

      A discrepancy would be if you didn’t enter and exit a single country on a single passport. That’s what these instructions have you doing. Follow them and you’ll be all set. 🙂

  4. Patrick
    February 9, 2014 at 3:20 pm #

    Hello and thanks for the descriptive explanation!

    I am going to Nicaragua next month for my annual vacation and will be getting my passport while there, I’ve already done all of the citizenship work. My question is: If I continue on from there to Panama or Chile, would I decide which passport to use based on visa requirements of each country relative to the US and Nica passports?
    Thanks again,
    Patrick

    • David DiGregorio
      February 9, 2014 at 5:41 pm #

      Yes. It’s your choice. You can use whichever you prefer as long as you always enter and leave Nicaragua and the US on their respective passports. Otherwise it’s your call.

  5. RND
    February 10, 2014 at 5:27 pm #

    Usually you book a round trip ticket with the airline. Would Step 6 conflict with Michael’s scenario in that the airline would have information from his Italian passport used to book his flight (and not the US passport he would want to use to re-enter the US)?

    • David DiGregorio
      February 11, 2014 at 2:56 pm #

      No. The airline will check and verify the passport before each flight. Not before. Whatever passport you present at checkin is what they put on the manifest.

  6. Jack
    February 11, 2014 at 6:10 pm #

    Hi, I’m am Australian with dual citizenship with Britain. I’m being penalized for leaving the country on a cruise ship for work (5nights). If I use my British passport to board (Sydney harbour) and to fly home to Australia (from Fiji) do you think that it’ll register that an Australian has left the country or a Brit? Thank you.

    • David DiGregorio
      February 12, 2014 at 3:46 pm #

      Jack – I’m not sure what you mean by being penalized? Can you explain that a bit more?

  7. Shel
    February 11, 2014 at 7:17 pm #

    Hi! I’m a Chinese citizen currently studying in the UK on a student visa. I’m planning a trip to Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden and Norway in Easter but there’s no way I can get a Schengen visa in the UK with my Chinese passport. I’m wondering whether I could leave and re-enter England with my New Zealand passport. Or is there any way I could travel with both passports? Thanks so much.

    • David DiGregorio
      February 12, 2014 at 3:48 pm #

      You are in the UK as a Chinese citizen? Yes. This is easy. Just depart UK with your Chinese passport and enter the Schengen zone as a New Zelander. Follow my steps on what to do when. What you want to do is easy and one of the primary benefits of having two passports.

      • Shel
        February 12, 2014 at 6:31 pm #

        Thanks a lot!

      • Shel
        February 13, 2014 at 4:43 pm #

        Just one more detail I wuld like to ask about… for my return flight to the UK from Oslo, should I give the airplane company details of my Chinese passport? And which passport should I show the border control when I’m leaving Oslo? Thanks so much.

        • David DiGregorio
          February 14, 2014 at 6:31 am #

          You need to show the airline the passport you’ll be entering the UK with and exit immigration the passport you entered the Schengen zone/Norway with.

  8. Ann
    February 11, 2014 at 7:40 pm #

    Thanks for this very informative post, Dave! I live in Canada, and I am planning to go back home in the Philippines for a year or two. I do hold a Canadian and Philippine passport. Would these steps still apply if i were to stay that long in the Philippines? My biggest concern is being penalized for overstaying. Hopefully you could shed some light on this matter. Thank you!

    • David DiGregorio
      February 12, 2014 at 3:49 pm #

      Ann – I’m not sure I understand your concern. If you enter the Philipines on a Philipine passport you have no restriction on how long you can stay. You are a citizen there and can stay indefinitly.

      • Ann
        February 12, 2014 at 7:10 pm #

        hi! sorry, i wasn’t clear with my concern.. i just wanted to know which passport to use/show upon leaving Canada, and which passport to show in the Philippines upon arrival.. so, if i did it this way, do you think there would be any problems? =

        Canada Departure
        – Airline check-in: PHP PP
        – CDN immigration: CDN PP [obviously 😀 ]
        Philippines Arrival
        – PHP immigration: PHP PP

        …after more than a year stay in the Philippines, I decide to return to Canada:

        Philippines Departure
        – Airline check-in: CDN PP
        – PHP immigration: PHP PP or CDN PP??? <– if i showed them my CDN PP, wouldn't they wonder why I don't have an "entry stamp" on it?
        Canada Arrival
        – CDN immigration: CDN PP

        What do you think??? Thank you.

        • David DiGregorio
          February 13, 2014 at 1:23 am #

          Upon departing you need to show Philipine immigration authorities your Philipine passport. You are Philipine so you must always present yourself as such to authorities from that country. Also, you need to show the passport you entered with upon leaving. At the end you depart the Philipines with your Philipine passport but check into your flight as a Canadian. Just be sure to enter and exit on the same passport and use the appropriate passport for each country.

          • Ann
            February 13, 2014 at 9:44 am #

            Goodness gracious! is it really that simple? well, because i never really thought about the airlines and the immigration as separate departments.. i thought they shared the same information system.. it was all so confusing! but thank you for being patient and for explaining all these details to us!

          • Kan
            March 4, 2014 at 3:46 pm #

            Hello. I want to ask about the departing and arrival stamp. Is it not a problem that u have a departing stamp on one passport then arriving stamp on another passport? The immigration wont question that? Lets say… in Ann’s case (Canada to Philippines), at the departing immigration her Canadian passport will be stamped. Then at the arrival immigration her Philippine passport will be stamped. The arrival immigration wont be looking for the departure stamp? Im just thinking that maybe both departure and arrival stamps need to be in the same passport. (In my case im holding Thai/philippine passports)

          • David DiGregorio
            March 4, 2014 at 3:53 pm #

            Immigration will be concerned with you having an arrival stamp from their country when they give you a departure stamp. They won’t be concerned that you don’t have a departure stamp from the country you are coming from. Why would they be? At US immigration they don’t give departure stamps at all and many other countries may omit it now and then. The job of the immigration authority is to make sure you are allowed to enter the country when you arrive and that you were allowed to be there when you leave. Beyond that, if they say to you “why can’t i find a stamp from XX?” just be honest and show your second passport and explain you are a dual citizen. But they won’t.

          • Kan
            March 4, 2014 at 4:33 pm #

            Thank you so much for your help. I still have another question. In my case im holding Thai/philippine passports. Im currently here in the philippines and have been here for 15 years now, using philippine passport. I went to Thailand last December using only my philippine passport (roundtrip) and had my Thai passport renewed there because i plan to use my Thai passport when i go back to Thailand on my next trip because i plan to go back to Thailand for good. Would there be any problems if i follow ur steps on how to use the dual passports. Like would they question me upon entering Thailand using the new Thai passport but never left Thailand using Thai passport (since i left Thailand using my philippine passport). Or i just need to show my philippine passport that i left thailand using the phikippine passport.

          • David DiGregorio
            March 4, 2014 at 4:46 pm #

            Technically you should not have entered Thailand using your Philipine passport. You should have renewed your Thai passport at the Thai consulate in Manilla. But, what’s done is done. I don’t think you’d have any problems now going to Thailand and entering using your Thai passport even though it has no stamps in it. By law, you need to enter Thailand using your Thai passport. You just should have gotten it from their Consulate abroad. But I think you’re okay.

          • Kan
            March 4, 2014 at 4:54 pm #

            My thai passport expired long time ago since i have been here in the philippines for 15years thats why i used my philippine passport last december. And i have been using philippine passport eversince to go to thailand because i only go there to visit my family for a short time only. So its only now that i will be using the thai passport because i plan to go to thailand for good the next time i go there. Anyway, so if ever they question me i just need to show them my philippine passport right? By the way thank you so much for your help. 🙂

          • David DiGregorio
            March 4, 2014 at 4:57 pm #

            If you are questioned just be honest and you’ll be fine. But just so you know you have to enter and exit Thailand using your Thai passport.

          • Kan
            March 4, 2014 at 5:10 pm #

            Ok thank you so much. I really appreciate ur help. 🙂

          • Kan
            March 4, 2014 at 5:19 pm #

            The reason why i used my philippine passport going to thailand because i didnt have much knowledge about how to use the 2 passports. And since i only go to Thailand for a short time to visit my family didnt feel the need to use thai passport at the time since i was studying here.

          • Kan
            March 4, 2014 at 4:41 pm #

            And as i mentioned earlier that i plan to go back to Thailand for good. Can i get a one way ticket or do i need to buy roundtrip tickets? How does it work?

          • David DiGregorio
            March 4, 2014 at 4:44 pm #

            If you are entering a country with a passport from that country nobody will care if you don’t have a return ticket. As a citizen you can come and go and stay as long as you like.

          • Kan
            March 4, 2014 at 5:07 pm #

            So on step 4.at the departing immigration in the philippines they wont check whether my ticket is roundtrip or not?

  9. Donald
    February 15, 2014 at 4:14 am #

    Hi … I have dual UK and Australian citizenship. I live in Australia. I have a job offer in Azerbaijan. The process means i arrive in Azerbaijan on a pre arranged temporary visa sponsored by the employer. Under law, the residency visa is processed after the temporary visa is validated, This is done whilst i am in Azerbaijan and takes 30 days after validation that when issued cancels the temporary visa. During the 30 days the authorities will retain my passport which is OK as I do not intend to leave Azerbaijan during the 30 day period. I wish both visas to be put into my UK passport as this has a longer expiry date than the Australian passport. Can i request the employer process the temporary and subsequent residency visa based on my UK passport details meaning i depart on my Australian passport and arrive in Azerbaijan as a British subject, or do i need to fly to UK and from there fly to Azerbaijan ? I am trying to avoid a flight to the UK.

    • David DiGregorio
      February 15, 2014 at 5:06 am #

      This is no problem. Do everything on your UK passport with the exception of exit immigration in Australia where you will show your Aussie passport. On arrival in Baku you show your UK passport and use that for everything going forward. There is no reason you would have to physically go to the UK. Review the details of my post just to make sure you show the right passport at each step.

      • Name
        February 15, 2014 at 5:47 am #

        Great – Thanks for the quick reply…

  10. Mike S
    February 16, 2014 at 4:36 pm #

    Hey Dave,

    I’ve asked this before but i’m a little concerned about my upcoming travel to Europe as I’m connecting through the US. I have both a Canadian passport and an EU passport and i will be buying a visa to enter Istanbul on my EU passport as its cheaper to do so. However checking in with my Canadian passport when entering Houston, then entering Istanbul with my EU passport, won’t cause issues will it? I ask because while i understand using the passport you’ll need at your destination, i have various destinations (one being the US, one being in the EU) so i’m a little worried.

    My flight path is as follows:

    Vancouver –> Houston
    Houston –> Istanbul

    Istanbul –> Zagreb
    Zagreb –> Split

    Like everyone else says, your comments/feedback is greatly appreciated, and you’re awesome 🙂

    • David DiGregorio
      February 18, 2014 at 2:49 am #

      Hi Mike – can you clarify if you will be spending time in Houston? Or is that just a layover? If you are spending time, you can use your Canadian passport to check in to the flight to Houston, then your EU passport to check into the flight to Istanbul.

      • Mike S
        February 18, 2014 at 2:48 pm #

        Hey Dave,

        It’s just a layover before my flight to Istanbul and I don’t want the CBP to ask where my visa is on my EU passport.

        • David DiGregorio
          February 19, 2014 at 4:31 am #

          Fly to the us and enter as a Canadian. Then check in and fly onward to Istanbul as an EU citizen and use your eu passport throughout until your flight back.

          If you have an eu passport you probably quality under the visa waiver program for the USA. That may make things even easier.

          • Mike S
            February 22, 2014 at 2:02 pm #

            Okay, but how would the mechanics of that work? Would i go to the airline desk and say “hey, i’d like to check in to this flight with a different passport.”?

            My EU passport does not qualify for the visa waiver program unfortunately (its a croatian passport), seems the US doesn’t like my people :P.

          • David DiGregorio
            February 23, 2014 at 2:51 am #

            You’ll probably have to check in again once you get to the US which will require you to show your passport. If they check you in for all flights at once and give you boarding cards, just go to the gate agent once in Houston and have them change your details on the flight manifest to the other passport. It shouldn’t be a problem.

  11. Kristine A
    February 16, 2014 at 8:30 pm #

    Hi Dave. Sorry if this has already been asked but just wanted to reconfirm what I might think to be the correct answer.

    I currently hold a New Zealand and a Philippine passport. On one leg of the trip I will be in Myanmar flying to China. I can enter Myanmar under a Phillippine passport for 14 days, however, I will be applying for a Chinese visa to be put into my NZ passport.

    So, I’ll be entering Myanmar under my PH passport. When i depart for China:
    – at check-in I show my NZ passport with my Chinese visa, and
    – at customs, depart and show my PH passport?

    Is this correct? Won’t customs ask where my Chinese visa is? If so, is it okay to show my NZ passport (i.e. have both passports out)?

    Hope this makes sense! Thanks so much for your help. This is the first time I’ll be travelling on two passports.

    • David DiGregorio
      February 18, 2014 at 2:52 am #

      Hi Kristine – You’ve got it right. Myanmar immigration and customs won’t care about you having a Chinese visa because they are not Chinese authorities. They don’t care if you have permission to be where you are going, only if you have permission to have been in Myanmar. The airline does care because they get fined by China is they let you board the plane without a proper visa/passport.

  12. Ali
    February 17, 2014 at 3:02 am #

    Hi Dave, I hope you are not too bored with questions and will answer another quick one! Great post by the way, just what I was looking for!
    For a Chinese/uk citizen, I seem to remember that the Chinese immigration authorities always check your flight ticket together with your passport. Which will say that I am a uk citizen on the flight ticket, but holding a Chinese passport. And bytheway Chinese authorities don’t allow dual citizenship…
    Isn’t that a problem?

    • David DiGregorio
      February 18, 2014 at 2:55 am #

      Hi Ali,

      A boarding pass does not say your citizenship on it. Only your name. Is your name different on your two passports? Even still, I do not think the immigration guys will care if it matches exactly. Like I said, their only concern is if you were allowed to be in China and if you are showing a Chinese passport, you should be all good.

  13. pete
    February 18, 2014 at 4:12 am #

    Great article, thank you.

    I have a US and Swiss passport and live in the US. I am flying the following route and plan on using both passports because I am visiting my other home country. Would the make it the easiest?

    SEA > Frankfurt – Swiss (plane change)
    Frankfurt > Zurich – Swiss (stay)
    Zurich > Frankfurt – Swiss (plane change)
    Frankfurt > Santa Domingo – Swiss ( Stay)
    Santa Domingo > Miami – US at airline, swiss at departure, us on arrival in Miami.

    Am I close?

    Pete

    • David DiGregorio
      February 18, 2014 at 4:27 am #

      I’m not sure I understand all of what you’ve said here but yes, i think that’s correct.

  14. Vergangenheitsbewältiger
    February 19, 2014 at 5:59 pm #

    Hi there — I left a comment on your other post, but I thought I’d post something here as well. My question concerns having two destination countries on one trip. I’m a US/Canadian dual citizen, will be flying from Canada to Mexico via the US. I was wondering if I can check in with my US passport, use it to enter the US, and then use my Cdn passport to enter Mexico. It seems as though on the way back I’ll definitely have to show 2 different passports, b/c I need the US passport to enter the US and the Cdn passport to enter Canada. So if I check in with the airline in Mexico using the US passport, and use that to enter the US, I’ll then be using a different passport (my Cdn one) to enter my final destination country (Canada). Similarly, if I check in in Mexico with my Canadian passport, and use that to return to Canada, I’ll be using a different passport — my US one — when I enter the US for my connecting flight. So it seems like either way, on one leg of the trip I’ll be entering a country with a passport different from the one I checked in with to the airline. What do you think I should do? (Sorry to bombard you by posting on different threads! I’d be grateful for any guidance.)

    • David DiGregorio
      February 20, 2014 at 3:36 pm #

      Will you be staying in the US at all or just passing through? Honestly I would just use the US passport for the entire trip minus departing Canadian immigration and when you arrive back in Canada at the end.

  15. RodrigoEsp
    February 20, 2014 at 9:27 am #

    What a great post! You read my mind. I am planning to departure from Uruguay (not being a local) with my Italian Passport to Canada. So my steps would be:

    1 – Book flight with my ITA passport
    2 – Check IN (ITA)
    3 – Do Uru Inmigration with the passport I entered Uruguay.
    4 – Enjoy!

    • David DiGregorio
      February 20, 2014 at 3:37 pm #

      I suppose that sounds right!

  16. mesum ali
    February 21, 2014 at 12:14 am #

    Thank you for this article. Mine is a bit complicated. I have an Indian and US Passport. India does not allow dual citizenship but my passport hasn’t been cancelled yet. And I wanted to travel the below route.

    1) JFK-TXL
    2) TXL-IKA
    3) IKA-TXL
    4) TXL-JFK

    My Visa for Iran is on my Indian passport, so per your instructions I plan on:
    a) Showing Indian passport when checking in (airline)
    b) US Passport to immigration officer
    c) Indian passport again in Berlin, and subsequently to immigration officer at IKA
    d) US Passport to airline & Indian passport to immigration at IKA

    Will this work? I ask because my Indian passport doesn’t have a green card on it and typically the airlines used to always ask me for my green card when I would leave the US. How do I get around this? I am not stopping in Europe at all, just transiting.

    Thanks

    • David DiGregorio
      February 21, 2014 at 7:23 am #

      I don’t think you will have a problem here. You won’t need to go through immigration departing the US so you just show your Indian passport to the airline as well as everyone along the line at TXL and IKA. If the airline wants to see your US green card, you can just show them your US passport. But I do not think they will ask for it. Either way, showing them it won’t cause you any problems. The only point on this trip you’ll show your US passport is when you check into the flight departing IKA to JFK via TXL (assuming it’s one flight with a simple layover) and then to US CBP on arrival back at JFK.

      Note that on arrival in JFK you will have to fill out a customs form that will ask where you have been. I would not lie on this form and say you’ve been in Iran. This may prompt them to look for your Iranian visa and not find it which will mean you’ll need to explain you have two passports and show your other one. This shouldn’t be a problem, I only raise it because it’s Iran and they may be overly curious why you were there, why you aren’t traveling as an American etc. My best advice is to be honest and share information and you won’t have any trouble. The worst thing you can do with those guys is try to without some of the truth.

      • mesum ali
        February 21, 2014 at 1:52 pm #

        Thank you so much for your timely response David. I think that is what I plan on doing. I booked my ticket today and as I read through my confirmation email this came up:

        General entry conditions USA

        The
        USA has tightened its entry regulations. Effective immediately, we must transmit to the US authorities before your departure, the details of your country of residence and your first US address during your stay there: otherwise, entry will not be possible. For this reason, please add the relevant data online (APIS). This regulation does not apply to passengers with a permanent US residence permit.

        But based off of that I figure that I will just show them my US passport if they ask for a green card. Though, I wonder if they will let the US authorities know that I left on an Indian passport? Shouldn’t be a problem if I don’t intend on coming back on it I suppose.

        • David DiGregorio
          February 22, 2014 at 4:39 am #

          This only applies for your return to the US. Just be sure you check in to any US bound itineraries using your US passport and you’re all set.

  17. Rich
    February 23, 2014 at 7:35 pm #

    Hi Dave,
    I think my situation is very much different bit involves some things in your field of expertise.
    I’m a dual citizen too, Filipino/Spanish. At the moment I work in Dubai and I entered as a Filipino, so obviously the UAE visa was stamped on that, now I’ve resigned from my previous company and I got a new job but I want to use my Spanish passport this time around, my visa with previous company has already been cancelled so I have 1 month to exit from the day of cancellation, now if I do exit to a nearby country then return on my Spanish passport then come back to the UAE as a spaniard on a tourist visa then shift to a residence visa? How do I go about this, I hope you do get the whole scenario. Thanks

    • David DiGregorio
      February 25, 2014 at 7:36 pm #

      This sounds doable. You would depart the UAE, then return on your Spanish passport. Get a tourist entry visa and then have it upgraded. Is this something the UAE does with work visas? You don’t need to enter having the work visa already? You would know the answer to this better then me since you’ve done it before. But assuming that’s the case, it should be fine. The only thing to make sure of is if the UAE has a limit on how much time in a single year you can spend in the country and make sure you don’t exceed that. Even changing passports, the limit will apply to you.

  18. Amanda
    February 24, 2014 at 12:09 am #

    Hi Dave,
    Thank you so much for the post it is so informative. I understand what youare saying, but what about if you are using two passports, but not returning to your home country?
    I am a british/new zealand passport holder. I will be leaving the US on my british passport to go to Costa Rica for a while, but then I want to re enter the US on my new zealand passport, as I will be collecting my dogs, and then flying back to New Zealand. Will this be a problem as I am not returning to my home country, but rather to the US? I cant reneter o my British one because of the ESTA time duration will have expired by then as I am using hose three months to travel around the US. Will they not mind me entering the US on my new zealand passport, which wont show that I have come from Costa Rica? Just leave CR presenting NZ passport at check in, Uk passport at custom clearance, and then NZ passport again at US immigration?
    Sorry if you have answered this question before, or that it doesnt make sense. Any help is gratefully appreciated.

    Amanda

    • StyleHiClub
      February 24, 2014 at 11:41 am #

      Hi Amanda,
      The post still applies in your case. It doesn’t matter if your “home” country is truly your home or not. Your plan sounds fine, but I do not know about the specifics with ESTA. I would make sure you are ok with that since the time limits apply to a person and not to a passport per se.

  19. Leslie
    February 24, 2014 at 12:21 pm #

    Hi Dave,
    Just wondering if you know how this would work for Cuba? I am a dual citizen with Irish and US passports and planning a trip to central america. I am in the US using my US passport at the moment, but would like to enter Mexico and travel onwards using my Irish passport. Do you know would the embargo still apply to me if I enter Cuba using an Irish passport and spending euros from an Irish bank account? This post has been a lifesaver, I have been asking people for years just how to travel with both passports and have never found such a detailed answer, thank you!

    • David DiGregorio
      February 25, 2014 at 4:50 pm #

      Hi Leslie, Officially the embargo applies to you regardless of which passport to use. But in reality, that’s ridiculous. You can certainly enter Cuba via Mexico as an Irish citizen. When you get back to the USA I would exclude the fact that you went to Cuba on your customs form. Glad you enjoyed the post! Please be sure to sign up for our RSS feed.

      • Leslie
        February 25, 2014 at 7:23 pm #

        thanks for the response!! will sign up!

  20. shefo
    February 24, 2014 at 6:20 pm #

    Hi Dave,

    What is the preferable airlines to travel to Brazil if you have two passports? Which airlines did you use when you visited to Brazil with two passports. Thanks

    • David DiGregorio
      February 25, 2014 at 4:58 pm #

      The airline you use shouldn’t matter. I would use whatever has the best price and timing for your needs.

  21. Nick
    February 25, 2014 at 2:44 pm #

    Dave,
    Heres a question, My US (Home) passport has one last name, whereas my other passport (Second) has two last names (my mothers and fathers last name). If I were going to Brazil I would use my second passport details, however when I return from Brazil and I need to present my US passport to the airline the name will not match because my Home passport does not have the two last names. The airline can deny me a ticket because the name does not match. Or do I show the airline both passports?

    • David DiGregorio
      February 25, 2014 at 7:37 pm #

      In this case I think you need to be straightforward and show them both passports. They will want to have the name match the ticket but you have a good explanation here why it can’t. You can call them ahead of time and discuss the exact procedure.

  22. Donnie
    February 25, 2014 at 5:53 pm #

    Hello Dave,

    Good post but I hope you can clarify something. I am a Canadian/Polish citizen. I got both passports. I really want to live in Poland for 2 years or so but keep my health benefits in Canada. I am returning to Canada in 3 weeks for a month or 2 because I reached my 7 month limit to live in a different country or else I lose my free healthcare. Can I follow your steps but instead of showing my Canadian passport anywhere when i travel back to Poland, just show the Polish (Euro passport) instead of Canadian? Theres no visa needed for a Polish citizen to enter Canada to the best of my knowledge so I don’t think I would have problems.

    • David DiGregorio
      February 25, 2014 at 7:40 pm #

      I’m not sure I understand all of your question. I also don’t know how the Canadian health insurance scheme works. But I do know that when you enter/exit Poland you have to (by law) use your Polish passport. The same applies to Canada. You must enter and exit as a Canadian. I think you’re asking me if you can make Canada think you’re still living there by using your Polish passport abroad and therefore keep your health benefits? I’m inclined to think the answer is no. But again, I don’t know exactly how the healthcare law works or how they know if you are in the country or not. Chances are, they just ask you and you would have to lie – which probably isn’t the best idea.

  23. Ali Raad
    February 25, 2014 at 11:53 pm #

    Hi Dave,
    Thanks for your very informative post. I have a question similar to Nick’s question but not as easy as his. I am Canadian/Iranian and planing a trip to Iran. the problem is my Iranian passport has different date of birth (4 years older). Do you think this would create issue?

    side note: My Iranian passport has a stamp that basically says holder of this passport resides in Canada, therefor exiting from Iran they do not usually ask/check for your home (Canadian in this case) passport.

    • David DiGregorio
      February 27, 2014 at 3:34 pm #

      It’s unlikely they will verify the birth date mid-itinerary but this may pose a problem. I think you have to push your luck a bit and hope for no problems. Because I’m not sure what else you can do here other than fixing one of your passports.

  24. Milva
    February 26, 2014 at 12:59 pm #

    Dave… GREAT SITE but I have a specific question. I hold both US and Argentine passports; however I will be leaving the US permanently to live in Argentina later this year. I understand that I need to present the US when I leave the US and my Argentine passport when I arrive, but what happend when I want to visit my family in the US next year? Will I still be able to leave Argentina with the Argentina passport and use the US passport to enter the US? Also, I bought a one way ticket to Argentina? Do you forsee a problem with this? Thanks

    • StyleHiClub
      February 26, 2014 at 2:22 pm #

      Hi Milva, Since you are a citizen of both countries you have zero restrictions as far as living OR not living in either one for as long as you choose.

      As for your specific situation, it is exactly the same as the situation outlined in the post for Michael, except you will be presenting your Argentine passport instead of an Italian one.

  25. Roberto
    February 26, 2014 at 2:21 pm #

    David,
    I’ll be travelling to Europe from South America, through US. US/Italian citizen. At departure, I should show the airline the US passport, but then that information will get my destination, where I am supposed to enter with my Italian passport. One solution would be to check for US with the American passport and there, re-check for Europe with the Italian. Or is there an easier solution?
    Thanks,
    Roberto

    • StyleHiClub
      February 26, 2014 at 2:25 pm #

      Hi Roberto, Since you are going to the EU (I am assuming that is what you mean by Europe), you need to check in with your Italian passport. You should then depart South America using whichever passport you are there on.

      There are 2 things at work here: one is your departure from SA (show whichever passport you used to get in to SA authorities) and the other is your travel to Europe (show Italian – this includes your flight checkin in SA).

      • Roberto
        February 26, 2014 at 6:04 pm #

        Thank you very much. The problem is that I fly from SA to the EU through the US, thus I have to go through US immigration with my US passport. If I checked in in SA with my Italian passport, that’s the information US immigration would get, entering in conflict with my US passport. Correct?

        • David DiGregorio
          February 27, 2014 at 3:25 pm #

          In your case, you should tell the airline you have two passports and possibly change the passport on the flight manifest with the gate agent before boarding each individual leg.

  26. Teelac
    March 1, 2014 at 2:45 am #

    Hi Dave, I hold US and Canadian passports but have been traveling in Asia for one year. I have lived many years in the US and want to phase out. I will return from Asia to the US and use my US passport to enter, then would like to use my Canadian passport to enter Canada, then leave again using my US passport (bearing in mind the procedure you detailed for the airline and immigration). The Canadian passport has never been used. When I show up in Canada, won’t that set off an alarm with the authorities that I am using a Canadian passport to enter, but never left the country using that passport in the first place?

    • StyleHiClub
      March 1, 2014 at 6:24 pm #

      Hi,This does not matter – there are no restrictions for using your passport too little or too much. If it ever comes up that they ask you where you’ve been, answer honestly. Present your US passport if they ask.

  27. claudine
    March 1, 2014 at 5:00 pm #

    Hi Dave, I am Mexican and Canadian too. I was born in Mexico and became Canadian 6 months ago. I am traveling to Mexico but want to use my Canadian passport to enter Mexico. I decided this because in order to renew my Mexican passport I have to travel to the city (2hr trip) and it is not easy for me to do that. Because U have my Canadian passport I am thinking of leaving Canada and entering Mexico as Canadian. Do you see a problem with this? I don’t mind entering as Canadian to my own country(Mexico)

    • StyleHiClub
      March 1, 2014 at 6:25 pm #

      Hi Claudine, I think you’ll find this other post helpful: http://www.stylehiclub.com/cruising-flying/how-to-travel-with-two-passports/

      Basically, you can not do what you’re describing. You must enter Mexico with your Mexican passport.

      • Claudine
        March 6, 2014 at 8:36 pm #

        Yes, I found that out just yesterday. I will go and get my Mexican passport after all. Thanks

  28. Carlos g.
    March 1, 2014 at 8:57 pm #

    Dave.
    How about leaving the USA on the American passport and entering Amsterdam with a Brazilian passport and entering back in the USA with the American one….thanks.

    • StyleHiClub
      March 2, 2014 at 8:32 am #

      I’m not sure what your question is here?

      • Carlos g.
        March 2, 2014 at 12:09 pm #

        I have dual citizenship ,Brazilian and US

        • StyleHiClub
          March 2, 2014 at 8:44 pm #

          Thanks. I’m just not sure what you are asking? It sounds like you want to do exactly what’s outlined in this post. Just follow the step by step guide and you’ll have no problems.

  29. Jennifer Stiller
    March 2, 2014 at 8:05 am #

    Hi Dave, so i am leaving from the UK to go to the US. i have a hungarian and an american passport. The airport im leaving from has like a machine check in system and only then when i go to check in the luggage and stuff you face an actual person..so my question is…when i check in the machine i use my US right? when i go check in the luggage and i show my passport i use the US one as well..but then only then when im at the gate of my flight and they open the gate to board they ask for passports again and then i show them my hungarian passport right? and when i get to the us i show my US passport everywhere right? i know its long and too many questions..i just wanna be certain. also what happens if you show the wrong passport by accident but you say you have 2..do you get into trouble? Thank you very much for your help!

    • StyleHiClub
      March 2, 2014 at 8:36 am #

      If you are leaving from the UK to go to the US you must show your US passport at every step of the way, with the exception of UK exit immigration (where they stamp your passport). You especially have to show it to the airline people as they are responsible for making sure you can be where you are going (the US) or they get a fine. If you show the wrong passport it may cause some confusion but just don’t lie about anything, explain you have dual citizenship and you won’t get into any trouble.

  30. kuyilinban
    March 3, 2014 at 10:19 pm #

    Hi, I’ve previosly been to a country with a native passport( 3rd world banana republic) ( I’m originally from there). I then entered 2 years ago with a foreign passport ( 1st world nation) on a tourist visa because I lost my native passport. I want to travel back there on my current native passport which I have found. Will the immigration computer there flag me as having been there before on a foreign passport ? Please help me. Thanks

    • David DiGregorio
      March 4, 2014 at 12:59 pm #

      My guess would be no. You should always use your passport from that country to enter that country but just because you didn’t once upon a time I don’t think will cause problems for you now. Enter and exit on your native passport as you should and if there are any questions, just explain you have dual citizenship and play ignorant to the fact that you shouldn’t have entered on your second passport. I think you will probably be okay.

  31. kuyilinban
    March 4, 2014 at 9:16 pm #

    Thanks for the advice. I was just worried about the immigration at that country asking if I entered the country before on another passport. I know Western countries have a good travel log but not sure about 3rd world countries

    • StyleHiClub
      March 4, 2014 at 11:39 pm #

      If they ask, answer honestly.

      • kuyilinban
        March 5, 2014 at 5:32 pm #

        yes but then I could be arrested for illegally having dual nationality which is not allowed in the native country. Then they can send you to a jail and kill you inside !

        • StyleHiClub
          March 5, 2014 at 8:12 pm #

          If you are not allowed to have dual citizenship and the crime is prison you probably shouldn’t have dual citizenship. If you are okay breaking this law, you are probably okay with lying about it should they ask. What country is this?

          • kuyilinban
            March 5, 2014 at 11:54 pm #

            Its Nepal. I’m just worried that some ” red flag” might turn up on the computer saying that I’ve been there 2 years ago with a different nationality. I have an exit stamp on my native passport from 5 years ago and my new country is willing to stamp on a residence visa on my native passport so that if they ask I can say that I’m just a resident in the 1st world country. Please advise thanks

          • kuyilinban
            March 5, 2014 at 11:56 pm #

            I have no problem lying as long as I’m safe. I’ll also keep a fist full of $1 bills as a emergency bonus to the immigration man if they insist.

          • David DiGregorio
            March 6, 2014 at 10:32 am #

            It is possible, although unlikely that they will be able to see you entered on another passport. I wouldn’t count on it as it would require their computer system to check your identify not just on passport number, but also on name and birthday. I have been to Kathmandu airport and don’t feel this is very likely. But you would know better than I. A residence visa on your native passport wouldn’t be a bad idea.

  32. Roberto
    March 4, 2014 at 9:28 pm #

    Dave,

    How does US track travelers leaving US, since they don’t stamp your passport upon departure?

  33. Deanna
    March 5, 2014 at 2:25 pm #

    Dave,
    I have a client that has a passport from Macedonia (his birth country) and the US, which he is now a citizen of; when he travels to Macedonia, which passport should he use?

    • StyleHiClub
      March 5, 2014 at 8:13 pm #

      Hi Deanna – this post details exactly what to do in your client’s situation. Just follow the steps. You must always use the passport of that country to enter the country.

  34. ConfusedDual
    March 6, 2014 at 8:05 am #

    Hi Dave, it seems there would be a complication in booking a round trip ticket with one passport (with your Italian passport for example, to use the example above) and then presenting your US passport to the Brazilian authorities on your way back. Won’t they ask to see your Italian passport since that’s the passport that corresponds to your flight reservation?

    • David DiGregorio
      March 6, 2014 at 10:30 am #

      The passport that you “book” your ticket with it meaningless. All that matters is the passport you present at the check-in counter. That’s what the airline cares about as that is when they must verify you are allowed to go to your destination. When you check in for your return leg the passport you show will be different then the one you used on your first leg. But that’s okay. That’s why you need to show it to them. So they can verify it and enter it in the manifest.

  35. Lera
    March 6, 2014 at 11:23 am #

    Hello David,

    this is a very helpful article. Thank you so much. But I do have one question. I am an international student in the US . I have a dual citizenship (countries: Russia and Kyrgyzstan). I live in the US as a citizen of Kyrgyzstan with the US visa but I have to fly to Russia this summer so I want to buy a ticket. As I understand from your post, I need to buy a ticket using information from my Russian passport (since that’s the country I am travelling to). But my problem is that when I travel to Russia, my ticket will have this direction: Chicago-New York and then New York- Moscow (that’s how the flight is arranged). Do you think there will be a problem when I will be going through the TSA in Chicago since I have to show them my Kyrgyz passport with American visa but my ticket/and boarding pass will be issued with details from my Russian passport? As far as I understand I have to present the TSA my Kyrgyz passport (with American visa) and a boarding pass (but that will be issued with Russian passport details).

    Thank you.

    Lera

    • Lera
      March 6, 2014 at 11:49 am #

      I need to add that my last name in two passports are spelled slightly differently because two different countries use different transliteration of last names when it comes to Latin alphabet. This is why I am a little worried that when at the TSA I show them my Kyrgyz passport with American visa and my boarding pass the TSA might stop me and not let me fly. For example, (this is not my real last name but just using example). In my Russian passport my last name is spelled AKYEVA while in Kyrgyz passport it’s spelled AKIYEVA… So, if I go to the TSA they will look at my Kyrgyz passport with American visa and the spelling there is AKIYEVA while my boarding pass (since I will buy ticket for Russian passport) will be with the spelling of my last name as AKYEVA. Is that a problem for the TSA? Thank you again and sorry for all these details.

      • StyleHiClub
        March 6, 2014 at 9:15 pm #

        Don’t worry about TSA. When they check your passport they are only checking to make sure it matches your boarding card – nothing else. They are not responsible for checking visas or anything like that. Show them whatever passport matches your ticket and you’ll be fine.

        • Lera
          March 10, 2014 at 11:33 am #

          Thank you so much, this is super helpful!

  36. anna14
    March 6, 2014 at 5:34 pm #

    Hello,
    I have a question.. I have a brazilia and a italian passport. I am in American, my visa is in my brazilian passport, but im planning to travel to Canada, can I use my Italian passport to get into Canada even though i enter the US with my brazilian one? I hope i did not confuse you!!

    Thank you

    • StyleHiClub
      March 6, 2014 at 9:13 pm #

      This shouldn’t be a problem. Show your Italian passport to the airline before flying to Canada, then the Italian passport to immigration authorities in Canada. Just be sure that when you exit Canada you show your Brazilian passport with the US visa to the airline and your Italian one to immigration. Then once arriving in the USA show your Brazilian one with the visa. You do not want to be back in the US as an Italian and then after 90 days you’ll have overstayed.

  37. Beauty91
    March 6, 2014 at 8:09 pm #

    hello.im so glad that I came across this discussion. I am a american by birth. Both of my parents are from the bahamas.i moved to the United States 9years ago. I came back to the Bahamas 3years ago and I have overstayed my time.I now want to travel back to the united states for a shopping trip but not sure what passport to use going and coming back.Plz help me! I am scared and dont know what to do.

    • StyleHiClub
      March 6, 2014 at 9:10 pm #

      I’m not clear where you have citizenship. Do you hold US and Bahamian passports? If that’s the case, how did you overstay in the Bahamas? As a citizen of the Bahamas you would be able to stay indefinitely. Regardless, if you are going to the US you must enter and exit the US as a US citizen. This means showing your US passport when you check in for the flight in the Bahamas, your Bahamian passport when departing immigration and your US passport when arriving in the US.

      • Beauty91
        March 6, 2014 at 11:03 pm #

        im still a bit confused and yes I do have both passports. when I came back to the Bahamas 3 years ago I came on my American passport which was stamped for one month stay.three years later I am still here so that is why I said that I overstayed.What do I do when returning back to the Bahamas and which passport do I use to book my ticket?

        • David DiGregorio
          March 7, 2014 at 2:02 pm #

          You are going to have a problem departing the Bahamas because you are technically there illegally. This is why it’s so important to use the proper passport. I would suggest you go to the airport and talk to customs officials to clear up your overstay issue before you attempt to travel. You can explain you made an error and used the wrong passport but you are a citizen of the Bahamas and therefore have not actually overstayed. Be sure to use your US passport to enter the US and Bahamian passport to enter the Bahamas.

          • Beauty91
            March 12, 2014 at 6:17 pm #

            Do you think that they have a picture of me somewhere in their system because a friend of mine recommended that I use a completely different identity. .im not fond of this ridiculous udea.is there any other recommendations? I dont this situation to turn out ugly whereas I cant travel to the Bahamas because this is where my entire family lives…

          • StyleHiClub
            March 12, 2014 at 6:26 pm #

            I would definitely recommend contacting the immigration authorities to correct the error. You did not overstay because you are a Bahamian citizen. But your paperwork will make it appear you overstayed because you entered with the wrong passport. I would definitely try to clear this up and not simply pretend to be someone else.

          • Beauty91
            March 13, 2014 at 9:20 am #

            Here’s the thing my bahamian passport states that I was born in the United States. I received that passport as a young child.It wasnt until I moved to the u.s that I received my American passport. So do I go and speak to someone at the immigration dept or the U.S embassy.The other option is speaking with someone from the airport? Do you think that I would face a penalty?

          • David DiGregorio
            March 18, 2014 at 12:45 pm #

            I think you should clear up the problem and absolutely not try to pretend to be someone else.

          • Beauty91
            March 19, 2014 at 9:04 am #

            Thanks for the advice.I am going to schedule an appointment with the immigration dept and explain to them that I used the wrong passport when entering the Bahamas. Hopefully all goes well and they can resolve this issue for me without any serious consciousness. I just want to be able to travel back and forth to the U.S.since I have decided to stay with my family members in the Bahamas. Thanks again.I will update you on the results of the meeting.

  38. Antsy
    March 6, 2014 at 11:15 pm #

    I found your article so helpful! But still, I am petrified. My backstory: I am Peruvian-American and traveled to Peru in 2008. I figured it would be a 3 month vacation but life happened and here I am, 6 years later, still in Peru. My problem: I entered Peru with an American passport (I never intended to stay so many years) and my flight is in a few weeks back to the USA. I bought my ticket with my American passport number, but I’m afraid that when I reach exit customs, they will want to match the passport number on my ticket with the passport I hand over (according to your guidelines, the Peruvian one). I simply do not have the means to cover the penalty I have incurred (1 dollar per day times however many days there are in 6 years….I weep at the thought). I’m looking for some reassurance, but even then I think i won’t be able to relax until I’m on the plane.

    • Antsy
      March 6, 2014 at 11:33 pm #

      as things are, I will :

      1. check in with airline, use my US passport
      2. departing immigration, show my Peruvian passport (and hope they don’t ask to see the ticket (this part freaks me out)
      3.arriving immigration, show my US passport and kiss US soil.

      • David DiGregorio
        March 7, 2014 at 2:07 pm #

        There are two ways to go about this. One, you can do what you said in your second comment and hope nobody picks up on it. Two, you can address the situation with immigration authorities and try to remedy it. I would suggest the later. You have technically overstayed in Peru but you are also a Peruvian citizen so it should be something that can be cleared up without much of an issue. That said, you can probably get away with departing on your Peruvian passport without raising any red flags and then returning using it later on. It is a risk though so I would suggest you try to clear it up.

  39. Kamil
    March 9, 2014 at 4:49 am #

    Hi Dave, can you give me an advice please? I have just Slovak passport, I lost my Israeli one. On Friday I had to pick my travel documents at the embassy. Now due to strike of the foreign ministry nobody answers me. I have to fly on Wednesday and nine people with me that I should guide. What should I do?

    • StyleHiClub
      March 9, 2014 at 6:09 pm #

      I need a bit more detail on this. Where do you live? Where are you going? What documents are you picking up?

      • Kamil
        March 10, 2014 at 6:21 am #

        I live in Slovakia, I go to Israel for 8 days. I applied for travel documents at Israeli embassy in Slovakia. They shouuld be ready for me on Friday, but since Wednesday there is a strike of Ministry of Foreign Affairs all over the world. I spoke with several diplomats about this, they advice me to go there, and on the entry to declare that I am a citizen with this problem. But nobody is sure, especially because of Israel. thanks for your answer.

        • David DiGregorio
          March 11, 2014 at 8:36 am #

          So you hold Israeli citizenship but you do not have an Israeli passport? Do you have an expired passport at least? The airline won’t let you board without a passport. Do you plan to show your Slovakian passport to the airline and then attempt to enter Israel as an Israeli once you arrive explaining the strike at the missions? This could work, although it’s a messy plan. But I’m not sure what else you can do. Other then just flat out enter Israel as a Slovakian which is not what you are supposed to do of course.

          • Kamil
            March 11, 2014 at 12:13 pm #

            No, I have lost my Israeli passport. Yes, that’s only legal way to try it. I will not attempt to enter as Slovak. Today I spoke with ambassador himself, and that’s what he said he would do. Tomorrow I’ll let you know how it ended up.

          • David DiGregorio
            March 18, 2014 at 12:46 pm #

            How did it go?

  40. Jon
    March 9, 2014 at 8:01 am #

    I was wondering, Since if you book with one airline for a round-trip, lets say Canada to Australia.I have British and Canadian Passport. I can understand, using my British Passport from Canada to Australia, but on the way back. In the instructions above it would require a Canadian passport; but, when booking the flight, the airline asks for 1 passport ID and not 2 sets. Can I change my intended Passport information for the flight back on a round trip ticket? Or does this not matter when at the airport, for instance, Upon leaving australia, I would show both my passports? or Show them my British passport and ask them to change to Canadian ID , but when leaving australia through immigration show them my British passport. thx

    • StyleHiClub
      March 9, 2014 at 6:10 pm #

      The passport you book on is meaningless. It’s the one you show when you check in for each leg of the trip. You don’t have to show both passports at any point. Just follow the step by step directions here and you should be fine.

  41. ilze
    March 10, 2014 at 3:47 pm #

    Hi I found the information very helpful but i have one problem….Im travelling from England to South Africa….(i have dual citizenship but i live in england) I have different names in passports (my british passport have my married name in and my south african has my maiden name) which name do I use to book the flight ticket with as im booking a return???? The airline advised to ring the consulate, which is a dead end!! please help! thanks

    • StyleHiClub
      March 10, 2014 at 8:54 pm #

      You should really get your passport updated with your new name. Unfortunately, that’s the correct answer as you need to travel with your UK passport in/out of the UK and SA passport in/out of SA. If you are unable to correct this problem, I would depart the UK as a UK citizen entirely. Then when you get to SA, enter using your SA passport. They won’t check the boarding card on arrival so you won’t have a problem – even though this is not what you are supposed to do. Then when you depart SA, show your SA passport with your boarding card with your UK name. Chances are, they won’t notice. If they do, present your UK passport in addition to the SA one. This should solve the problem. Then fly home as a UK citizen.

  42. jazbo
    March 11, 2014 at 2:27 am #

    I wrote you a big long message but I can’t seem to find it anywhere here. Wonder if it was too long or if it needs to be approved by you first before it can appear as one of the comments. I really need your advice!

    • jazbo
      March 11, 2014 at 2:30 am #

      Ah I can see this post alright. The one I posted before was probably way too long. I’m too devastated to retype everything again right now. Will do that tomorrow. Thanks in advance.

  43. Robert
    March 11, 2014 at 7:05 am #

    Hi! I am an Irish citizen living in Russia. I leave for Ireland tomorrow. My problem is my daughter was born in Russia last September and will make her first visit to Ireland with me. She has a Russian passport with Irish visa. I would like to apply fo her Irish passport on our stay in Ireland and would it be possible for her to travel between he 2 countries without visas? I live in St Petersburg, and as there is no Irish embassy in the city, it is alot of travelling just to go for a childs visa. Also as Ireland does not have an Immigration on depart her passport will not be stamped leaving the country, only on entering it, so if she was to use her Irish passport on entering Ireland at a later date, would it matter to the Russian authorities on her arrival back in Russia that her Russian passport was not stamped? Look forward to your reply.

    • David DiGregorio
      March 11, 2014 at 8:40 am #

      Robert – you need to get an Irish passport for your daughter if she is Irish. She is only supposed to enter Ireland using an Irish passport by law (and a Russian passport for Russia). She will not need visas to enter either because she is a citizen of both countries. The proper procedure here is that you need to register her birth abroad with the Irish department of home affairs located within the Irish consulate in Russia. Once she is recognized as an Irish citizen Ireland will issue her an Irish birth certificate and an Irish passport. Once she has that, she can use it to enter and exit Ireland as a citizen – just like Russia. It sounds like you plan to do this application from within Ireland. Technically, this is not how that’s supposed to happen but it should probably be okay. By law though, she if she’s Irish she must be in Ireland as an Irish citizen – not as a Russian with an Irish visa.

      • Robert
        March 11, 2014 at 10:07 am #

        Hi David. Thanks for your quick reply, it has been very helpful. I want her to have duel citizenship and not have the hassle of applying for visas everytime she visits Ireland. I was just unsure if she was able to travel to Ireland using an Irish passport and be able to return to Russia using her Russian passport without visas being involved. I have heard that she can only travel with one passport, and therefore a visa must be issued in the passport for that country. For example now she has an Irish visa in her Russian passport. Wheras if she had duel citizenship can she freely travel between 2 countries without visas. She is a Russian citizen by birth, but entitled to an Irish passport from the place of my birth. Can she not live in Russia and hold an Irish passport?

        • David DiGregorio
          March 11, 2014 at 10:19 am #

          Basically your daughter is a dual citizen and yes, she can hold both country’s passports and yes, travel between them without visas. Check out my other post on the matter – it may help you out – http://www.stylehiclub.com/cruising-flying/how-to-travel-with-two-passports/

          • Robert
            March 11, 2014 at 12:09 pm #

            Thanks again for the help David, its helped me out alot.

  44. Gina
    March 11, 2014 at 9:30 pm #

    Hi, I enjoyed reading your article. I want to make sure I understand completely. I am an American citizen, with dual citizenship for Italy. I will be traveling to Italy soon and probably only going to purchase a one way ticket as I am not sure how long I will be there. Could be 2 weeks, could be 2 years….only time will tell. Should I still be leaving the USA on my American passport, or should I exit the US
    with my Italian, and when I go to US immigration (while in the US) I’ll use my American passport. Will the country of Italy be okay with me arriving with a one way ticket?

    • StyleHiClub
      March 12, 2014 at 6:23 pm #

      If you have an Italian passport you can stay in Italy for as long as you want. You do not need a return ticket, Italy considers that your home country. There is no exit immigration when departing the USA so just check into your flight using your Italian passport and show your Italian passport on arrival in Italy. The only time you’ll use your US passport is when checking into a flight back to the US and at US immigration in the US.

      • Gina'
        March 16, 2014 at 9:44 pm #

        Thank you so much for the reply. However, if I leave Italy on my American passport, won’t they wonder where the American me came in?

        • David DiGregorio
          March 17, 2014 at 7:32 pm #

          Check into the flight to the US with your US passport, but then show the Italian immigration authorities your Italian passport to stamp you out. These are different entities.

          • Gina
            March 22, 2014 at 8:59 am #

            Thank you Dave, you have been incredibly helpful. Love this useful information

  45. Will Russell
    March 12, 2014 at 10:57 am #

    This is great, thanks for the information. Question though – which passport, in your example, would you show to the TSA agents along with your boarding pass when you go through security?

    • StyleHiClub
      March 12, 2014 at 6:24 pm #

      TSA agents are only checking your identity, not visas or passport stamps. You can show any passport as long as the name matches the boarding card. That’s all they are checking. But it’s good practice to show the passport you are traveling on. I.e. the one you will enter your destination with.

  46. Gabriela
    March 12, 2014 at 7:47 pm #

    Hi,I have a Mexican passport with a visa but I just realized my visa expired recently and wanted to travel from Mexico to the US by LAND tomorrow. I want to use my Swiss passport (Switzerland has US waiver) but am afraid I will get into trouble. Unfortunately about 15 years ago I did exactly what you advise against (change passports mid travel- I entered the US as a Mexican but left using my Swiss passport, so it appeared as if I had overstayed in the US)so I have a bad record from 15 years ago which they still stop and ask about every time I enter the US. Now I have 2 options canceling my traveling plans until I get my VISA for the mexican passport or try to enter with the Swiss one risking a refusal. I just don´t want a bad record again which may cause trouble with the VISA for the Mexican passport. What do you recommend?Thank you!

    • StyleHiClub
      March 12, 2014 at 8:22 pm #

      So did you really overstay in the US? Or did it just appear that way because of your passport switch. If it’s the later, can you prove it? Do you have that passport that shows an entry stamp into another country that proves you couldn’t have been in the USA any longer? It sounds like you’ve had this problem before entering the US. What does CBP say to you and do they eventually let you in?

      • Gabriela
        March 12, 2014 at 8:35 pm #

        No I never overstayed. I was in Switzerland for a year and could prove I was studying there. I usually get asked a couple of questions or sometimes they just look at my history without asking questions and then let me go. I have never been denied entry. But I do not want to risk it if it means having problems with my US visa for the mexican passport. I was thinking of giving it a try and being honest with them and asking if it is possible to enter with the swiss passport because of the expired visa. If they say it will create problems I will just drive back and wait for the US visa. What do you think? Thanks!

        • StyleHiClub
          March 12, 2014 at 8:51 pm #

          I think you should enter with the Swiss passport which is your right. If they ask any questions be honest in all your answers.

          • Gabriela
            March 12, 2014 at 8:57 pm #

            Thank you for your suggestions! You have been helpful.

  47. jazbo
    March 12, 2014 at 10:36 pm #

    Hi Dave, I posted this as a reply to your reply to a comment, so maybe you didn’t see it. I have Thai and UK passports, and I have always followed the steps you described when leaving Thailand (my home country) for Europe/USA and vice versa. However, I am in a slightly different situation now. I have been in Peru for some months on my Thai passport (no visa needed for 90-120 days) and I am leaving to go back to Thailand via LAX.

    **The reason I’m not using my UK passport in Peru right now is because, long story short, my boyfriend has been working in Peru and I’ve already been here with him for the period of almost a year on my UK passport (leaving and coming back in again after the allowed 180 days with no need for visa). I didn’t bother looking into getting a dependent visa because we’re not married and we thought it would be too much of a hassle. The second time I came back in, the immigration staff questioned me a lot why I wanted to be in Peru for such a long time and it scared me. The third time I decided and was advised to come in as “a different person” on my Thai one.**

    Technically, I know I have to check in for the flight using my UK passport (to enter the US with visa waiver) while exiting Peru on my Thai and that shouldn’t be a problem. BUT because I am NOT leaving from my home country this time, do you think there is a chance the check in staff will look through my UK passport and wonder where my Peruvian stamp is? Might that cause further questions and problems? What if I’m pressured into showing my Thai passport? If they see both passports together they’ll know right away I’ve been sneakily switching passports to extend my stay in Peru, and then they might contact immigration?? Argh.

    Or are you absolutely sure from your experience that it won’t be of the airline’s concern and that the check in process is absolutely separate from immigration? Thank you so much.

    • jazbo
      March 12, 2014 at 10:46 pm #

      (I meant I earlier posted the same question as a reply to your reply to a comment in your other post about having two passports. Sounds complicated! Haha. Thanks in advance for your advice.)

    • StyleHiClub
      March 15, 2014 at 5:08 pm #

      The bottom line is that you are breaking the law so there is some risk. The limits you can stay in Peru are not based on passport, they apply to you as one person. That said, I would not anticipate the airline cares about anything other than if you have the necessary passport/visa to go where you are going. The only reason they are checking your passport at all is to make sure they don’t get fined by letting someone on the plane that then can’t get into the destination of the flight. So I don’t think you’ll have a problem with the airline staff, assuming you don’t have one with immigration.

      • jazbo
        March 22, 2014 at 10:03 pm #

        Hi again Dave, I’m not quite sure what you meant I was breaking the law. What do you mean by “the limits you can stay in Peru are not based on passport, they apply to you as one person”? I’ve never overstayed my time in Peru (always left the country before the 180-day limit on my UK passport and 100-day limit on my Thai before coming back in again). The reason I switched passports was because I got scared and just wanted to avoid questions.

        What happened was I got a new stamp with number of days written on it every time I enter Peru, so I assumed the number of days are per entry. What do you think? “Technically” everything has been legal, no? That is unless there is a limit of entry per year or something but I haven’t been able to find that information, so I’m assuming the number of days are per entry. What are your thoughts on this? Thank you.

        • StyleHiClub
          March 25, 2014 at 8:37 pm #

          You should check with Peruvian immigration. Usually there is a limitation for the entire year. Not just per entry. This is specifically to prevent doing what you’re doing. But, maybe there isn’t for Peru?

          • jazbo
            March 28, 2014 at 12:31 am #

            I see. I never thought about that because in Thailand tourists do visa runs to Cambodia all the time to be in Thailand for months and months. Do you know if this limit is generally per calendar year or for a year starting from your first entry? The reason I ask is that I happened to leave Peru with my UK passport at the end of 2013 and enter with my Thai passport in Feb 2014. If it’s generally per calendar year then I guess I’m safe. Thanks again Dave!

          • David DiGregorio
            March 28, 2014 at 11:16 am #

            It would really depend on both the country you are entering and the country of your citizenship. I don’t think there would be a universal standard.

          • jazbo
            March 29, 2014 at 4:52 pm #

            I found some information on the internet that says tourists are allowed to be in Peru for the maximum of 183 days per calendar year (hope it’s accurate), but also that some immigration officers would let you in again as long as you’ve crossed the border before. No wonder I was questioned the second time I came back in! I guess I’m safe this time then, and I have no plans to come back to Peru again anyway. Thanks for your help Dave.

  48. tourist777
    March 13, 2014 at 6:12 am #

    Good Post David! Let me add a complication. What will be the actions in case a traveler has got two passports with the name and surname spelling different? The return ticket booked on the full name as it listed in Destination country passport.
    I assume the traveler has to present both passports in Step 6: Check in at Airport for Return Flight Home. Am I right? Has anyone got an experience with two passports – two different names?

    • jazbo
      March 13, 2014 at 2:57 pm #

      I have two passports, one with my middle name and one without. That never caused any problems. But I guess with totally different names, it’s going to be much more tricky.

      • tourist777
        March 20, 2014 at 11:24 am #

        Thanks for replies Jazbo and StleHiClub. I have contacted airlines and in such case they advised me to add another name into their system in addition to the one that I used for booking. Once the booking is in place I have to call them and give another name.

        • StyleHiClub
          March 20, 2014 at 11:38 am #

          So they will modify your booking to have two names listed on it? Cool stuff.

        • Ray
          May 31, 2014 at 7:13 pm #

          We are planning a trip to Brazil. My wife is using her Brazilian passport to go, which has a different name than her American passport. So, the boarding pass to return will not match her American passport. TAM Airlines said they cannot add another name and sugessted she call the Brazilian Embassy.

    • StyleHiClub
      March 15, 2014 at 5:10 pm #

      This can get a bit complicated. If you have to use two passports on this trip, you have to choices. One, you can change passports and hope nobody notices the name is slightly different. Or two, you can check into the flight home using the wrong passport and then when you arrive show the correct passport at immigration. Neither are great options as you really should get the names to match. If you want to follow the rules as much as possible, show both passports at check-in for the flight home and ask what to do. Let them sort it out.

  49. KP
    March 14, 2014 at 1:46 am #

    Dual Canada (birth) / UK (Naturalized). Living in US (PR-GREEN CARD). My problem; about to visit India. Which Passport do I get my Indian Visa on?

    Brief Background: I have had an Indian visa on my UK passport ( maiden name) about ten years back. Ten years on, I live in the US and use my Canadian PP to enter USA and Canada and British for UK and Europe only ( Both PP Have my married name, with exception to British which has my middle initial and Canadian PP dose not – A problem in it’s self but going to resolve with name renewal)

    So, Since my US PR is all tied up with my birth PP, is it advisable to have the Indian visa on my Canadian or British? Sorry if it’s confusing, but I do need an answer, tickets are going up and I need to file this visa application ASAP!

    Fab Article and step by step guide – it most definitely needed!

    Oh! One more thing, In your first article, in the section, ‘Benefits of Having Two Passports – Citizenship Rights ‘Thanks to your second passport, now you can beg for help at two different embassies!”….

    I have read in many places, If you have a US PP dual with another Country, that the US PP will always override your home dual citizenship rights. Hence, the American Passport has more jurisdiction clout than my Canadian or British in my home countries. Can you clarify this?

    • StyleHiClub
      March 15, 2014 at 5:14 pm #

      Hi KP – you can really choose whichever passport you prefer for your Indian visa. Are you going to the visa center? You can bring both and discuss with the staff there if you are. Sometimes if you are applying for a visa in a country that’s not your own the consulate will require proof that you are allowed to be in that country to begin with – so this would mean you should use your Canadian passport with US PR. That said, the Indian authorities will also ask if you’ve ever had an Indian visa before and if you say yes and haven’t had one in your Canadian passport, it may look weird. Like I said, I would ask the advice of the visa center/consular staff. But if I had to guess, I’d say use the Canadian one.

      As far as the second part of your question, although the US may have more clout abroad than other countries, you have the right to the embassy services of any country you have a passport from. Regardless of where else you have citizenship.

      • KP
        March 16, 2014 at 3:37 pm #

        Thanks for your reply! I’m going with my Canadian and will forward all other documents. Can’t wait till get my Third citizenship.. it takes documentation to whole new level. Thanks for all you are doing!

  50. Dean
    March 15, 2014 at 12:51 am #

    Fantastic post. Thank you. And yet, I have a question:
    I live in Australia but have both Australian and Greek passports. If purchasing a return ticket; say from Australia to Greece, and I give the airline the Greek passport details; does that assign Greek passport details for the entire return trip? If so, when returning to Australia, I present my Australian passport, there will be no Australian passport on the return flight manifest and my information will not match; just like if I was to arrive in Greece and present them with my Australian passport. Is this an issue?
    Thanks, I’d really appreciate your response.

    • Dean
      March 15, 2014 at 12:54 am #

      I mean, on one hand, I have to present myself to each of my respective countries of citizenship as a citizen of that country; but on the other hand, my arrival details need to match the flight manifest. Just not sure if this inconsistency is an issue.

      • StyleHiClub
        March 15, 2014 at 5:16 pm #

        Hi Dean – the flight manifest isn’t confirmed until you check into your flight at the airport. In your case, it doesn’t matter what passport you “book” your flight with. When you depart Oz you’ll show you’re Greek passport and that’s what goes in the manifest. Then when you depart Greece you’ll show your Aussie passport to the airline and you’ll be on the manifest as an Aussie.

  51. CeskyK
    March 15, 2014 at 1:21 pm #

    This is hugely helpful, thank you for outlining the process so well! One quick detail question: if I fly into a country as German and depart on my Canadian passport, do I need to book two separate tickets (the first as German, the second as Canadian) rather than a round trip ticket on one passport?

    • StyleHiClub
      March 15, 2014 at 5:18 pm #

      I’m not sure I understand what you’re asking? You should not enter and exit a country on different passports. The result will be that the country thinks German you is still there and if you ever try to return later in life it will look like you overstayed. They may also stop you at the airport on departure because Canadian you never appeared to enter – so how can you be leaving? You need to enter and exit the country using the same passports. There is a difference in which passport you show to airline staff vs immigration authorities.

  52. Milva
    March 17, 2014 at 9:34 am #

    Husband and I have both Argentine and US passports. I live in the US but will be moving to Argentina in July. My children ONLY has US passports BUT have a stamp from the Argentine consulate that they are “Argentine” due to my husband and I are Argentines. What passport info do my husband and I provide to airline when I am purchasing ticket? Which one do I provide each step? We have one way tickets, will this be an issue? Will my children have problems in Argentina?

    • David DiGregorio
      March 17, 2014 at 7:30 pm #

      This article shows you what to do step by step. But you’ll both give the airline your Argentine passport details. Just be sure Argentina will let your kids in with that stamp in a US passport. US passport holders are supposed to pay a $160 fee to enter Argentina and that fee must be paid online before departure. Double check!

      • Milva
        March 19, 2014 at 1:36 pm #

        Thank you… however do you see an issue with the fact that we have one way tickets? And what happends if I want to visit my family in the US while I am living in Argentina? Do I then also, present my Argentine passport to the airline and Immigration there and show my US passport when I arrive? Will they have an issue with the fact that I do not have an exit stamp? Thank you

        • David DiGregorio
          March 19, 2014 at 2:59 pm #

          Hi Milva – I think if you read this post over you’ll see I’ve answered most of these questions. A one way ticket doesn’t matter since you are a citizen and can come and go and stay as long as you’d like.

  53. e_s_s
    March 17, 2014 at 3:03 pm #

    Hi Dave.
    Thanks for the tips. Just want to review whether I have got it right! I have Canadian and Australian passports. I live in Australia. This is my first trip back to Canada and the first time I will have to use two passports. I travel Sydney to LA, then take a separately booked flight from LA to Toronto.Here is my plan. When checking in with airline in Sydney for my flight to LA, give my Canadian passport info. At Australian departure immigration check, give Australian passport info. At arrival immigration in Los Angeles, give Canadian passport info. When checking in with airline in LA, for flight to Toronto, give Canadian passport info. Continue using Canadian passport for airline checkin and immigration until I return to LA to catch flight back to Australia. When checking in with airline in LA for my flight to Sydney, give Australian passport info. When leaving LA, give US immigration my Canadian passport info. When arriving in Sydney, give my Australian passport info.Sound correct?

    • David DiGregorio
      March 17, 2014 at 7:27 pm #

      Sounds like you’ve got it!

      • e_s_s
        March 17, 2014 at 8:47 pm #

        Thanks. That’s encouraging.

  54. Desperateforadvice
    March 18, 2014 at 3:30 am #

    Hi

    This is some great advice. Please let me know if you think this will work for me… I have a Malawian and British passport. Dual nat is allowed in uk not in Malawi.

    I applied for a visa in my Malawi passport and my passport was returned with a letter stating I am exempt from uk Immigration as I have a British passport and I must apply for a certificate of entitlement to be placed in my Malawi passport.. I researched it and I can’t do that as they won’t issue that if u have a valid British passport…

    I don’t knw how to get to the uk… I can’t leave from Malawi without a visa to the uk… Ive been thinking that perhaps I should go to South Africa … Enter on Malawian and exit on Malawian and show only the airlines my British passport when boarding or getting my boarding pass per ur advice … I’m worried the immigration officer might check the flight manifest and see I have two passports … If he does will that be a problem as it is allowed in Sa???

    I don’t knw what else to do as my idl has lapsed and apparently from sept 13 they can’t put a uk visa in my Malawi passport as I already have a British one … Help

    • David DiGregorio
      March 18, 2014 at 12:39 pm #

      I’m not sure what the problem is exactly? You should check into your flight to the UK using your UK passport but then when you exit Malawi you show your Malawian passport. The airline and immigration are two different authorities.

      • desperate for advice
        March 18, 2014 at 3:28 pm #

        When leaving Malawi I can’t show anyone that I have the British passport as dual nationality is not allowed and our airport is so small that physical checks are thorough and often the airline staff are very closely visible and linked to the immigration officers …

        So what I’ve planned is to leave Malawi as if I’m going to South Africa. Enter there on Malawian passport stay a nig

        A day later go to airline staff to board for flight to uk .. Show them British which I will get out of Malawi through luggage … Go through Sa I’m migration and show them Malawian and board the flight to uk …

        My worry is .. Will South African immigration officials liaise with the airline staff and know that I showed them a British and am showing immigration a Malawian ?? Do they scan the boarding pass and get the passenger details from the airline??

        If this is not the case as you say the airline and immigration are separate and not linked .. Won’t as immigration officials see that I am going to uk on my Malawi passport as I’m exiting and say where is ur visa ??

        Presumably not if all they’re worried about is how I entered and whether I’ve overstayed …

        Lastly… I know dual citizenship is allowed for sa nationals … But I am a Malawi national with British citizenship as well so will the SA immigration officer have any problem with me having two nationalities from a country that doesn’t allow it ( cos realistically speaking … A Malawian citizen should not have any other passport .. I am breaching Malawi law so would as immigration officials have any problem with that cos effectively my Malawian nationality has been held on to .. I guess illegally ….

        • David DiGregorio
          March 18, 2014 at 3:36 pm #

          You definitely have a very unique problem and it is one I am no expert on. That said, I think if you carry out your plan you will not have any problems. To be safe, I would book the flight to SA and the flight from SA to the UK as separate tickets. Fly from Malawi to SA as if that’s the only place you are going. Then check into your flight to the UK in Joburg as a UK citizen, exit immigration on a Malawi passport and arrive in the UK as a Brit. I do not anticipate you having any problems with this. Like I said, the point of SA exit immigration is to make sure you were allowed to be in SA. Not if you are allowed to go where you are going. That’s the job of the airline.

  55. KelM
    March 18, 2014 at 12:31 pm #

    I read your instructions on which passport to show at each point, and that makes sense to me. But I am wondering, when you book a flight, they ask your passport info when you book it. if you book a Roundtrip flight, then you are going to need to show the passport of the country you are returning to on the return segment (which will be different from the passport you showed to the airline on the first segment). or is there some way to designate different passports for each segment w/the airline when booking the roundtrip flight? we also have the added item others have asked about, where the middle name is listed on the U.S. passport, but not the Japanese passport. my example is dual citizen U.S. & Japan. leaving Japan, coming to the U.S, then returning to Japan. If I understand your instructions, then upon check-in at Japanese Narita airport, show the U.S. passport at airline counter (b/c that is where you are going), then show the Japanese passport to the immigration official at Narita airport to get a stamp showing you are leaving Japan, get on the flight. upon arrival in U.S. (LAX), show U.S. passport to U.S. immigration at LAX, get stamp that you arrived in U.S. When returning to Japan, show Japanese passport to the airline counter upon check-in at LAX, but show U.S. passport to LAX/U.S. immigration official which gets stamp that shows you are leaving. Board flight. then upon arrival in Japan/Narita, show the Japanese passport, get stamp that you are coming back into Japan. Is that correct? and again, when I book my flight, to my knowledge it will only have opportunity to enter what passport I am travelling on upon booking, so that will show up on both sides of my roundtrip ticket. is that a problem? or should we just not enter that info when we book the flight and only show it at the airport? or how do we get around that issue?

    • David DiGregorio
      March 18, 2014 at 12:43 pm #

      Thanks for reading! The passport you enter when booking is not so important. That’s why they need to check your passport at the airport. An airline staff member must verify the document and input it correctly. You can show a different passport for each leg of the trip and for each leg the airline will input the correct passport. Don’t worry about which you shared when booking. What happens at the airport is what’s important. As for the rest, looks like you have it correct! Safe travels.

    • JJ
      March 22, 2014 at 5:13 am #

      Keim,

      I am in the same boat. I do the same thing except I always use the US passport at the airline counter. You register online roundtrip with the US. Technically you can re-input it online if you have a member’s card. But I disagree that it doesn’t matter. I entered the Japanese passport from usa to narita. But on the return flight they had to enter the us passport number. Of course it’s no problem doin it your way but I don’t like the airlines knowing I am switching passports so I always show my usa passport at the airline and Japanese one at the immigration entry and exit. USA does not have an exit or entry stamp therefore it should remain blank. I was once asked if I had another passport since it was blank on the usa one. I just said yes and that was it. Technically I can do what David said to show my japan passport (destination country) to the airline when exiting the usa. That way if I have a second leg in Japan it won’t conflict and I can just show my japan one the entire time. The airlines registers the passport in their computer for roundtrip tickets unless you change it or they change it at the desk when they verify your id. Airlines do not talk with the government computers at least between japan and usa.

      • StyleHiClub
        March 22, 2014 at 8:26 pm #

        JJ it’s good that you don’t have any problems doing this. Most people probably won’t and it will always depend on the country. For the US, CBP gets a list of inbound passengers on any flight headed to the USA. If you arrive and are not on that pre-sent list, it could raise a small flag. This is why I recommend checking in with the same passport you will enter the destination with. It is possible Japan doesn’t do this, or that they just haven’t cared when it doesn’t line up.

    • JJ
      March 22, 2014 at 5:18 am #

      Another thing. I never book the ticket with the middle name. It should match the first and last name since Japan doesnt have a middle name. I haven’t been denied because i didn’t put in a middle name even though my usa one has a middle name. I want the least amount of discrepancies and denominate to the stricter country.

  56. Lilly
    March 19, 2014 at 10:02 am #

    David, I’ve got a question. Although it might be a classical Michael’s case, however I am not 100% sure and therefore decided to ask. The thing is that my fiancé has got a dual citizenship (Canada and EU). In 2010 he renewed his EU passport, however never exited the EU zone with this passport, but with his Canadian one since he permanently resides in Canada. Now he is willing to come to Europe for a longer term and therefore to use his EU passport. Will it be possible to follow Michael’s steps or will it be impossible since he has never exited the EU zone before with the EU passport?

    Thanks in advance! Best, Lilly

    • David DiGregorio
      March 19, 2014 at 2:57 pm #

      Lilly – did he enter the Eurozone using the Canadian passport or with his EU passport? As long as he entered with the EU passport, he should be fine.

      • Lilly
        March 20, 2014 at 1:21 am #

        Well, until now he used to enter the Eurozone using his Canadian one solely. However next time he would like to enter with the EU one. But like I said with his EU passport he never exited cause until now he traveled with his Canadian passport only…

        • David DiGregorio
          March 20, 2014 at 6:46 am #

          There’s no fear of overstaying using the EU passport so that won’t cause any problem. Just make sure he didn’t not exit as a Canadian ever.

  57. Drew Fleming
    March 21, 2014 at 8:38 am #

    I want to take my daughter to Australia from the Philippines she has both a Philippine passport and an Australian passport, can she leave on the Philippine passport and enter Australia on the Australian passport. The complication is that if she leaves here on the Australian she has to get an Exit Visa. If she leaves on the Philippine passport of course she doesn’t need one. We will book the ticket using her Australian passport as she will be entering Australia. Is there any downside for doing this. She is eight years old.

    • David DiGregorio
      March 21, 2014 at 4:12 pm #

      She must leave the Philipines using her Philipines passport but check into the flight to Oz with her Aussie passport. She won’t need a visa to go to Oz since she checks into the flight using her Aussie passport. That’s the only way to do it. Follow the steps in this post exactly.

  58. jacquesmoran
    March 21, 2014 at 6:28 pm #

    Hugely useful resource. Thanks, David! I just want to make sure I’ve got this right. I’m a dual Canadian/British citizen. I’m travelling to Thailand and Myanmar (Burma) this spring. For various logistical reasons, I’d like to use my Canadian passport to enter and exit Thailand, and my UK one to enter and exit Myanmar.

    If I’m flying from Bangkok to Yangon, I should give the airline my UK passport, because they’ll be passing my info on to Burmese authorities. Then, when I’m passing through Thai immigration at Bangkok airport, I should give them my Canadian passport because it has my entry stamp. And finally, when I arrive in Yangon I show my UK passport. Correct? Presumably it would be the same thing travelling overland?

    The thing is, wouldn’t Burmese authorities be confused if I’m entering their country on a passport with the correct visa but without any stamp showing that I’m coming from another country?

    • StyleHiClub
      March 21, 2014 at 6:55 pm #

      It sounds like you have it correct. Burmese authorities really shouldn’t care if you don’t have a stamp from the country you are coming from. If for some reason they look for one and ask about it, just explain and show your second passport. But they won’t.

  59. Shawn Duff
    March 23, 2014 at 9:55 am #

    Hi Dave,

    I just recently became a dual citizen of both Canada (my home country) and Sweden with passports for both. I’m planning a trip with my wife to Paris and Canada this summer and I know, according to your steps, that I should enter Canada with my Canadian passport. That will work perfectly fine for this trip, However, I now lack ID to get my Canadian passport renewed having lived in Sweden for over 15 years and I don’t really want to renew it considering the costs. It would be so much simpler to just use my Swedish passport everywhere. So, the dilemma is…. if I plan to travel again to Canada in the future and my Canadian passport has expired, can I use my Swedish passport for travel to and from Canada?

    • StyleHiClub
      March 25, 2014 at 8:36 pm #

      Technically, the answer is no. You must enter Canada as a Canadian. That’s not to say you probably couldn’t get away with it, but it is not how things should be done.

  60. sa gui
    March 23, 2014 at 9:58 pm #

    “If you have two different passports, you should provide the details of the passport you plan to enter the country with”
    Ok. I book a round trip ticket using passport A. No problems returning home and using B? the airline have the info of my passport A – once I booked round trip using passport A. doesn’t matter?

    • StyleHiClub
      March 25, 2014 at 8:32 pm #

      No problem. When you check in for the flight home just show passport B.

  61. Maria
    March 26, 2014 at 8:15 am #

    I am going to Russia from Miami my home city. I have dual citizenship: Colombia (native country) and US. I plan to use my Colombian passport because I do not need a visa. For Russia also apply all the steps of your article. Thank you!

    • Nelly
      April 15, 2014 at 5:27 am #

      Did you successfully do this? Please advice, I’m in the exact situation with both nationalities. Please contact me anyone with any input…play2nino@gmail.com

      • David DiGregorio
        April 16, 2014 at 9:58 am #

        This should be totally doable. If you don’t need a visa to enter Russia as a Colombian, you can just use your Colombian passport. It doesn’t matter where you live or what other passports you have.

  62. Ana traveling to Brazil
    March 27, 2014 at 11:52 pm #

    What about the declarations and immigration forms. They have a diiferent one if you are a US citizen and they always ask you for them when you come back. Would they tell me it is not the correct one?

    • David DiGregorio
      March 28, 2014 at 12:44 pm #

      I’m not sure what you mean. The declaration and immigration form depends on where you are going. If you are flying to the US and entering the US as an American, you fill out the appropriate forms.

  63. Elvia Beckford
    March 28, 2014 at 11:43 am #

    I have a dual citizenship, Honduras and with the U.S. My family in Honduras wants to take a family vacation to Cuba, since Honduras has a good relationship with Cuba they can travel freely. however, being a citizen of the U.S, would they give me complications if I travel with my Honduran passport to and from Cuba?

    • David DiGregorio
      March 28, 2014 at 12:46 pm #

      I can tell you from experience that Cuba does not care if you are American. Not at all. But you should be discrete about going to American authorities as you are not supposed to, even on a different passport. But, that’s ridiculous of course. You can’t go from the USA without an organized trip so assuming you are going from Honduras or someplace else, just enter and exit using your Honduras passport and you’ll be fine. When you come back into the US and there will be no way for US authorities to know you were in Cuba unless you tell them.

    • David DiGregorio
      March 28, 2014 at 12:47 pm #

      Also be sure to check out some of our articles on Cuba! http://www.stylehiclub.com/category/americas/cuba/

  64. Ole
    March 28, 2014 at 10:56 pm #

    Hello Dave,
    With regard to step 6 above, won’t there be any problem if Michael checks in with the US passport in Brazil when he booked his tickets with his Italian passport details? The airline staff will find that the information on his US passport doesn’t match the system. Thanks.

    • David DiGregorio
      March 30, 2014 at 3:14 pm #

      Hi Ole. The airline will ask for his passport upon check in for each leg of the flight. The info in the computer will then be updated accordingly.

  65. Jonathan
    March 29, 2014 at 9:08 am #

    Hi Dave,

    Great topic written, couldn’t find anything elsewhere,

    I have a question. I posted a question (but it never showed up, maybe I clicked cancel or something, but I apologize for re-posting the question).

    I have dual passport for Taiwan and USA.

    I want to travel around Asia, so I’ll first land in Taiwan (so I should enter with my Taiwan passport), following that I’ll travel to the Philippines, which I can use my USA passport (no visa requirement for USA passport). After that, I’ll fly directly from Philippines to China (I want to use my Taiwan passport here, since USA passport requires VISA)

    Am I allowed to do this, I’ve been reading alot of the comments, nothing similar to my situation.

    Thanks in advance.

    • David DiGregorio
      March 30, 2014 at 3:15 pm #

      Hi Jonathan. Thanks for the question. What you want to do is no different then the example here. It’s just the same process several times. You can use whichever passport you want for any country you visit as long as you use the USA passport for the USA and the Taiwan passport for Taiwan. Otherwise, as long as you enter and exit using the same passport each time, the choice is yours.

      • Jonathan
        March 30, 2014 at 9:17 pm #

        Thanks so much. “enter and exit using the same passport” – this made things so much more clearer.

        really like your blog! the passport issue brought me here…. I’ll start following! big traveler myself.

  66. Manu
    April 1, 2014 at 5:29 pm #

    My daughter has dual citizenship- italian and USA. She should be going on exchange in the fall to the USA. She was told that she can only go as an italian student with a regular J1 visa. Inthis case, she should enter the US as italian with her italian passport. Is this regular?

    • David DiGregorio
      April 1, 2014 at 6:15 pm #

      Hi Manu. I’m afraid whomever told you this is incorrect. By US law she absolutely must enter the US as an American. She therefore will not need any visa.

  67. paul
    April 5, 2014 at 9:21 am #

    Awesome dude! Clarification: regarding Step 5; arriving immigration would NOT care for a blank passport? they won’t look for the stamp?

    • David DiGregorio
      April 5, 2014 at 9:38 am #

      As long as the passport is valid you should not have any problems. If questioned why it’s blank, just answer honestly.

      • paul
        April 5, 2014 at 9:52 am #

        so, it’s cool with the immigration that I’m using two passports cause I’m awesome?

        • David DiGregorio
          April 5, 2014 at 9:55 am #

          I try to avoid showing I have two passports to anyone as it just leads to questions. But if asked, you should always be honest. Nobody can be mad at you for being awesome.

          • paul
            April 5, 2014 at 10:03 am #

            Yeah! Haha!
            Thanks a lot for the thread kind sir. Thanks thanks Thanks!

      • paul
        April 5, 2014 at 9:54 am #

        so, it’s cool with the immigration that I have used two passports? reason being cause I’m awesome?

      • kely
        April 24, 2014 at 2:14 pm #

        What about if I have 3 passports. I’m Brazilian, living in LA as a US citizen, but I have a Italian passport before had my US passport, and I’m planning to go to Europe, should I use Italian and US passport or just go with US regarding I won’t be there more than a month?

        • David DiGregorio
          April 24, 2014 at 2:23 pm #

          Are you going to Italy on this trip or elsewhere in Europe? If elsewhere in Europe I would say just use the US passport. If you are going to Italy you must enter as an Italian so you would show your Italian passport for every part of the trip up until it’s time to fly back to the US where you’d show your US passport to the airline in Europe and then US passport to US immigration.

          • kely
            April 25, 2014 at 2:20 am #

            I’m planning to visit other countries besides Italy like France, UK, Germany, Belgium and Netherlands. So you recommend just use the US for all places right? I guess would be easy instead to renew my Italian passport !
            Thank you for your help 🙂

          • David DiGregorio
            April 25, 2014 at 12:31 pm #

            You can use the US passport for everything except Italy, where you must enter as an Italian. That said, if you stay within the Shengen Eurozone there are no borders. So you wont’ show a passport in between the countries you list above. Only when coming and going from the EU as a whole.

  68. Leslie
    April 6, 2014 at 2:23 pm #

    I’ve been reading through all these posts but I don’t think my question is answered… I have a passport from Switzerland and the US. I will be flying to Peru but will be changing planes in Atlanta. So I will fly from Zurich to Atlanta, then from Atlanta to Lima(Peru) and then from Lima to Cuzco(Peru). Is it possible to fly from Switzerland with my Swiss passport and once I’m in Atlanta to show my American passport (so I don’t have to do the ESTA registration) and then show my Swiss passport when taking the plane to Lima so I don’t have to get a visa for Peru? I’d be very glad if someone could respond asap since I’m leaving in a couple of days. Thank you very much for your help!(:

    • David DiGregorio
      April 7, 2014 at 7:53 pm #

      Leslie – in this case you should be using your US passport for everything. Check into the flight from Zurich to Atlanta using your US passport, exit Swiss immigration using your Swiss passport and then use the US passport to enter the US. You must do this as you are a US citizen. As US citizens do not require a visa to enter Peru, you can keep using your US passport for everything until you check into the flight back to Zurich and then enter Swiss immigration.

  69. petr
    April 7, 2014 at 5:39 pm #

    Thanks for a great info, however, as a US citizen (passport) and Czech passport holder, I made a reservation with AA using Czech passport and noticed, I had to go to the Custome and Border Protection ESTA web site to get Visa Waiver (I would assume for entering back US). Well, I don’t know how to get around it since AA will not allow me to continue (round trip) without Visa Waiver number. Of course, I don’t need VW number for my travel to Uruguay and Argentina. Any suggestions. Perhaps as you mentioned with your Italy passport experience, something may change since. Unfortunately, I am leaving soon, by April 10th.
    Thanks again,
    Peter or Petr

    • David DiGregorio
      April 7, 2014 at 7:59 pm #

      Thanks Peter – as a US citizen you cannot travel to the US using anything but your US passport. Have AA input your US passport details on the reservation and then show that passport at check-in. As far as travel to Argentina and Uruguay you can change which passport you are traveling on at check-in for those flights and then use the EU passport upon arriving and departing from Argentina and Uruguay.

  70. joe
    April 9, 2014 at 2:36 am #

    I have dual citizenship and two passports, USA and Germany. I am traveling from the US with a 3-day stop over in Turkey. I left the US with only presenting my US passport, arrived in Turkey and showed my German passport to avoid the visa fee. How do I travel on to Germany now? I understand they want to know I was allowed to be in Turkey, so do I have to get my boarding pass with my US passport but show my German passport at the departing Immigration in Turkey, and then enter Germany with my German passport?

    • StyleHiClub
      April 12, 2014 at 9:50 pm #

      Hi Joe, Please do everything with your German passport until you check into your final flight to the US. I am certain you did not show your US passport to any officials when leaving the US, because the US has no exit procedure – you probably just showed it to the airline.

  71. Clarence T
    April 10, 2014 at 12:43 pm #

    The US State Department says on its website: All U.S. citizens, even dual citizens/nationals, must enter and depart the United States using his/her U.S. passport.
    Is it possible for me to use my new Irish passport to go through Immigration arriving in France or Ireland if I fly there from the US using my US passport?

    • StyleHiClub
      April 12, 2014 at 9:54 pm #

      Hi Clarence, Please use exactly the steps outlined above. Since the US has no exit immigration, you will never have to present your US passport when leaving. Your scenario is exactly the example that we give.

  72. Johnny B Goode
    April 10, 2014 at 2:30 pm #

    Hi. Is the following possible for my daughter?

    I have a daughter living in PRC with a PRC passport & Hukou & Australian passport that has been issued but not yet stamped as it hasn’t been used to travel.

    I am Australian & my wife is Chinese & we would like to travel to Australia ASAP.The PRC advise that cancellation of PRC citizenship must be done before travel & this will take 6 months.

    Can I ……
    1. (Apply for NZ visa from China )for my daughter.
    2. (China Airline check in) – show NZ visa proving my daughter has permission to travel.
    3. (China Exit)Show Chinese passport to prove that my daughter has /had permission to be in China.
    4. (Enter NZ)on Chinese passport & visa.
    5. Purchase ticket to AUS & show airline Aus passport to prove that she has permission to enter Australia.
    6. (NZ exit)on Chinese passport to prove that she has left NZ.
    7. Enter Australia on AUS passport ?

    Thanks

    • David DiGregorio
      April 13, 2014 at 8:15 am #

      So there are a few areas of this that I’m not sure I fully understand. Although your plan sounds like it will work fine, is there a reason you can’t just enter NZ on the Aussie passport with no visa? Is there a PRC regulation you are trying to get around by holding dual citizenship? Are you traveling only with your daughter? Or your wife as well who does not hold Aussie citizenship?

  73. CoRi
    April 11, 2014 at 4:17 am #

    Thanks for the article…very handy,as travelling with 2 passports (plus stop overs)has often confused me.
    Before I knew one had to only show one passport, I used to give both to departing immigration as i thought this was the honest thing to do and they could pick the right one to stamp.Oh boy!
    I have german and south african dual nationality.
    So the problem is: I have a departing stamp(leaving SA from 2 years ago) in my german passport( which is wrong, as It should be in the SA one)….and a arrival stamp in SA passport.Since then Ive flown back and forth from the UK twice, the first time i flew o Sa(no issues)..the second time I arrived the immigration officer told me the stamp was wrong and I had a fine( they never showed the fine to me….suspect)…after explaining, he said its fine and I can go…..Since then I have gotten a new SA passport and flown to germany…however I worry that when flying back to SA i will have this same fine problem.iif they check my german passport……
    can one get a fine for having a stamp in the wrong passport? and does it increase over time?
    I hope you can help me….

    • David DiGregorio
      April 13, 2014 at 8:11 am #

      I don’t think you’ll have a problem here. As you are South Africa, you should only be showing your SA passport to SA authorities and then you should have no problems.

      • CoRi
        April 19, 2014 at 3:50 am #

        Thank You:)

  74. Kate
    April 11, 2014 at 11:19 pm #

    Hi Dave, I have read your steps with interest. My husband and son are traveling to Brazil in June, they both have US &UK passports, (we live in the US). So I understand that they should show their UK passports when checking in with the airline (since UK holders do not need a visa to enter Brazil). But will the airline check-in also ask to see a green card from them? (they obviously dont have one anymore). I myself hold a UK passport & when I travel to UK from USA sometimes check in staff ask to also see my green card. Thanks

    • StyleHiClub
      April 12, 2014 at 9:45 pm #

      Hi Kate, No, the airline is only concerned that you are allowed to be where you are going. If you’re not allowed in, they’ll get fined. So in this case, they are only concerned that your husband/son are allowed into Brazil w/o a visa.

      • Tobu
        April 17, 2014 at 2:32 pm #

        This is not my experience. My wife is a dual citizen US/Japan. Japan does not recognize dual citizinship so she is in danger of losing her Japanese citizenship when traveling to Japan. When she tried to book a trip from the US to Japan and entered her Japanese passport information on the record, she was not allowed to check in to the flight with just her Japanese passport because she did not have a valid visa. The US uses the airlines as a proxy for exit immigration and they are required to check for valid exit documents. We still haven’t figured out a way for her to travel to Japan and enter Japan without using her US passport to check in.

        • Tobu
          April 17, 2014 at 2:37 pm #

          I stand corrected – my wife said that they used to ask for her visa/greencard when trying to check in on her Japanese passport, but for the last 2-3 years they haven’t asked and she has been able to check in using just her Japanese passport.

  75. Carolina Mendoza
    April 12, 2014 at 9:22 pm #

    Hi ! I have a question… I was born in the US and 5 years ago moved to Peru where I now have dual citizenship: American & Peruvian… I now want to go back to the U.S but was told that i have to pay a fine $1 a day for the time i have been in Peru. but if I use my Peruvian passport I wont have to… will i have any problems when I get to the U.S if I use my Peruvian passport?

    • StyleHiClub
      April 12, 2014 at 9:37 pm #

      Hi Carolina, Where did you hear such a thing? You’re an American citizen. You can come and go as you please and do not have to pay for being elsewhere. Enter the US as an American, as you are required to do by law.

      • Carolina Mendoza
        April 12, 2014 at 9:56 pm #

        In Peru when you leave at the airport here you have to pay a dollar a day for the time you have been here. When I got my dual citizenship a man told me to use my Peruvian passport when I leave here so I wouldn’t have to pay the Peruvian airport for being here for 5 years.. I’m just not sure if he was right or if I will have a problem for leaving here with my Peruvian passport and entering the us with my American one..

        • StyleHiClub
          April 12, 2014 at 10:02 pm #

          It sounds like you must be in Peru on an American passport? That must be the trouble. You should not be there as an American anymore since you are Peruvian.

          • Carolina Mendoza
            April 12, 2014 at 10:05 pm #

            Yes i came in on an american passport. Is there anyway I can fix that or will I just have to pay the fine ?

          • StyleHiClub
            April 12, 2014 at 10:18 pm #

            I’m not familiar with Peruvian procedure, but in your path to citizenship you should have resolved that you are in the country as an American – you should now be in the country as a Peruvian and NOT as a visitor, since you are a citizen. Once this is fixed, you shouldn’t have to pay the fine.

  76. Sara
    April 16, 2014 at 10:52 am #

    Thanks for this…and to confirm when you fill in an immigration card on the plane for the country you are entering with a passport for that country, you indicate you are a citizen of that country. IE I am about to travel to Australia and will fill out a card indicating I am an Australian citizen (residing in the US). On return to the US I will indicate on the immigration card I am a US Citizen.

    • David DiGregorio
      April 16, 2014 at 7:35 pm #

      This is correct in spirit, however in practice there is different paperwork for citizens and non-citizens. If arriving into the US as a citizen you do not fill out an immigration card, just a customs declaration. But yes, you are correct.

  77. david
    April 19, 2014 at 11:22 am #

    I have dual citizenship and passports for Trinidad&Tobago and Venezuela. I am planning to visit the UK and other EU countries. At the moment, no visa is required for a T&T national to enter UK but one will be required for Venezuela as of May 5th this year. No visa is yet required for Venezuelans for other EU countries.
    So, am i correct in saying that i can use the T&T passport to enter the UK, but when departing UK to visit other EU nations, i will have to use the Venezuelan passport and fill all immigration cards using the Vene passport? When booking my ticket back to UK from an EU nation do i use my T&T passport? and do these rules apply for buses as well?

    • StyleHiClub
      April 19, 2014 at 5:16 pm #

      This is correct only because the UK is out of the Shengen zone. Just be sure you show your T&T passport to UK authorities both coming and going and your Venezuelan passport to all other EU authorities both coming and going. If you are flying to the UK, show the airline staff your T&T passport. If flying to Europe, the Venezuelan one. Just be sure you enter and exit each country/zone using the same passport regardless of how you are traveling.

      • david
        April 21, 2014 at 8:47 pm #

        Thanks your posts are very helpful!

      • David
        April 26, 2014 at 1:45 pm #

        So based on this, i cannot buy a return ticket? i will have to buy 2 one-way tickets. One from Uk to say, Spain on the vene passport and the return from Spain to Uk on the T&T pport?

        • David DiGregorio
          April 27, 2014 at 9:53 am #

          That’s not the case. You can buy a return ticket. It doesn’t matter which passport you enter when you buy the ticket online. All that matters is what you show when you get to the airport to check in.

  78. Natasha
    April 21, 2014 at 7:20 pm #

    I have dual citizenship in both the UK and the USA. I am travelling to The Netherlands and with my American Passport need a very expensive visa for the travel I will be doing, and with my British I do not. I did not realize I needed to book my flight on my British Passport, so booked it on my American. How can I correct this? Should I show both passports both places to clear the confusion? Help!!

    • StyleHiClub
      April 22, 2014 at 7:46 am #

      The passport you “booked the flight on” is meaningless. What matters is the passport you show to the airline check in counter on arrival at the airport. If you really want to feel safe, just call the airline and change the passport on record. But it’s no big deal.

  79. Baroncorvo
    April 21, 2014 at 10:53 pm #

    I am LPR of US with Italian passport and I am also Canadian citizen. which passport should I use with the airline to leave the US the Italian with the Green card or the Canadian one? I already know I will have to use the Canadian one to get into Canada

    • StyleHiClub
      April 22, 2014 at 7:47 am #

      If you are checking into a flight to Canada you need to show your Canadian passport to the airline staff. Coming back it will be your other passport but you’ll show your Canadian passport to immigration upon exiting Canada.

      • Baroncorvo
        April 22, 2014 at 9:14 am #

        there is no passport control exiting Canada, there is only US border within the Canadian airport. What confuses me is that CBP (US) will match the data obtained by the airline leaving the US (this is the way they track exits) so if I exit with a Canadian passport there would be issues coming back with a different passport. Am I making sense?

        • StyleHiClub
          April 22, 2014 at 9:24 am #

          Each trip is separate. Exiting you are going to Canada. Canada needs to know who is coming to their country so you check into the flight as a Canadian and go through Canadian immigration on arrival as a Canadian. Upon leaving you’ll check into your US flight and clear US immigration (in Canada) with your other passport.

          • Baroncorvo
            April 22, 2014 at 9:39 am #

            ok thanks

          • Baroncorvo
            April 22, 2014 at 3:37 pm #

            I just spoke with a US immigration lawyer and he said it doesn’t really matter what kind of passport you use, it is at the discretion of the traveller.

          • StyleHiClub
            April 22, 2014 at 7:53 pm #

            It is against the law to not present yourself as a US citizen to US immigration authorities if you are in fact a US citizen.

          • Baroncorvo
            April 22, 2014 at 9:59 pm #

            I meant getting into Canada, I guess with a Green Card and another nationality plus Canadian Citizenship it’s a bit of a different ball game. I understand it is a good rule to use the same passport on the same trip but it might be an exception for Canadians ? I am only guessing. I talked with a Canadian lawyer and an American one, they both didn’t have specific rules about that, except the fact that the Canadian passport needed to be used to enter Canada. They didn’t mention any manifest or any prohibition in using a different passport leaving the US. If you have examples and experiences please share. thanks

          • David DiGregorio
            April 24, 2014 at 2:18 pm #

            As there is no exit immigration when leaving the US (at an airport) I haven’t ever had a problem with this. I frequently leave the US on my Italian passport and return on my US.

          • anthony
            June 19, 2014 at 1:07 pm #

            This goes against what has been said in other posts – StyleHiClub “…. It’s essential that you enter and exit a country on the same passport. That’s the most important thing.”

          • StyleHiClub
            June 19, 2014 at 1:27 pm #

            It doesn’t go against this fact (which is true), because we are saying that there is no US exit immigration so there is technically no “leaving” beyond checking into your flight.

          • token
            May 1, 2014 at 9:04 pm #

            What happens for example if you book a roundtrip flight and use your canadian passport on your inbound flight (to London) and you present your US passport to the airline on your outbound flight back (to the US)

  80. Jose
    April 22, 2014 at 12:14 pm #

    Will an authority of a country ask how you can enter another country if the passport you are showing them does not legally? What do you say? Example: If you are leaving Brazil to the US and when you use your Italian passport in Step 7 of your step by step, the Brazilian authorities won’t question how can you enter the US with no visa or residency card? and what should you answer?

    • StyleHiClub
      April 22, 2014 at 1:27 pm #

      If you are leaving Brazil the immigration authority is checking to make sure you were allowed to be there. They should not be concerned about where you are going next. However, if for some reason they ask (which in my experience they will not) just answer honestly and show whatever passport they wish to see. Never lie to immigration authorities.

  81. Tommyboy
    April 24, 2014 at 2:59 pm #

    So I am booking tickets for my girlfriend and myself to Australia atm, she holds both a UK and Australian passport. Does it matter which one of the passports I “book the flight” on online? I assume that she should use the Aussie passport for checkin at the airport in London, since that’s the one she’ll use upon arrival in Sydney, so giving the airline this information would seem logical, but what then on the return?

    • David DiGregorio
      April 25, 2014 at 12:32 pm #

      It doesn’t matter which you put in when booking, but you may as well put in the Aussie one. When you change to the UK one on the way back the airline staff will update the computer when you check in.

  82. Daithi
    April 24, 2014 at 9:11 pm #

    Say for example you are a dual citizen and leave the US on your Irish passport to enter Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, Chile then Equador (all have entry and exit stamps). From Equador you switch to your US passport to fly home to the United States. My question is this: what do you say to US immigration when they ask where you’ve been and why there is no record of your
    Arrival in any foreign country?

    • David DiGregorio
      April 25, 2014 at 12:33 pm #

      Absolutely do not lie to US immigration. On your customs card you should list everywhere you’ve been. If they look at your passport and can’t find the stamps, explain that you have an Irish passport as well that you chose to travel on. From my experience, they won’t ask but never ever lie to US immigration.

  83. Giorgio
    April 26, 2014 at 6:59 pm #

    My parents, brother, and I will be traveling to Italy from the U.S. One parent, brother and I are dual US-Italian citizens and the other parent is a US citizen only. If I understand correctly, when leaving the U.S., the dual citizens in the group will show our US passports and Italian to Italian officials upon entry in Italy. We will then show our Italian passports to Italian officials when we leave Italy and U.S. passports to U.S. officials when reentering the U.S. Assuming this is true, I’m still confused about which passport we should present to the airlines counter? Also, we weren’t thinking and booked the tickets for the trip with our U.S. passports. Is that a problem?

    Thanks!

  84. Bree
    April 29, 2014 at 8:00 pm #

    I thought you were supposed to always enter and exit a country on the same passport? I actually ran into trouble with this – here’s what happened. I have dual citizenship – US and Netherlands. I live in the states. I went to Netherlands and flew in on my Dutch passport since I was working and didn’t want to deal with having to get a work Visa. When I left, I tried to fly back home on my Dutch passport (with the thought that you had to enter and leave on the same passport). The person at the airline check-in asked where my visa was to go to the U.S. Since I had no idea there should have been one (and since I’m a US citizen), I just hoped for the best and handed over my U.S. passport. Is it ok to do that? I thought it would mess up the system somehow.

    • StyleHiClub
      April 30, 2014 at 10:55 pm #

      Hi Bree – I’m not sure you read the post completely. It’s essential that you enter and exit a country on the same passport. That’s the most important thing. What you are forgetting is that there is a difference between what you show to the airline check-in desk which is concerned with where you are going, and the immigration authorities which are concerned with where you are. You must show the same passport to immigration upon arrival and departure but the passport you show to the airline is the one you will use upon arrival at your destination. Also you should note that it is illegal to not use your US passport when entering the US. You always must present yourself as a citizen of a country to immigration authorities from that country.

      • token
        May 1, 2014 at 9:04 pm #

        Hi, I have dual citizenship in the US and Canada. I recently traveled to Canada on my Canadian passport, but did not realize I had to re-enter the US on my US passport. I am currently here in the US technically as a visitor. I will be travelling in the next 90 days. Should I exit the US on my Canadian passport to close out the visitor status and when I come back to the US, re-enter on my US passport. Will I have an issue with no exit stamp on my US passport, or will it be irrelevant as I am coming back to my home country.
        I appreciate the help,
        Token

        • StyleHiClub
          May 4, 2014 at 6:33 pm #

          I’ve answered your post on the other thread.

        • SOOZ
          June 20, 2014 at 8:04 am #

          @Guest…you leave Canada w/ your Canadian pp you enter USA with your US pp, you leave USA with your US pp you enter Canada w/ your Canadian pp.
          StyleHiClub already explained it. Don’t they help you at the airport? Plus its a no brainer, you enter and exit that country with that country’s pp.

      • token
        May 1, 2014 at 9:23 pm #

        I have a question with step 7 & 8. If you use the same passport to exit your destination country (canada passport) your passports won’t align up as you say they should in step 8, if you present your US Passport upon arrival in the US?

        • StyleHiClub
          May 4, 2014 at 6:33 pm #

          What needs to line up is that you entered and exited a single country on the same passport. Not that you exited one country and entered a new one on the same passport. That doesn’t matter. Remember the difference in showing your passport to the airline versus immigration authorities.

      • Vera Morgan
        July 29, 2014 at 7:26 pm #

        I have just found the right one and the greatest spell caster on earth who has brought back my happiness and turned my world around by helping me get my ex partner and helped me get back my life cause i was totally frustrated after 6years of hardship and pain, a friend of mine buzz me on my email saying i should cheer up cause solution has come. At first i was like what are you saying, then she mentioned the name ‘EBOEHI’ and i must thank my savior Great DR EBOEHI who has play a very vital part of my life making me a great person and the most happiest person today you are a great man who is bless by powers with traditional healing spell caster, after Great DR EBOEHI has help me get my ex back he also help me recover what i have lost in past years i must thank him (Great DR EBOEHI) the life he has restored back for me and my happiness. Now i am doing well in my work and also with my partner, Great DR EBOEHI is a very great spell caster you need to know just meet him and with your problem and it will be over.. Email him via: (supernaturalspelltemple@gmail.com) ,,

    • David DiGregorio
      June 4, 2014 at 12:45 pm #

      Bree – what you are asking is exactly what I’ve outlined in the post above. You have to enter and exit countries on the same passport yes, but there’s a different in showing your passport to immigration authorities and airline staff.

      • Theresa1958
        July 24, 2014 at 7:42 pm #

        That is the crux of the matter. Differentiating between what the airlines require, and what the immigration authorities require. Also, when booking your ticket online!

    • SOOZ
      June 20, 2014 at 7:57 am #

      Actually what you’re saying is not true. Here’s the scenario:
      My son has dual citizenship to South Africa – USA (born)…he flies from USA using his US pp when he arrives in SA he produces his South African pp, when he leaves SA he hands them his SA pp when he arrives in the USA he hands them his USA pp…simple as that no confusion at the window. He’s through in no time. You use the pp of that country.

    • Vera Morgan
      July 29, 2014 at 7:26 pm #

      I have just found the right one and the greatest spell caster on earth who has brought back my happiness and turned my world around by helping me get my ex partner and helped me get back my life cause i was totally frustrated after 6years of hardship and pain, a friend of mine buzz me on my email saying i should cheer up cause solution has come. At first i was like what are you saying, then she mentioned the name ‘EBOEHI’ and i must thank my savior Great DR EBOEHI who has play a very vital part of my life making me a great person and the most happiest person today you are a great man who is bless by powers with traditional healing spell caster, after Great DR EBOEHI has help me get my ex back he also help me recover what i have lost in past years i must thank him (Great DR EBOEHI) the life he has restored back for me and my happiness. Now i am doing well in my work and also with my partner, Great DR EBOEHI is a very great spell caster you need to know just meet him and with your problem and it will be over.. Email him via: (supernaturalspelltemple@gmail.com)

  85. steph
    May 1, 2014 at 10:20 am #

    If my departure and return ticket are bought together, checking in with the airline with my canadian passport for my return flight from europe will be tricky if I have already registered with my european passport at check in (to go to europe). Right?
    is my only option buying my departure and return tickets seperately?

    • StyleHiClub
      May 4, 2014 at 6:27 pm #

      It won’t be tricky. Just show the passport you want to travel with on check in. You won’t have a problem. What you put in when you book doesn’t mean anything. That’s why they need to check it at the airport.

  86. token
    May 1, 2014 at 5:59 pm #

    Hi, I have dual citizenship in the US and Canada. I recently traveled to Canada on my Canadian passport, but did not realize I had to re-enter the US on my US passport. I am currently here in the US technically as a visitor. I will be travelling in the next 90 days. Should I exit the US on my Canadian passport to close out the visitor status and when I come back to the US, re-enter on my US passport. Will I have an issue with no exit stamp on my US passport, or will it be irrelevant as I am coming back to my home country.
    I appreciate the help,
    Token

    • StyleHiClub
      May 4, 2014 at 6:28 pm #

      Since the US has no exit immigration there really is no “Exiting”. Just be sure to always use your US passport when coming to the US. Not doing so is illegal.

  87. Owlsanctuary
    May 2, 2014 at 1:58 pm #

    Hi Dave, great article, thanks!

    I’m a US and UK passport holder living in the US. I’ll be traveling from the US to Turkey, then onto Greece, followed by a short stay in Germany before returning to the US.

    Would you recommend following the steps in your article or just traveling on the US passport to keep things simple? It’s just a two week trip. I’m thinking that EU travel would be easier using my UK passport, but it might just be less hassle to use the US passport for the whole trip! Thank you!

    • StyleHiClub
      May 4, 2014 at 6:29 pm #

      Since you’ll need to buy a visa-on-arrival to enter Turkey using your US passport, I would suggest you do the entire trip on your UK passport. You should show your UK passport at every step starting when you check into your flight departing the US. The only time you’ll show your US passport is when checking into the flight back to the US, then again at US immigration when you arrive.

      • Owlsanctuary
        May 7, 2014 at 5:15 pm #

        Thank you! Just one extra query – wouldn’t I need to also show my US passport when I go through JFK departure immigration on my outbound trip to Europe? I thought the official there needs to see ticket plus ID.

        • StyleHiClub
          May 7, 2014 at 9:28 pm #

          You definitely would except that the US doesn’t have exit-immigration at JFK or any of our other major airports. So you should be all set 🙂

          • Owlsanctuary
            May 21, 2014 at 8:26 pm #

            Hi again Dave, not sure if you’ll be able to answer this in time, as I’m due to fly tomorrow. In fact I’ve been trying to check-in online with Lufthansa. However, by entering my UK passport details (which I’m traveling on and my Turkish entry visa is tied to) Lufthansa are asking I provide my US resident’s card info (something I don’t have, as I have a US passport).

            Any ideas what I should do here? I can’t (and don’t want to) enter the US passport details as my Turkish visa is linked to my UK passport. The Lufthansa check-in system says this is a TSA requirement. Should I abandon online check-in and check-in at the airport instead and explain my dual nationality if asked? Any last minute advice much appreciated!

          • StyleHiClub
            May 21, 2014 at 9:23 pm #

            You should just check in at the airport. Show your UK passport and if they want to see that you are okay to be in the US, show your other passport.

          • StyleHiClub
            May 22, 2014 at 7:48 am #

            I would check-in at the airport if that’s the case. Sounds like their online system can’t accommodate your situation. They will probably just want to see your US passport to verify in their system.

  88. khan
    May 5, 2014 at 12:36 pm #

    Hi everyone,

    I recently became a dual-citizen of UK and USA. I live in USA but it will be my first time that I will be traveling to the UK as a dual-citizen. I fully understand how to to get there — simply present my UK passport when entering that country. However, I do not understand what will happen when I return to the US.

    Upon my return, I will present my US passport to the authorities but would they not want to see a foreign stamp inside the passport since I will be returning from a foreign country from their perspective? Is it okay for my US passport not to be stamped when returning from abroad? That makes no sense to me.

    During the previous visit to the UK, I was carrying the US green card and my UK passport was stamped by the US authorities upon my return. But, this time, I will be presenting my US passport and the authorities would want to see some sort of UK visa and stamp inside my US passport? Would they not? Please explain. Thank you so very much.

    • StyleHiClub
      May 5, 2014 at 12:53 pm #

      Hi Kahn,if you follow the steps on this post you will be fine. You will report the countries you visit to US authorities on your customs form. If they ask where your stamp is, you can tell them the truth, but the odds are that they will not ask. They will see your form and they will see that your flight is coming from the UK.

      Often times a country will not stamp at all for 1 reason or another, so this is not any sort of red flag. Think about the entire EU/Eurozone. You could travel to France on a US passport and then go onwards to Germany, Greece, Spain, etc and you would never receive another entry stamp. It doesn’t mean you haven’t been there. There are other examples, like traveling to Israel or Cuba, but you get the point 🙂

      • khan
        May 5, 2014 at 3:27 pm #

        Thanks very much StyleHiClub!

        i will take your suggestion but i am still worried about the US authorities asking about the lack of a stamp in my US passport upon my return. in my experience, most of these guys are illiterate with regards to dual citizenships and they would probably assume that one cannot carry two passports even though most countries including the US and UK allow dual citizenships.

        since US citizens do not need a visa to travel to UK (and vice versa ), i am wondering whether it would be better to just get my US passport stamped when I arrive in the UK. but i do not feel right. i remain very british and i would hate to be there as a foreigner (ditto for US). i have my loyalties split. i guess most ppl do these days. i believe there are lots and lots of americans who hold dual citizenships.

        thank u again for your response.

        • StyleHiClub
          May 5, 2014 at 3:56 pm #

          I would not enter the UK with an American passport because you are a British citizen. You are required to enter under your UK passport.

          I am surprised you think US Customs is illiterate with this stuff – the agents themselves are actually even able to have dual citizenship (unlike some govt agencies where they have to give it up). I know for a fact that they receive training in this area.

          You are not doing anything wrong by following the post above – in fact, this is the law, and you should follow it.

          • khan
            May 5, 2014 at 6:37 pm #

            So you are saying if the agents see that I have no stamp in my US passport upon my return and they want an explanation, I should just tell them that I am dual-citizen. And it would be okay to show them UK passport as a proof of dual citizenship? Thanks.

          • StyleHiClub
            May 5, 2014 at 7:21 pm #

            Yup, you are following the law. But I doubt they would ask.
            If all immigration relied on just a stamp, we’d all have much bigger problems.

          • khan
            May 5, 2014 at 7:23 pm #

            Thanks very much. Your advice is greatly appreciated.

  89. Maura Daly
    May 5, 2014 at 4:56 pm #

    Hello I’m moving to dublin for a job opportunity this summer. I was born and always lived in the US. I can’t seem to get straight answers on which passport to use and when. Ireland says to present that passport to irish customs agents and then my US whenever I fly back to US agents. Is this true? Doesn’t that mean that I am flying on 2 passports for technically the same trip?

    • StyleHiClub
      May 5, 2014 at 7:22 pm #

      Hi Maura, Please just follow the steps outlined in this post.

      • Maura Daly
        May 5, 2014 at 9:21 pm #

        I’m sorry I’m still confused. Vs I should fly our on Irish and fly in (when I visit for holidays etc) on my US? Won’t this mean it won’t align??

        • StyleHiClub
          May 5, 2014 at 9:32 pm #

          If you follow exactly the steps in this post (above), you’ll be fine. There is no “aligning”. Ireland has told you the correct thing. Please just read the post and follow the steps.

          • Maura Daly
            May 6, 2014 at 7:46 am #

            I’m not sure why you are being difficult. Every situation is unique and you are providing little help. I’ve read above 3 times and it’s still not clear. The US told me it’s illegal to enter or LEAVE the US using an alternative passport. Ireland told me to ENTER on Irish. How could I use both on one trip? Isn’t leaving the US and entering Ireland in effect the same thing?

            I’ll find another destination for clarity I guess.

          • StyleHiClub
            May 6, 2014 at 7:57 am #

            Hi Maura – I’m sorry for the confusion and if I was curt. After we published our first post on this topic we started getting your exact question extremely often which led to this post (above). I will clarify things for your specific situation:

            Check into your flight to Ireland in the USA: Show Irish passport to the airline staff since that’s the passport you’ll enter Ireland with.

            Arrive in Ireland: Show your Irish passport to Irish immigration authorities – note there is no “exiting” the USA as the US does not have exit-immigration so you will have no opportunity to show your US passport to anyone on this leg of the trip.

            *enjoy your time in Ireland*

            Check into your flight back to the USA: Show your US passport to the airline staff since that’s the passport you’ll use to enter the US with

            Depart Irish Immigration: Show your Irish passport to the Irish authorities so that they know you are leaving

            US Arrival Immigration: Note that for flights coming from Ireland this is often completed in Ireland and not back in the USA like for most all other countries. This means you’ll be showing your US passport to a US Customs and Border Protection Agent IN Ireland before you get on the flight

            Arrive back in the US: Assuming you cleared US Immigration in Ireland, there’s nothing to do here and nothing to show.

            Hope this clarifies?

          • Maura Daly
            May 6, 2014 at 9:27 am #

            This is perfect, thank you and I appreciate the extra information. This topic is so confusing and of course I want to be thorough as possible and not accidentally get caught in limbo with travel. I’m actually MOVING to Ireland which is why it becomes even more complicated. So no issues if my return (visit to the US) is in about 6 months (e.g., past the typical non-visa travel allotments)?

          • StyleHiClub
            May 6, 2014 at 11:01 am #

            If you enter Ireland with an Irish passport you can stay forever. You are a citizen with all the rights of any other citizen, even if you’ve never lived there. Just as you can live outside the US for the next 30 years and still return when you feel like it and enjoy all the rights of a US citizen once again.

          • Laura
            May 6, 2014 at 11:17 am #

            wow. I’m reading this article and this thread for help and some of you people are crazy. all of thse articles are clear and are SUPER HELPFUL. you should be a lil thankful rather than being a catty brat. you aren’t paying for help here.

  90. Italo-Brasiliano
    May 5, 2014 at 11:35 pm #

    Here is my situation:

    I am a Brazilian and US citizen traveling to Italy. The Italians DO NOT require visa for either Brazilians or US passport holders BUT, for the sake of this trip, I must enter Italy as a Brazilian citizen. If I purchase a ticket leaving from NYC connecting in Montreal with final destination in Milan, how should I proceed with the passports during check in, connection in Canada, and finally arriving in Italy?? MIND YOU THAT: Canada requires Visa for Brazilian Passport holders. Thanks for your time. 🙂

    • StyleHiClub
      May 6, 2014 at 8:01 am #

      This all depends on if you will clear immigration in Canada or not. Assuming you will have to, you should use your US passport for everything up until checking into the flight from Montreal to Italy. If you go to check into the flight from the US to Canada and present your Brazilian passport the airline isn’t going to let you board the plane because you won’t have have a Canadian visa. Letting someone on the flight who can’t enter the destination country can mean BIG fines for the airline. So here you’ll need to use your US passport. There is no US exit immigration to go through so you’ll just show your US passport to the airline and fly to Canada, then enter Canada as an American. If you have to exit Canada immigration, exit as an American, then check into your next flight as a Brazilian. This is the flight to Italy.

      Hope this makes sense?

      If in the US the airline wants to check you into both the US-Canada and Canada-Italy flights at the same time, then explain your situation and show both passports. They can work it out then.

      • Italo-Brasiliano
        May 6, 2014 at 10:55 am #

        Got it. What about arriving in Italy with a Brazilian passport from a Canadian flight? Wouldn’t the immigration authorities raise a question as to how I was in Canada without a Visa? Maybe I’m just being too paranoid at this point, but is there a chance that this would happen?
        Thank you for taking the time to help out with my questions.

        • StyleHiClub
          May 6, 2014 at 10:59 am #

          Italian immigration does not care about your status while in Canada and won’t ask. BUT – if they do for some reason, it’s important you be honest. These tips aren’t meant to hide information, just make things go smoother. If an immigration officer starts asking questions from any country, you should always be honest. You aren’t doing anything wrong so it won’t cause a problem.

          • Italo-Brasiliano
            May 7, 2014 at 1:04 am #

            One last question:
            Air Canda will issue both tickets JFK>Montreal and Montreal>Rome during my checkin in NYC. That’s standard for all itineraries with connection. Since I will already have my boarding pass Montreal>Rome, after clearing immigration in Canada with my US Passport I won’t need to check in with Air Canada once again; only change planes. Who do I show my Brazilian passport before boarding the flight to Italy if I don’t have to check in again with Air Canada? I mean, showing my Brazilian passport when boarding won’t help them to update the Airline’s manifesto, correct?

          • StyleHiClub
            May 7, 2014 at 9:24 pm #

            I would show it to the gate agent before you board the flight to Italy and explain the situation. They should be able to update your record in the computer.

          • Italo-Brasiliano
            May 7, 2014 at 9:31 pm #

            Awesome! Thank you so much.

  91. eradmel
    May 6, 2014 at 8:32 pm #

    Not sure if this question is anywhere in the comments (I started reading them all, then saw there are 312….yikes), but this is my situation:

    My daughter is a dual citizen UK/USA and her permanent home is in the USA. She needs to get a visa to India as soon as possible, which is doable from what I can tell, but the Indian visa application includes a question about dual nationality and asks for a passport number for country #2 (in this case, UK). However, her UK passport has expired and I’m concerned that not having this will cause a glitch in the application process. So I guess my question is two parts: (1) Can a person not declare a dual citizenship on a visa application? ; (2) Is there some universal citizenship registry in the cloud that will flag her name if she leaves it blank on the application? From what I’ve read online, the INdian visa application process has no mercy for ambiguities and we are a bit concerned.
    –Thank you!

    • StyleHiClub
      May 7, 2014 at 9:26 pm #

      I have applied for an India visa with two passports and never had a problem. Since her second passport is invalid, I would just say that you hold a second citizenship from the UK but don’t hold a valid passport. This should be totally fine. Although saying you only have one citizenship probably won’t cause problems, I don’t think being honest here will cause you any problem at all.

      • StyleHiClub
        May 7, 2014 at 9:26 pm #

        Also just so you know come October Americans can get visas for India on-arrival in India!

  92. Rophic
    May 7, 2014 at 1:23 pm #

    I just became a US Citizen with a US Passport. I still hold a valid UK Passport.
    I’ve read this forum, and understand that when I travel to UK, I will need to show my UK passport at the US based departure airport, then my UK Passport upon arrival into UK, and then on my return trip I will need to show my US Passport at England based check in airport, and my US Passport upon arrival into the US airport.

    My question is this:
    In the past when I have made this trip to the UK, when I have checked-in at my local USA Airport, I showed my UK Passport but then always have additionally then had to show my Greencard I assume to validate my return trip acceptance back into US (since that is what I am ticketed for)

    How will this work now with Two Passports?
    If I use my UK Passport when I check in at my US Airport, I assume they will again ask me if I have a visa or green card (I’ve always assumed this was to show proof that I am able to return to America since I have a return ticket) So will I have to show both passports at check in?

    • StyleHiClub
      May 7, 2014 at 9:27 pm #

      Hi Rophic – thanks for the question. I’ve departed the US many times using just my Italian passport and never been asked to show anything else. However, should they ask I would just show your US passport and you should be all set.

  93. Alice
    May 8, 2014 at 2:35 am #

    This is a very useful article, thanks so much for putting the time and effort into maintaining it and answering questions.

    My situation is that I have an Australian and a Greek passport, both with different names. The passport needs to match the boarding pass. In your example above, if I leave Europe to come to Australia, I need to check-in for my flight using my Australian passport and use my Greek one to exit Europe. But then my boarding pass will not line up at one of these steps – either at check-in, or at immigration.

    My concern is that the airline won’t let me check-in if I show my Greek passport (as it won’t have a visa to come to Australia); but if I book an airline ticket in my Australian name, then immigration will see it doesn’t match my Greek passport and won’t let me leave Europe.

    Any idea on how this works? I’m sure I’m not to first person to have this problem… Also when I asked a couple of airlines, they said the name on the boarding pass MUST match exactly the name on the passport (so no dual names).

    • StyleHiClub
      May 8, 2014 at 10:54 am #

      Different names in your two passports can be tricky. I have heard of airlines allowing you to add a second name to your flight record. I would see if this is possible. If not, you may have to carefully navigate the process showing one passport to the airline and a different one to immigration hoping immigration doesn’t care the names don’t match exactly.

  94. Grainne
    May 9, 2014 at 3:19 am #

    My husband holds dual citizenship in Israel and the UK. We want to travel to the UK in two weeks, however his British passport has expired. Can he still enter the UK on an expired passport or should he just present his Israeli one. Thank you.

    • martin
      May 10, 2014 at 10:42 am #

      Go to the British embassy where you are now and ask them.
      Your husband should get a new passport immediately. If he has british citizenship he should use a British passport to enter the UK.

    • StyleHiClub
      May 11, 2014 at 10:37 pm #

      Martin is correct. He must enter the UK using a UK passport. If his is expired he must have it renewed overseas. The airline won’t let him board showing an expired passport.

  95. Venus
    May 10, 2014 at 9:45 am #

    I have a question to ask. My Aunt has dual citizenships in Canada and Philippines. My question is, She plans to go home to the Philippines in a one way ticket with her Philippine passport and plans to come back to Canada where she now resides after a year and use her Canadian passport. IS IT POSSIBLE? Can you please enlighten me? THANK YOU and HAVE A GREAT DAY! 🙂

    • StyleHiClub
      May 10, 2014 at 10:51 am #

      Yes, that is exactly what she should do. Do you have a concern about this?

      • Venus
        May 10, 2014 at 11:25 am #

        THANK YOU SO MUCH! 🙂 Nope I just told her that but I have to clarify to someone else like you. 🙂 Have A Great and blessed DAY! 🙂

  96. Mike
    May 10, 2014 at 5:26 pm #

    Hello I am a dual US and newly Brazilian citizen.. This all seems good. And I think I understand it. But How does it work if you bus into a country? I am going to South America and I will mostly be using a bus to travel around and using my Brazilian passport. But I fly into Peru with my US passport and I am going to bus into Brasil. I need to use my Brasil passport since I don’t need a visa and it will be free. But at the border I assume I need proof of how I got into Peru (which will be a stamp on my US passport). But I need to enter the Brasil with my Brazilian passport or they won’t let me in. Do i need to present my US passport to get my exit stamp and then my Brasil passport to enter Brasil? I am wary of showing two passports at a small border crossing. I have traveled SE Asia by bus and most are quite small.. Please help Thanks..

    • StyleHiClub
      May 11, 2014 at 10:38 pm #

      Technically you can switch passports in between countries but I have heard reports specifically from South America where border crossing agents wouldn’t accept a different passport then the one used at the previous exit. I would fly to Peru using your Brazilian passport and use it throughout your trip until it’s time to fly back to the US. This will cause you the least problems.

      • Jo Hanon
        June 7, 2014 at 11:12 pm #

        I have the same situation as a Brazilian/US citizen traveling through South America by bus. I wish I would have started my travels on my Brazilian passport, but I started by flying into Colombia on my US passport. At the Colombia/Ecuador border I tried leaving Colombia on my US passport and entering Ecuador on my Brazilian. They wouldn’t let me. Then when I entered Peru, I tried the same thing. Again, the border agent wouldn’t let me use my Brazilian passport to enter Peru. My next border is Bolivia, and if I can’t use my Brazilian passport, I’ll get nailed with a $145 fee and have to jump through some hoops as a US citizen. I am flying from Bolivia to Brazil to save some time (instead of taking busses the whole way). What should I do to avoid having problems in Bolivia and also correctly entering Brazil from Bolivia?

        Thanks for your help.

  97. Anthony Simpson
    May 14, 2014 at 1:23 am #

    Hi, how do i use my duel passport if im getting a connecting flight in the country i live in not the country im going to. Do I still use the passport of the country im going to to check in at the beginning of the trip? so in other words im going from one part of the country I live in to another part then getting a connecting flight to the country im visiting. but it is all booked as one ticket. Thank you

    • StyleHiClub
      May 14, 2014 at 8:50 am #

      Hi Anthony, I’m not too sure that I understand your question. I am assuming you are leaving from country A to country B, with a stop in A, and you are a citizen of both A and B? It really just depends on how your flight is set up. You don’t need a passport to fly domestically, so just present the passport of country A whenever you “depart” via immigration (meaning either before or after your connection – keep in mind that the US has no exit immigration, if the US is your country A). You can check into all flights with passport B.

      • Anthony Simpson
        May 14, 2014 at 10:16 am #

        Thank you. hope i’ll get it correct

  98. Mike
    May 14, 2014 at 2:46 pm #

    Hello:

    I’ve read through the post above and just because of the country I plan to go to, I would like some extra info. Your post is super clear, and I apologize if I am a bit redundant, but here goes my question. I want to travel from the US to Iran. I am an American Citizen, live in the US. I also have dual citizenship from Peru. It’s a bit complicated to enter Iran as an American, but completely fine on a Peruvian passport.

    So, if I was to travel to say Turkey. I would:
    – Leave the US with my US passport
    – Enter Turkey with my US passport

    Buy a ticket to Iran from Turkey (here is my doubt):
    – Enter Iran with my Peruvian Passport
    – Exit Iran with my Peruvian passport
    – Enter back into Turkey with my American (?) passport?
    – Exit out of Turkey back to the US with my American passport

    Does that seem correct? Orrrr am I totally wrong? When you enter back into the US, and they ask on that little piece of paper “countries you have visited on this trip”. Would you list Iran even though you did not use your US passport for this trip? If you do list it, would they question how? Since its not marked on the US passport? (I guess this applies for any other country, if you visit Turkey, and then go to Italy on an Italian passport, would you say you visited Italy on that form as well? Even though there is no record of that on your US passport)

    Thank you so much for your help and time!

    • StyleHiClub
      May 17, 2014 at 10:58 pm #

      You should probably use your Peruvian passport for absolutely everything until it’s time to check in for the flight back to the USA at the end of your trip. But yes, generally what you wrote is correct. When you fill out your immigration form upon returning to the US you should absolutely be honest about where you’ve been. There’s no reason to lie because you haven’t done anything wrong. If they ask how you traveled to those places since you don’t have stamps, tell them you have dual citizenship.

  99. audz
    May 14, 2014 at 5:29 pm #

    hi , not sure if anyone can help..
    .my partner is from Iran and now living in Ireland since 2009 and holds an irish passport. His Iranian passport has expired. We want to travel to Budapest but he is not sure if he can just travel with the irish passport or needs a visa. Does anybody know what the procedure is please !!!

    • StyleHiClub
      May 17, 2014 at 10:56 pm #

      I’m not sure I understand your question. Your partner is an EU citizen and wants to go elsewhere in the EU? He absolutely does not need a visa because he’s considered a citizen. The fact that he has an expired Iranian passport is not relevant unless he needs to travel to Iran.

  100. ltan1488
    May 18, 2014 at 1:11 am #

    After reading all these comments, it makes me think that when you book your international tickets online, you have make sure you enter the correct passport number. It is very possible that one needs to enter your departing flight with one passport, while entering the second passport on your incoming flight. (if the airline website will allow to enter 2 different passports). I think I would rather personally give the airline ticket agent my intended passport one leg at a time.

    • StyleHiClub
      May 19, 2014 at 5:50 pm #

      The passport you enter online doesn’t mean much really. What matters is the passport you show when you check in for your flight.

      • Carlo
        June 16, 2014 at 8:49 am #

        I am confused about this as well. On step 2 you mentioned using the italian passport when purchasing the 2 way ticket to brazil. How is it then that on step 6 you can show your american passport to the airline when you entered your italian passport info when purchasing the 2 way ticket?

  101. tourist888
    May 18, 2014 at 10:02 am #

    I have a concern as I hold a Malaysian and Canadian passport. My itinerary is Kuala Lumpur to Beijing, then Beijing to Toronto. Coming back is Toronto to Beijing, then Beijing to Kuala Lumpur. Is this okay?

    KUL to PEK — Malaysian passport (with Chinese visa) at counter and to enter.
    PEK to YYZ via the US — Canadian passport at airline counter, but Malaysian passport to exit.

    YYZ to PEK via the US — Malaysian passport at airline counter, but Canada to exit (Malaysian passport does not have US transit visa). At PEK, use Malaysian passport to enter.

    PEK to KUL — Malaysian passport at counter and to exit.

    • tourist888
      May 18, 2014 at 10:25 am #

      Forgot to mention, I’ll enter and stay in Beijing for 2 days each leg.

      • StyleHiClub
        May 19, 2014 at 5:51 pm #

        Just make sure you enter and exit from Canada on the Canadian passport but otherwise looks good.

  102. Adrien moreau
    May 18, 2014 at 8:41 pm #

    Hello, I came from France (where I used to live) to australia using my French passport. I hold both Us (native) and French passport. I live temporary in Australia now with a work and travel visa issued on my French passport.
    Do you think I can join the USA using my US passport flying from Australia ?
    Thanks for your help.

    • StyleHiClub
      May 19, 2014 at 5:51 pm #

      I’m sorry but I’m not sure what you mean by join the USA?

  103. Thomas
    May 19, 2014 at 7:21 pm #

    Hi Dave,

    I apologise if you’ve answered this already, as I haven’t read all comments. I have a few question(s) I’d like you to clear up for me if you can.

    I was born in Australia. I am a dual Australian/American citizen.

    I plan to fly one-way to Dallas using my American passport. Steps 1-5 cover this.

    But from Dallas, I plan to fly one-way again to Thailand.
    Question – do I follow steps 1-5 again?

    Finally, from Thailand, I plan to fly home to Sydney, Australia.
    Question – do i follow steps 6-8? Which passport do I present to immigration?

    • Thomas
      May 19, 2014 at 7:29 pm #

      From Dallas -> Thailand leg:
      Should I book my one-way ticket with my Australian passport details and enter Thailand as an Australian? I can present my American passport to Immigration If applicable) in order to leave Dallas.

      Then when I fly from Thailand to Sydney, I can just continue to use my Australian passport?

      Your help would be great, thanks Dave

      • StyleHiClub
        May 21, 2014 at 9:57 pm #

        You should show your American passport when checking in to your flight departing Oz. Then show your Aussie passport when departing Aussie immigration. Then use your American passport for everything else until it’s time to check into the flight back to Oz and then clear Aussie immigration.

  104. Buzz
    May 21, 2014 at 9:44 am #

    I was in Germany for a few months and I’ve been using my German passport to travel all over the Middle East, but used my US passport to enter Tel Aviv. When I return back to the US do I need to mention that I was in Tel Aviv? The Israeli immigration don’t stamp the passport anymore, so is there any way for US immigration to know that I was in Israel?

    • StyleHiClub
      May 21, 2014 at 9:56 pm #

      Is there a reason you wouldn’t want to disclose you were there? There’s no issue going to Israel so there’s no reason to hide it. Only bad things can come from lying on your immigration form.

  105. Edson Fernando
    May 21, 2014 at 5:40 pm #

    Hi there, i have a question, would really apreciate the help.
    I have dual citizenship, from Portugal and Angola. and i have booked two flights, one from portugal to johannesburg(middle stop in duba) then after a few days in johannesburg a flight to angola, what passport must i present when arriving to SA? or it really doesnt matter?

    • StyleHiClub
      May 21, 2014 at 9:25 pm #

      It’s up to you. Whichever is easier for you to use. Make sure you don’t any visas or anything on whichever you use and that you use the same one to exit.

  106. Patricio
    May 23, 2014 at 12:03 am #

    Hii, in my case I live in Mexico (mexican passport) and I have my passport from Spain, already got the ESTA and all for traveling, now with the I-94 electronic the airline notifies immigration (is that correct?) if we have left or not the country how should I register in the airline first in mexico and for coming back? (because if I enter with my spanish passport then I need to go to the airline with the same so they let immigration know I left???) I’m so confused, Thankyou!

    • David DiGregorio
      May 28, 2014 at 11:34 pm #

      Just follow the exact steps above and you should be all set.

  107. Curious asker
    May 27, 2014 at 10:11 am #

    HI! I have a Philippine passport and an American one. I am going to take my master’s degree in spain for a year so I’ll be applying for some type of visa (a temporary resident one i think). However, in december I plan to fly to hawaii for a family vacation. I’m assuming i can just use my philippine passport (with the visa and all) to go to spain, then from there fly to america using my american passport with no problems? I am just worried the immigration officers may ask where i came from and how come there’s no departure stamp from spain on my american passport or what. Any advice? I was told to show both passports when leaving the philippines, but like i said when I get to hawaii maybe they’ll ask where i was during the last few months since i didn’t depart the philippines and go to america right away (will be in spain first for the masters degree) any advice? thanks a lot!

    • Curious asker
      May 27, 2014 at 10:12 am #

      sorry i forgot to mention that i am residing in the philippines and therefore will depart to spain from here. then go to hawaii, then back to spain. thx

      • David DiGregorio
        May 28, 2014 at 11:33 pm #

        If an immigration officer asks where you’ve been just be honest. You have nothing to hide and are doing nothing wrong.

  108. maged
    May 28, 2014 at 4:43 pm #

    hi,
    i have a similar situation to the above example, i am Egyptian/Bulgarian and i’ll be travelling to Greece soon, but the point that my Bulgarian passport was issued while i’m in Egypt, and i never used it, will i have problems while entering Greece ?

    • David DiGregorio
      May 28, 2014 at 11:32 pm #

      As long as a passport is valid it makes no difference if you’ve never used it. If there is a substantial difference between your names on both passports there could be a problem. But a middle name or lack thereof should not cause any issues.

  109. Marsha
    May 28, 2014 at 11:59 pm #

    Given that Airlines in the USA are probably sending Advanced Passenger Information ,API, to CBP for outbound flights, just is customarily done for inbound flights; and, that US citizens are required by “8 U.S. Code § 1185 – Travel control of citizens and aliens” to not only enter but leave the USA by bearing a US passport, would one not want to notify the airline at check-in, for outbound flights, that you have a US passport even though you are using a foreign passport at your destination? Am assuming that, as a min. Dual citizen, you are using a foreign passport for intl. travel so you checking with this passport and it is listed in the API info.

    My reasoning is that when/if the airline sends your API info to CBP for your outbound flight then you are essentially going through a quasi US exit immigration process(ie. your exit is being logged via API with US CBP including what passport you are traveling on). I would definitely want it recorded somewhere in the flights PNR that I am bearing a US passport upon departing the USA to have proof that am in compliance with “8 U.S. Code § 1185 – Travel control of citizens and aliens”.

    As a Dual US/Canadian citizen, and given the fact that Canadian Immigration has never given any problems on numerous US to Canada flights, this process has always worked for me: check-in at US airport using US passport, knowing that this API info is probably being sent to CBP(ie. exit bearing US passport is recorded) when arriving at Canadian airport then use Canadian passport to enter. Apparently, Immigration Canada is not getting inbound flight API info or does not care if it does not match. When going back to USA then use US passport to enter.

    This process will not work with countries like the UK where the API info has to match the passport used to enter as this article describes: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelnews/5170688/New-border-controls-could-penalise-Britons-with-dual-nationality.html

    I do intend to follow the above step-by-step process for traveling to countries where a Canadian passport is more beneficial than US such as getting lower visa fees to Brazil. However, for step 3, after checking in with my Canadian passport for an intl. Flight to Brazil, I will asked the airline agent to record in my PNR that I am also bearing a US passport.

    • Marsha
      May 29, 2014 at 12:26 am #

      One update to above post. The e-Borders programme outlined in the cited Telegraph article was just terminated in March, 2014 by UK gov’t., so no API info is being checked for UK entry.

    • Frequent traveler
      June 25, 2014 at 11:27 am #

      I really wish Dave would respond to this post. I am US/Italy, and I have been doing what Martha describes for years. I check into my flight to the EU with the American passport and go through EU immigration with my Italian passport. I have never had any problems with EU officials with this whole manifest issue. In fact, most of the time they just glance at my Italian passport and wave me through.
      Dave, you seem really adamant about presenting your destination passport at check-in. Can you cite any proof that this is really necessary? In some cases, this has the potential to cause a giant headache. For example, Italy refuses to put married surnames on passports. So, my mother has one surname on her Italian passport and another (completely different) surname on her US passport, credit cards, driver’s license, etc. etc. She can’t exactly book a round-trip ticket with two different surnames, so she uses her US passport with all airline personnel. Short of legally changing her name on her US documents, I don’t see how your way of doing it could work for her, and I’m not convinced that it’s necessary at all.

      • StyleHiClub
        June 25, 2014 at 10:12 pm #

        The procedures I’ve outlined are best practice. It’s not to say that you will always have a problem if you don’t follow them. I use the US as the source of most of my examples as they do require advanced passenger info to be sent for incoming passengers.

  110. Marjorie Castro
    May 29, 2014 at 1:29 pm #

    Hi Dave, great write up. Just a quick question. I ‘m traveling from Canada to Brazil with a layover in Miami. What passport do I show when entering /exiting the US to continue on my trip.
    I have a Canadian and Ecuadorian passport.

    Thanks!
    Marj

    • David DiGregorio
      May 29, 2014 at 9:22 pm #

      You should show your Canadian passport until it’s time to check in for the flight to Ecuador from Miami. Then change to your Ecuadorian passport.

      • Marjorie Castro
        May 30, 2014 at 9:04 am #

        Hi David, wow, thanks for your quick reply. I’m actually on my way to Brazil with a layover in Miami. I want to use my Ecuadorian passport as then I wouldn’t need a visa to enter.

        • David DiGregorio
          May 30, 2014 at 9:06 am #

          Yup, that should be fine.

  111. daniela
    May 30, 2014 at 3:47 am #

    Thank you so much for such an useful information. I am an exchange student in Japan. I have my student viza in my Moldovan passport (that does not allow to travel viza-free to Hong Kong or Singapore) and I own also a Romanian Passport that allows me to travel to hong kong and singapore. what should i do in this case in order to reenter japan after my trip? can i check out from japan with the moldovan passport and travel to hk with the romanian passport?! is it possible to skip to another passport during the flight? and when back, should i show the moldovan passport or should i enter back with the romanian passport, since it is viza-free also for japan?! thank you very much!

    • David DiGregorio
      May 30, 2014 at 9:07 am #

      You should follow the steps above in this post exactly. You’ll exit Japan as a Moldovan, then do the rest of your trip as a Romanian and come back to Japan as Moldovan.

  112. Grace
    May 30, 2014 at 10:06 am #

    I am a dual citizen holding two passports of Philippines and US. I am residing in the US but went back to Philippines to study. I exited US with my US passport and entered Philippines with my Philippine passport only .The immigration didn’t stamped my US passport coz I did not show it to them(Philippines immigration) . Is it okay to go back to US with an unstamped US passport from a country where I came from? Can I be in trouble for not having my US passport stamped?

    • David DiGregorio
      June 4, 2014 at 12:38 pm #

      You won’t have a problem. You aren’t allowed to use your US passport to go to the Philippines so there is no other way to do this. If US CBP asks why you don’t have a stamp, just tell them you are a dual citizen (never lie). But they won’t ask.

  113. Isaac
    May 30, 2014 at 4:18 pm #

    Hi, I’m planning to go to brazil in the next few days. I have two passports (USA and Mexico) I will be using my Mexican passport to enter Brazil without a visa and the American passport to return back to the US. My problem is that my Mexican passport has two last names which it doesn’t match my US passport. What should I do in this situation?

    • David DiGregorio
      June 4, 2014 at 12:39 pm #

      Do both passports have at least some common names? Like does the Mexican passport have an additional last name the US one doesn’t have? If so, you shouldn’t have a problem. But check with the airline. Often times they can enter a secondary name on your record.

  114. Nikita
    May 30, 2014 at 7:27 pm #

    I am planning on living and traveling within the Schengen region of the EU(mostly Spain) this fall. I have dual citizenship with USA and Mexico. I have booked my ticket to Spain from the US already. Since I do not have a live or work visa, I am wondering how I can maximize the amount of time I stay. If I enter Spain on my US passport and stay for the 3 months tourist visa at which time I leave and go to a country outside of Schengen( say UK) present my Mexican passport in UK and then leave UK and re-enter Spain with my Mexican passport, would this essentially allow me to stay for another 3 months. Would the authorities upon entering the UK from Spain ask me why I do not have a stamp of entry into the EU already? I appreciate the feedback!

    • David DiGregorio
      June 4, 2014 at 12:40 pm #

      As a rule this will not work. You are you and the limit applies to a person, not a passport. That’s not to say it won’t work though.

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  116. Kim
    June 1, 2014 at 8:09 am #

    My ex is a dual citizen of U.S. and Senegal, but his U.S. passport was revoked because of non-payment of child support. He’s bought his ticket to go to Senegal so he’s going to use his Senegal passport but will he have problems leaving or reentering?

    • WossamattaU
      June 4, 2014 at 10:04 am #

      Leaving, no. Entering, yes.

    • David DiGregorio
      June 4, 2014 at 12:42 pm #

      He shouldn’t have a problem leaving unless the authorities flagged his identity. If they did, it doesn’t matter which passport he’s traveling on since all his other info will match. Regardless, he wont’ be able to return.

  117. Andrea
    June 3, 2014 at 4:06 pm #

    Hi – my son’s US passport has not yet arrived, and the passport agency is saying that they have no way of ensuring we receive the passport before 6/12 (our travel date).

    Since my son holds dual citizenship (German & US), can you tell me if I can leave with the German Passport? I plan to obtain a temporary passport from the US Consulate in Germany for the return flight. If not, do you have any suggestions who I can turn to so I can obtain his passport prior to our departure date (added complication, when I submitted for his passport renewal they not only took his old passport but also his birth certificate).

    • David DiGregorio
      June 4, 2014 at 12:43 pm #

      You should be able to rush the US passport for a fee, or even go to the passport office and leave with it (you can do this in NYC). But, if none of that works, your plan is doable, yes. Although they may give you a hard time about issuing a temporary passport overseas if you didn’t enter the country as an American to begin with. But it should be doable.

  118. Minna
    June 3, 2014 at 11:17 pm #

    Thanks for this very useful post! I am a Canadian citizen who VERY recently got American citizenship and am getting my brand new US passport tomorrow. I’m going to Brazil at the end of the month and have a Brazilian visa for my Canadian passport, but due to tight timeline, won’t be able to get a Brazilian visa in my American passport in time. I assume I can still travel using my two passports? Please let me know if this sounds right:

    1. Check in with airline with Canadian passport including Brazil visa
    2. There’s no exit check at JFK, so I would fly to Brazil and clear immigration with my Canadian passport
    3. When I leave Brazil, I check in with airline with my US passport and exit Brazilian immigration with my Canadian passport
    4. When I return to the US, use my brand new US passport and should have no trouble despite fact that it’s completely blank??

    Just want to be 100% sure – have been very stressed about not having a Brazilian visa in my American passport but based on your post, my Canadian passport with visa + US passport should be fine, correct? Thank you SO MUCH!

    • David DiGregorio
      June 4, 2014 at 12:44 pm #

      Sounds good all around. You won’t have a problem re-entering the USA as they will see in the computer where you are coming from (which is why you check into the flight using the US passport in Brazil). If they question you (which they won’t) just say you are a dual citizen. Never lie.

      • Minna
        June 4, 2014 at 12:57 pm #

        I know that you say when I’m flying out of the country the airline won’t care whether I had a right to be in the US in the first place, but if for some reason they ask to see my greencard since I’m on a roundtrip, can I just whip out my US passport and they’ll be good with that?

        • David DiGregorio
          June 4, 2014 at 1:02 pm #

          Yes, just explain you are a dual citizen with the US and you’ll be fine.

  119. Kenzo
    June 4, 2014 at 1:54 pm #

    Hello Dave.I have Greek & Japanese passports.Which passport should I use to leave from Greece to Thailand? For your information, I don’t have a stay permit for the Japanese passport.So I may face a problem at the immigration counter at the Athens airport. My wish is to leave from Greece using Japanse passport…

    • David DiGregorio
      June 8, 2014 at 7:46 pm #

      I don’t know if it’s easier to enter Thailand using a Greek or Japanese passport? But you need to exit Greece on the Greek passport. Depending on which passport you’ll use at your destination, that’s what you should show to the airline in Greece when you check in.

  120. Ignacio
    June 5, 2014 at 2:10 pm #

    Hi David, I found your post very interesting, I just want clairfy. I am from Argentina (currently living here) and I have dual citizenships Argentinean and italian, I do have both passports as well. I am planning on traveling to USA next month and I would like to use my italian passport since with it I do not require a tourist visa to get into USA, is this possible?

    • David DiGregorio
      June 8, 2014 at 7:48 pm #

      Yes, it’s your choice which passport to use. You hold all the rights and privileges of both. Just check into the flight to the USA using the Italian passport, then exit Argentine immigration with the Argentine passport. Then enter the US as an Italian. Make sure you get your ESTA if you need it before traveling to the USA.

  121. dannycrow
    June 6, 2014 at 5:14 am #

    I’m in a bit of a situation,
    I really hope someone can help me. My girlfriend and I are currently living in the UK. She is an Australian citizen and I am a duel citizen Australian/British. Recently we applied with the home office for me to Sponsor her so we can stay for a little longer. The application is currently being processed – they have her Australian passport and my British one (I’ve still got my Aussie one with me). Now I’ve just been offered a free trip to Italy through in two weeks time. Can I travel on my Australian passport? Will I be allowed back into the UK?

    • David DiGregorio
      June 8, 2014 at 7:49 pm #

      The issue you’ll have is that you’ll be departing the UK on a passport that was never used to enter. Coming back you’ll be entering as an Aussie which gives you only a certain amount of time in the country before you are overstaying. It’s possible, but you would need to be careful.

  122. Saskia
    June 6, 2014 at 11:46 am #

    im a citizen of the United states and Grat Britain, i am planning to fly out to london in a couple of day to visit my family. i am using my american passport to enter the UK, will i have a problem? even though im a citizen of both countries?

    • David DiGregorio
      June 8, 2014 at 7:49 pm #

      It’s illegal to use your American passport to enter the UK if you are a British citizen. Use your UK passport.

  123. Daniel
    June 6, 2014 at 6:36 pm #

    Hello,

    I recently obtained my US Citizenship. I was born in Italy and have also an Italian passport. I apologize if my question has already been answered. I noted that you say that US Immigration does not check passports when exiting the US. I live in NYC, I flight out from JFK and, after having checked in with the airline, there is always a line before the security check point where the officers want to see your ticket and passport. So, upon flying to Italy, this is what I would do:
    1) Book my flight with the airlines (European carrier) and give them my Italian passport upon purchasing the ticket;
    2) At the time of check-in for my flight out (either on line or in person) enter again my Italian passport;
    3) At the agents requesting ticket and passport before the security check point present my ITALIAN OR US (?) passport – i would assume US passport as US citizens should leave and enter the US on a US Passport … (?);
    4) At the check point upon entering Europe present my Italian passport;
    5) At the time of check-in for my flight back in (either on line or in person) enter my ITALIAN OR US (?) passport – i would assume the US passport as US citizens should enter and leave US on a US Passport… (?) but wouldn’t this raise a flag as I originally gave the airline my Italian passport and they still have it saved in their system, associated with my travel plan and, thus, my flight back?;
    6) At the Italian immigration agents show the Italian passport I used for entering Italy;
    7) At the check-point before boarding where they check ticket and give you the custom declaration form show my US passport.

    I would appreciate if you could comment on the above based on your experience.
    Many thanks,
    Daniel

    • David DiGregorio
      June 8, 2014 at 7:51 pm #

      In the US the line where they check your passport right before security is a TSA check – they are only checking identifications. It makes absolutely no difference what ID you show here. They are only checking to make sure the name on your ID matches your boarding card – that’s it. As far as coming back to the US, other then departing UK immigration, show your US passport at every other step.

  124. Ross
    June 9, 2014 at 1:05 pm #

    Does anyone have experience travelling from the US to Cuba? Am I likely to be alright flying from Miami to Havana (and back again) while juggling my American and Canadian passports, or is there an additional layer of security on this trip that would complicate this plan? I know neither government is wild about the citizens of the other.

    • David DiGregorio
      June 9, 2014 at 2:49 pm #

      If you are flying from Miami to Havana then you must have permission from the US to be going to Cuba. If that’s the case, you can certainly enter with your US passport. Cuba has no issue with letting Americans enter, it’s only the US that has the restriction but like I said, you must have gotten around that if you are traveling directly from the US to Cuba.

  125. Mike Langford
    June 10, 2014 at 12:11 pm #

    Great post & comments, thanks Dave! We are planning a trip from our residence country Peru via Europe then to my country of birth, South Africa & back on the same route which will be chiefly Lima-Paris-Cape Town return. My wife & daughter have Peruvian passports so will need to apply for visas, but I have both a South African & British passports. I have seen other posts that say that you should not leave a country with one passport & enter another with a different passport – according to your article & comments this is then not the case. I need to enter & leave South Africa with my South African passport (and, when we visit the UK from France enter & leave the UK with my UK passport). So am I correct in thinking that I should leave Paris with my UK passport & enter SA with my SA passport? Then leave SA with my SA passport & enter Paris with my UK passport?

    • David DiGregorio
      June 10, 2014 at 12:43 pm #

      I think you’ve got it. Check into flights using the passport you’ll use to enter at the flight’s destination. Match the passport you exit the country with with what you showed immigration authorities when you entered. Basically for you you should just use your UK passport for everything minus checking into the SA bound flight, arriving in SA and departing SA immigration.

  126. Alex
    June 12, 2014 at 6:07 pm #

    Great post Dave!
    I have a BIG complication.
    I have dual citizenship (Greek and Italian), live in the US with working visa (in Greek passport) and I’ll travel to Brazil next week. My Greek passport will expire in July therefore I can’t enter Brazil with the Greek one and would need to enter with the Italian one. ALSO, my first name is translated in both passports so the last 2 letters don’t match.

    Here are my questions:
    1) Since I’m on a Visa, isn’t the US immigration supposed to record that I exit the country? By showing my italian one at check in, that won’t show in their records.
    2) My tickets are booked with the name that is on the Greek passport with the US visa. (didn’t want to risk to no getting back into the US). How would you go for it?
    3) At Immigration in Brazil, do they care which passport you gor on the plane with?
    I was thinking I would travel both legs with the Greek passport (show that at Check-in) so tickets match passport and US can record both exit and arrival, then go through immigration in Brazil with Italian one. Check in with the Greek one on the return flight, show Italian one at exit immigration in Brazil (return the card and get the exit stamp), and then enter the US with the Greek.
    Do you think that would work? How would you go about it? Would you show both passports at the Brazilian immigration?
    Thanks for your help!!

    • David DiGregorio
      June 16, 2014 at 10:04 am #

      Hi Alex,

      You need to check into the flight in the US using the passport you’ll use at arrival.

      If the names don’t match that could be a problem. Call the airline and see if they will add the second version of your name to the booking. Sometimes they will do this.

      Arriving in Brazil you should show the same passport you checked into the flight to Brazil with. Don’t show both passports to immigration unless asked. Otherwise, your plan should be okay.

  127. mario
    June 14, 2014 at 2:11 pm #

    I had travel to U.S. on Indian passport now had surrender Indian passport now I m having Portuguese passport do I need cancelled Indian passport for visa and my wife have Indian passport do we can apply for U.S. visa with to separate citizens do they denied for that

    • David DiGregorio
      June 16, 2014 at 9:59 am #

      I’m not sure what your question is exactly. If you have a Portuguese passport you can enter the US with the visa-waiver program for 90 days.

  128. ANNE
    June 16, 2014 at 5:50 am #

    I have dual nationality, btitish/japanese ,I do not have residence stamp on my japanese passpor will be travelling to Turkey, Intend to use japanese passport, will it pose problem upon arrival in Turkey to use Japanese passport, please advise

    • David DiGregorio
      June 16, 2014 at 9:58 am #

      I’m not sure I understand your concern. Are you allowed to enter Turkey with a Japanese passport? If so you won’t have a problem. It doesn’t matter if you have another passport.

      • Anne
        June 16, 2014 at 12:23 pm #

        i’m born and currently living in uk, will immigration in Turkey querry my residence status, i’m a british citizen. Should i present my british passport when querry!.
        Thanks

        • David DiGregorio
          June 23, 2014 at 3:20 pm #

          Authorities in Turkey are only going to care if you are allowed to be in Turkey, not your residence status in the UK.

  129. E pluribus unum
    June 16, 2014 at 2:03 pm #

    I think I’m getting it!

    So I leave the US and show Delta my Italian passport. Land in Italy and show them my Italian passport. Then from Italy I show the Authority PRE-checkin (at Malpensa before getting to the US departing check-in section you have to go through a pre screening) my Italian passport, then Delta my US passport, then at departing customs (the little booth after Italian TSA check) my Italian passport… then once in the US, again my US passport.

    This is a mentally insane and stressful process BTW

    • StyleHiClub
      June 19, 2014 at 8:45 am #

      You got it!

    • Tim E
      June 20, 2014 at 4:54 pm #

      Beats paying for and wasting time on a visa doesn’t it though? Wait a second. You’re an American citizen, do you even need a visa to go to the EU? I think you can just use your US passport and that’s all.

      • David DiGregorio
        June 23, 2014 at 3:39 pm #

        If going to Italy you must use your Italian passport. You must always present yourself as a citizen of the country you hold citizenship of. Even if your other passport would get you in as well.

        • Tim E
          June 25, 2014 at 9:59 am #

          I guess that’s true. What do you do if you enter into another country of the EU and then go to Italy by car/train?

          • StyleHiClub
            June 25, 2014 at 2:28 pm #

            As a rule, I just use my Italian passport when coming and going from Italy. If you for some reason enter the EU with your other passport, then go across to Italy through an open border, then depart Italy via air to exit the EU…I guess you should show your non-Italy passport – whichever one you entered the EU with. It’s kinda a grey area.

  130. Susan
    June 17, 2014 at 11:24 am #

    I have dual citizenship USA and UK. I was born in the USA and recently acquired dual citizenship through descent from my mother. As a US Citizen, do I travel to the UK with my US passport or UK passport? Also, while in London if I travel to another country, say Belgium or Paris, do I use my UK passport?

    • StyleHiClub
      June 19, 2014 at 8:45 am #

      It is your choice when you enter a country other than US/UK, however it would be easier for you to use your UK passport when traveling around the EU.

  131. I 2 Travel Freely
    June 19, 2014 at 12:59 am #

    I have a question. If I get work visa on an American passport, then I get a the citizenship by investment in St. Kitts and become a St. Kittian, then would I have to get a work visa in my St. Kitts and Nevis passport too.

    • StyleHiClub
      June 19, 2014 at 8:45 am #

      If you are a citizen, you wouldn’t need a work visa.

  132. anthony
    June 19, 2014 at 11:07 am #

    I am departing from US and arriving in Italy. I understand that the info you give to the airline and departing immigration are separate and can be different, but British Airways is asking me for API which will be shared with departing immigration. If I give the airline my Italian passport as API and then show my US passport to departing immigration (who have received my Italian passport API from British Airways), will there not be some confusion? You should mention this in Step 4 because many people will be wondering the same thing.

    • anthony
      June 19, 2014 at 1:10 pm #

      EDIT: After reading step 4 again it appears that there is no departing immigration in the US? So that means I can leave the US never showing my US passport, but return on my US passport? This seems like a key piece of information that is missing.

      • David DiGregorio
        June 23, 2014 at 3:37 pm #

        That is correct.

  133. Tim E
    June 19, 2014 at 2:38 pm #

    I’ve travelled with two passports before but never had to use two passports at an airport, this helps, thanks. I’ve crossed borders on a bus with two passports showing the border authorities the appropriate passport each time. It feels funny – they don’t care at all whether you’re allowed to enter the other country and when you cross the border you hand the people on the other side another passport that doesn’t have any signs of you being in the country you just left (they do stamp whatever passport you give them, but it’s different each time) 🙂

    • Tim E
      June 19, 2014 at 2:42 pm #

      They will grill you, however, if you have an inconsistent number of stamps in your passport. I got my passport stamped for some reason when I flew into Italy from Germany, but not when I went back and later on when I was leaving the EU they had some questions about it.

    • E.W.
      June 19, 2014 at 3:55 pm #

      Hi Tim,
      Are you a US citizen? and if so, have you left the US on a foreign passport?

      • Tim E
        June 20, 2014 at 4:50 pm #

        No, I’m not a US citizen.

        • Laura
          June 30, 2014 at 12:15 am #

          Not true crossing by bus from Malaysia to Brunei cost me having to go back to the departure point. They refused to allow me in Brunei because I didn’t have the Malaysian chop -which was in my other passport which requieres a visa for Brunei.

          • Richard
            July 2, 2014 at 7:38 am #

            Same thing going from Thailand to Laos.. Not sure is it like this in the most of SE-Asia.
            Lao authorities check your departure stamp from thailand. If you don’t have one they wont let you in

  134. Owen
    June 20, 2014 at 2:11 am #

    Hi Dave, we are travelling from the uae to russia and our uae residancy visa is on our NZ passports (we have dual NZ and russian citizenship), my worry with step 6 is that we booked a return flight so we entered our russian passport details, would it be ok with the airline if we present the NZ passport with our UAE residency even that the details with the airline is the russian passport? we needed to enter the russian passport for step 3. thanks very much for your help

    • David DiGregorio
      June 23, 2014 at 3:36 pm #

      The passport you entered when booking shouldn’t mean anything. What matters is what you check in with at the airport.

  135. Mcado67
    June 21, 2014 at 11:17 pm #

    Son has dual UK and US citizenship and is traveling to Brazil in 30 days. Just want to make sure he isn’t going to run into problems. He checks in and exits US on UK passport which does not require a visa to Brazil. Enters Brazil on UK passport. Checks in and Exits Brazil using UK passport. Enters US on US passport??? Is that it? He is traveling alone so I need to make sure he knows exactly what to do!! Many thanks

    • David DiGregorio
      June 23, 2014 at 3:36 pm #

      That’s correct except when he checks in for the flight from Brazil to US he has to use his US passport. Not UK. That info is sent to the US ahead of time.

  136. Sherry Hw
    June 23, 2014 at 12:23 am #

    Hi Dave/StyleHiClub, great post and thanks for sharing your knowledge with the world. It’s a great example. My case is a little bit special and if you (or anyone) could take a moment to answer my questions, that’ll be superb…
    I’m a dual citizen of China and Canada, living/working in the US. I went to a friend’s wedding this winter in China, and entered China with my Chinese passport. I then flew from China to the US, with my Chinese passport too (because the work visa of US is on the Chinese passport, I do not want my work visa to be on my Canadian passport for special personal reasons). I’m gonna go back to Canada for Christmas to see my family, can I enter Canada with my Canadian passport even though the ‘exiting stamp’ is not on the Canadian passport? If yes, according to your post, I will enter my Canadian passport when purchasing airline ticket, and show the Canadian passport to Airline, at the airport with TSA for security check, what passport should I show, Canadian too? Since leaving the US I don’t need to show the US visa to any one, after TSA, I’m done and good. When entering Canada, obviously I will use the Canadian passport.. When I enter Canada, the custom/immigration control of Canada will ask me questions such as where did you fly from and how long did you stay there etc, because there is no “exit stamp” on my Canadian passport, do I must answer their questions truthfully? It might have an impact on my work visa with Chinese passport.. Hopefully the description of the scenario makes sense. Thanks so much in advance

    Sincerely,
    Sherry Hw

    • David DiGregorio
      June 23, 2014 at 3:35 pm #

      Hi Sherry. It doesn’t matter what passport you show to TSA. That’s just an identity check to make sure the name on the boarding card matches the ID. As far as answering Canada’s questions, you should always be truthful to immigration officials. Chances are they will know if you are lying and your situation will be much worse.

  137. tik
    June 23, 2014 at 1:01 am #

    hi Dave,
    thanks so much for the info.
    please let me ask u a question, I hold a Malaysian passport from birth and have a French passport. Malaysia government don’t allow double nationality. But i have to travel with my FR passport (which got the good visa) to go to USA from Malaysia, following your advice I should check in with my FR passsport and show immigration the Malaysia one, even though you mention that the airline don’t care about immigartion law, but I still fear I will be announce holding 2 passports as it is unlawful in my country. any advice? pls

    • David DiGregorio
      June 23, 2014 at 3:33 pm #

      If you are really concerned about Malaysia finding out you have a second passport, get a visa to travel to France in the Malay passport and then don’t use it.

    • Curtis
      July 2, 2014 at 7:59 am #

      If you worry you could cross the border and go to thailand first and and then take a flight from bangkok

  138. Eric
    June 23, 2014 at 1:59 am #

    First and foremost.. great thread. This info is really good to know but I am unsure of step 4 and 8. I have dual citizenship in the US and Canada. I need to travel to France (girlfriend and the kids) and stay there for 3 months (the 90/180 rule). So the plan is to travel 1/2 the time on my CAN passport and the other 1/2, on my USA passport.

    I get the logic of entering and leaving France on the same passport. Since on purchasing the plane tickets one needs to enter the passport info I get that the passport you present to the airline authorities must match.

    But what i have an issue with is why show my CAN passport to the existing canadian immigration and entering immigration. First, passports are scanned and i can safely assume that this is written down in a database somewhere. When I come back from my 3 month stay it would be scanned again and therefore the authorities would know that I left canada for 3 months but I travelled on my USA passport. There would be no stamps in my CAN passport, so would that not raise an alarm?, like.. where have you been?

    Hope my question is clear 🙂 and thanks for your help

    • David DiGregorio
      June 23, 2014 at 3:32 pm #

      Honestly I’m not sure what you’re asking here. You want to stay for three months in France which you can do on either your US or CAN passport so why split the time between both? Regardless, there is nothing wrong with traveling on your US passport. Canada isn’t going to be mad at you for doing so. It doesn’t matter if you return home with no stamps. What does matter is you always represent yourself as a Canadian to Canadian authorities and American to American authorities. If they ask why you were gone three months and have no stamps, just say you are a dual citizen. Nothing wrong with that.

  139. Phil
    June 23, 2014 at 3:05 pm #

    Thanks for this post – really helpful! One thing I have wondered is whether there is ever any link between the boarding pass and the passport, making switching passports between check-in and border control difficult? If I’m not mistaken, some airlines (like easyJet or Ryanair, for example) print your passport details onto your boarding pass… so, in theory, could an immigration official notice that the two don’t match and challenge you on that? (Example: I have my destination passport on the boarding pass but I show the passport that allows me to be in the country I’m in to the immigration official – he notices that the details on my boarding pass don’t match my passport (name is fine but nationality, passport number is not))

    • David DiGregorio
      June 23, 2014 at 3:21 pm #

      I have never seen this or heard of it as a problem.

      • mary
        June 29, 2014 at 9:12 am #

        Ok, my son has 3 passports (EU,Australian and US). He is coming to the US from Europe for 5 weeks to visit us and he has damaged an already temporary US passport. They may only issue him a permanent which he has no time to get. Can he take the risk of entering the US on one of his other passports with a visa and then replace the damaged one when he is on his 5 week stay; then leave on that passport. He will be then going back to Europe for a study abroad.
        Thanks

    • June 23, 2014 at 3:26 pm #

      I’ve never seen this before or seen an immigration officer that would care. If questioned, just show the second passport.

  140. StyleHiClub
    June 23, 2014 at 4:09 pm #

    I don’t know about Iran accepting dual citizenship, but you will have to show your Iranian passport to Iranian authorities.

  141. StyleHiClub
    June 23, 2014 at 4:13 pm #

    Here are my answers –

    1- Checking in show the Italian passport at the Airline counter?
    a. If the flight has a layover say Canada booking a round trip will this cause a problem? Show the Italian passport. As long as you can use the Italian passport to enter the layover destination, it’s fine.

    b. Should I say something at the airline check in regarding the return trip about using the USA passport? No

    2- Leaving the states show the USA Passport at security check and boarding? Security doesn’t matter, it’s just to check your identity so you can show anything. Boarding you should show the Italian passport – but again, doesn’t matter it’s just for ID.

    3- Upon arrival at either Italy or European country
    show the Italian passport? Yes

    4- Hotel or any other thing which may occur show the Italian passport while in Europe? Show whatever passport you are in the country using. Yes.

    5- Traveling between European countries show the
    Italian Passport? There is no immigration checkpoints between EU countries.

    6- If using the Italian passport to enter the European Country and wanting to rent a car using an international driving permit do you then show the USA passport? If you want to rent a car just show your US drivers license. Passport doesn’t mean anything as it doesn’t permit you to drive.

    When returning to the states:

    1. When returning to USA I must make certain to check in with the Airline using the USA passport even though I left showing an Italian passport? Yes.

    2. When going through Immigration check point in Italy or other European country to return to the USA I show the Italian Passport? Yes, you show the passport you entered on so that you can effectively exit.

    3. When returning to the USA use the USA passport throughout the rest of the boarding and screening process? Yes.

    4. Then enter the USA using the USA passport and Immigration etc.? Yes.

    5. Will not having entry & or exit stamps etc on either of the passport’s cause any complication’s during this trip and or future trips. No. If asked, just explain.

    Being that USA – England – France – Spain – Italy Etc allow dual citizenship would you ever show both passports and if not why ? There’s no reason to show both unless asked.

    Would you also know is it better to obtain the dual passport through the USA consulate or do it when visiting your birth country ? You have to do it where you are living. Where you reside.

  142. StyleHiClub
    June 23, 2014 at 4:14 pm #

    This all sounds correct.

  143. StyleHiClub
    June 23, 2014 at 4:15 pm #

    As a rule you can’t travel on a passport with under 6 months validity.

  144. Alisa
    June 24, 2014 at 1:08 am #

    Hello !

    I have dual nationality (Ukrainian-Jordanian) with two different family names. It was never an issue to travel to or from Ukraine to Jordan. But currently I am planning to stay in EU for my studies and thus will obtain an EU residence on my Jordanian passport.

    Can I travel directly to Ukraine from EU? If I understood correct upon departure i need
    1- Buy the ticket on Ukrainian passport
    2- Present in Check in Ukrainian passport
    3- Present Jordanian passport at immigration (what about difference of family name on boarding pass??)
    4- In Ukraine show Ukrainian passport

    From Ukraine to EU:

    1- Buy ticket on Jordanian passport
    2- Present in Check-in Jordanian passport (wont they check for my visa??)
    3- In immigration show the Ukrainian passport (again the boarding pass name?)
    4- In EU show the Jordanian passport ..

    Is that correct ? I am really concerned because of the different family names and there is no point travelling back to Jordan to go to Ukraine from EU …

    • StyleHiClub
      June 24, 2014 at 12:49 pm #

      For this you should really contact the airline as the two family names may cause problems. There may be a way for them to list both names on your ticket.

  145. Sandy
    June 24, 2014 at 5:36 pm #

    Hi Dave,
    I have a question for you, so I have canadian and peruvian citizenship. I live in Canada and bought a last minute plane ticket to Brazil for the world cup. I didn’t know I needed a brazilian visa to travel with my canadian passport & its now too late to get one I leave in 5 days. I know with my peruvian passport I don’t need a visa to enter brazil. I bought my ticket via expedia using 3 different airlines. Im traveling vancouver-La-Sao Paolo- Fortaleza, changing airlines and planes in LA & Sao paulo. So Im traveling with 3 different airlines.

    I figured I can use my canadian passport for my vancouver-la flight for both airline and US customs and then for my LA-Sao paulo flight use my peruvian passport for the airline and use it for brazilian immigration when I get to sao paulo. At LA I shouldn’t have to pass through us customs again since Im already in the USA. Am I correct?

    Now my peruvian passport has my name with 2 last names as it is customed in south america, but my canadian passport only allowed for 1 last name. So I called the airline for my la-sao paulo and changed my name to add the 2nd last name as noted in my peruvian passport. Therefore on my way back Sao Paolo- Dallas I plan on using my Canadian passport with the airline however it won’t match what the airline has since i entered with my peruvian passport and this cd passport will be missing the one last name, will this be an issue for me? I can’t leave with my peruvian since I don’t have a us visa on it. And on exiting brazil with brazilian immigration I show them my peruvian passport which is the one I entered with correct?

    Please help me I have contacted both embassies and I cannot get a human being on the line or to get back to me. I really don’t want any problems considering my flights on my way there are tight and if I lose one due to immigration issues it will be hard to get another flight since they are mostly all sold out 🙁
    thank you so much in advance for your help

    • StyleHiClub
      June 26, 2014 at 1:28 pm #

      I don’t think you will have any problems. The two last name thing is the only potential snag but it sounds like you fixed it. If you have any problem with the airlines, just show them the second passport and they should be able to work it out. Enjoy the Cup!

  146. Rachel
    June 26, 2014 at 6:58 am #

    Hi there thanks for the tip, it’s really useful! One question: Let’s use Michael’s example. He books a return ticket from the US to Brazil with an Italian passport. Is it strange if, at the airline counter in Brazil, Michael presents his US passport even though his airline ticket booking is made with an Italian passport?

    Many thanks!

    • StyleHiClub
      June 26, 2014 at 1:26 pm #

      The passport you enter when booking is meaningless. What matters is what you show at the airport.

      • Rachel
        June 26, 2014 at 5:37 pm #

        Thank you heaps!!!!

    • StyleHiClub
      June 26, 2014 at 1:27 pm #

      Nope! What matters is what # they enter at the counter. We have entered all 0’s while booking tickets because we were in the process of receiving a new passport at the time of booking. It doesn’t matter – they will enter it at check-in.

      • Rachel
        June 26, 2014 at 5:37 pm #

        Thanks heaps!!!!

  147. guest
    June 26, 2014 at 3:42 pm #

    Hi, thanks for the info. Can you help with the following scenario? I’m a US citizen living in the EU. My kids have EU/US nationality and passports, except one of the passports has expired. It’s unbelievably complicated to get a renewal US passport for a minor here (both parents and the child need to be present, it’s a six hour drive, you need an appointment, there are no emergency passports for minors, you need to provide family photos to show the child each year since the old passport photo, etc.) and we’re going to the US in 3 weeks.

    I was just planning on having them fly on their EU passports and me on my US one (and filling out ESTA for them). But it looks like the rule is I can’t. Other than canceling the trip, what do you think would happen if I just don’t mention that they’re also US citizens? Is that the worst idea ever? I can take the expired passport along just in case. Help!

    • guest
      June 26, 2014 at 3:43 pm #

      oh, and was planning on renewing the US passports while in the US — MUCH easier.

  148. Lorri
    June 28, 2014 at 9:29 am #

    I live in the US. (I have a valid green card/Resident alien card
    I am traveling to China FROM the United States on a CHINESE work Visa. I will be there 15 days. What will I need to return to the US? Will my Canadian passport be enough for the Chinese airlines?

  149. ComplicatedTraveler
    June 28, 2014 at 8:23 pm #

    Hello,

    I have a US
    passport and a European-Non EU passport. I am currently residing in the
    EU (Italy) through a student residency permit connected to
    my Non-EU passport. I am traveling to the US from Italy, but have a
    layover in England on both legs of the trip.

    Based on this
    article, on the return leg, I would use my Non-EU passport and student permit
    in order to return to Italy and present that passport to the check-in
    counter in the US. That means the airline would get my Non-EU passport
    information, which is the one I would use at the final destination.

    However, when transiting
    in England, I would need to use my US passport (I would need a visa for England
    on my Non-EU passport). Will the border authorities in England give me trouble
    for providing a different passport to the airline from the one I would use to
    enter the UK? Or is it OK, as long as I show the UK border police the US
    passport on both transits there?

  150. Guest
    July 1, 2014 at 7:52 am #

    Hello Dave,
    I have a complex situation. I was born in India but my father is a Nigerian, so I am automatically a Nigerian citizen. I left India when I was one year old on my Mum’s passport (Mum is Indian). I visited India twice on my Nigerian passport some years ago. My last visit, I applied for an Indian passport but I could not wait for it to be ready. I had to leave India for Nigeria. So my Indian passport has been in India since 4 years ago until last year my mum brought it to Nigeria. Now I want to visit India with the Indian passport but I am worried that the immigration officials might wonder how I left India( India does not allow dual citizenship but Nigeria does. I cant get a Nigerian resident permit unless I use the Indian passport to enter Nigeria. Do you think it will wise to travel to India with the Indian passport? And then when I get to India, I apply for a Nigerian visa since I cant have two passports. Kindly advice!!!

  151. mann
    July 2, 2014 at 5:48 pm #

    Hey guys….i have another type problem but maybe you can help me..i have french and greek citizenship,but i have moved to turkey now with tourist visa that allows you to stay 3 months for the next 6 months…What i have done is that i have entered 3 months already with my greek ID and then went back to greece and came back again entering with my french passport to be able to stay another 3 months//// my greek ID has my fist name written differently and my last name also,it starts with C on the french passport and K on greek ID while my fist name is written Laurent in french but Loran in greek ID…can they know i am the same person?..any advise would be very helpful thanks !

    • StyleHiClub
      July 8, 2014 at 7:57 am #

      Rules apply to the person and not the passport, so you would be violating the law and pretending to be two people.

  152. Ollivia
    July 3, 2014 at 6:44 am #

    Hi Dave. This article is very usefull. Thank you for writing it down. I have a few questions: my cousin has 2 passports (Indonesia and Germany). unfortunately Indonesia does not recognize dual citizenship, so she keeps the German passport under the radar (she never lived in Germany and never visited). She is going to study for 3 years in Amsterdam, the Netherland. As per your blog she should use the following:
    1. Buy ticket : use her German PP.
    2. Show the airline counter staff : use her German PP
    3. Show the immigration in Indonesia : her Indonesia PP
    4. Arrive in Amsterdam, show the immigration in the Netherland: her German PP (no need visa)
    5. Report to the authority in Amsterdam (for those stay there more than 3 months) : her German PP.
    6. 3 Years later, but ticket to go back to Indonesia : use her German PP
    7. Show the airline counter in Amsterdam : use her German PP
    8. Show the immigration in Amsterdam : use her German PP
    9. arrive in Indonesia : use her Indonesia PP. (Would the immigration officer in Indonesia wonder where she was 3 years ago? as she left Indonesia and arrive in Indonesia after 3 years and without any immigration stamp).
    The reason she needs to use her German visa is due to lower tuition fee for EU citizen.
    Looking forward to hearing from you.
    Thanks,
    Ollivia

  153. rog
    July 4, 2014 at 5:49 pm #

    I am a dual EU American citizen. I have a question regarding filling out passport information on an airline’s website. If I purchase the ticket online using passport information from obviously just one of my passports, couldn’t this potentially be a problem at the check in desk?

    • StyleHiClub
      July 8, 2014 at 7:56 am #

      What you enter to buy the ticket doesn’t really matter. Just present the right passport at check-in.

  154. franciska
    July 4, 2014 at 8:09 pm #

    Hi, I have a spanish and swedish passport. I have been in the U.S three times using my spanish passport. Right now Im in mexico with my swedish passport and want to go to the U.S with my american husband (which I married with my swedish passport) and my baby who is american and swedish. You think I can have problem entering the U.S with my swedish passport? Can they see using my fingerprints I have been there before but with an another passport?? And at immigration should I be honest about having 2 passport or it only mess up things? thank you so much for your answer..

    • franciska
      July 5, 2014 at 7:39 am #

      also last time I was in the U.S was a year ago and only stayed for 2 weeks and I have never stayed more then 3 months on the other occasions in the U.S.

      • StyleHiClub
        July 8, 2014 at 7:56 am #

        Sounds fine. it is your choice which passport to use. As long as you are mindful that the rules on staying in US relate to the person and not the passport, you are following the law and not trying to skirt the system. If questioned, answer honestly. They will probably know you’ve been there before with a different passport.

  155. Ben
    July 5, 2014 at 3:48 pm #

    I was born in the USA and live in the Netherlands, have citizenship for both, and am flying in a month for the fist time with dual citizenship. I understand the steps here but my question is about the stamps in the passport. When I come back into the Netherlands, having not showed my Dutch passport to US customs/imigration, my passport won’t “tell” the Dutch athorities where I’ve been… How does this work?
    Thanks, Ben

    • MrErrors
      July 7, 2014 at 7:37 am #

      I think the point here is when you return from US to Netherlands you use your Dutch passport….When you leave US, there is no immigration check as far as I know.

  156. twopass
    July 6, 2014 at 7:04 am #

    Hi Dave,

    Here is my situation in short. I live in Canada but am in Europe traveling for roughly 6 months, today being roughly my 86th day. I hold a Canadian and Italian passport. Upon arrival I realized I made the mistake of handing the French immigration my Canadian passport.

    We will probably be returning home from outside of France. Should I show my Canadian anyways when I return and explain to the EU officials I haven’t overstayed because I am also an EU citizen? Or should I speak with immigration offices in Paris to sort it out tomorrow?

    Thank you for your time 🙂

    • StyleHiClub
      July 8, 2014 at 7:54 am #

      I would try to sort it out. It is best not to overstay in the EU.

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    July 6, 2014 at 12:01 pm #

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  158. Melwe1
    July 7, 2014 at 1:24 am #

    Hi everyone, I’m starting to worry a little. I have dual passports uk and Australia. I recently got married and had to apply for two new ones with my new name in. My Australian one was back in three weeks but my uk one has taken three months and has still not been processed due yo the backlog in uk. My problem is I travel yo the uk then to Portugal in five weeks am I able to travel there one just my Australian passport? Please help I cannot get anyone who knows and I’ve been left on hold for 45mins to uk passport office 🙁 thanks

    • StyleHiClub
      July 8, 2014 at 7:53 am #

      You’re required to travel to UK on your UK passport. That is the law. That said, if you will remain in the UK for an allowable time for an Australian tourist (sounds like that), they *probably* will not catch you. It is important to remember that you will be in UK as a tourist, however, and subject to all of the rules associated with that.

  159. mrerrors
    July 7, 2014 at 7:36 am #

    Thanks for some great
    information. I do have a couple of clarification questions.
    Traveling from US to EU (US/EU Citizen). When leaving US you show EU
    passport. What happens if you do not have I94 or ESTA form that
    corresponds to an entry into the US? I guess since you will never enter
    the US on the EU passport that won’t be an issue? When going from EU to US, you use US passport,
    but will US authorities care that you do not have an entry stamp for the EU to
    ‘show’ where you came from? When traveling through EU you show the
    immigration authorities EU passport (but US passport to airline). Will
    this pose a problem since you do not have an ESTA? In EU there are usually document/security checkpoint just before check-in, they punch in a bunch of numbers into a computer so do they need to see US passport here or EU passport? If I show US one here, there is no record of entry into country….thanks..

    • StyleHiClub
      July 8, 2014 at 7:51 am #

      Countries do not rely solely on stamps to learn where you’ve been. If questioned, answer honestly.

      • MrErrors
        July 8, 2014 at 9:14 am #

        As you state, the US doesn’t have immigration upon exit, but I often read that you must use US passport to both ‘enter’ and ‘exit’ the US. The the exit bit just irrelevant? or do they have some kind of link up with airlines?

  160. Emma Ryan
    July 8, 2014 at 7:08 am #

    I am a dual citizen of both the US and Ireland. I am getting a connecting flight to the US through London. Which passport do i use to check in when i am flying from Ireland to London? please help. thank you

    • StyleHiClub
      July 8, 2014 at 7:50 am #

      Irish passport for the entirety of your outbound flight to Ireland. The only place you’d use your US passport would be US departing immigration, which doesn’t exist.

  161. Luke
    July 9, 2014 at 8:42 pm #

    Thanks for the post. To do this, would I need to book two single trips with the airline, or would a return trip suffice? I am just a tad confused as obviously I will have two passport numbers and give the airline one.

    • StyleHiClub
      July 10, 2014 at 3:43 pm #

      You can book a return and enter your details from whichever passport starts your journey. This info will be overwritten when you physically check in at the airport, at which point you present whichever passport is appropriate.

  162. Annie
    July 10, 2014 at 7:50 pm #

    This is a great post! Here’s my twist, I have a dual citizenship (Canadian/Polish), however my 15 month old only has a Canadian citizenship. We are flying to Poland next week, and then to Cyprus 2 weeks later. Should I enter Poland (EU) with my Polish passport, and my daughter with her Canadian? Or should we both enter with our Canadian passports? Advice?

    • StyleHiClub
      July 12, 2014 at 11:40 pm #

      Annie – your 15 month only has Canadian citizenship? Or only has a Canadian passport and just hasn’t gotten a Polish passport yet? You should always enter Poland as a Polish citizen and if your child can get a Polish passport so should they. If they don’t have one, it’s fine for them to enter as a Canadian and you enter as Polish.

  163. Manny
    July 11, 2014 at 11:51 am #

    I was born in Peru, I have a Peruvian Passport. I moved to USA and had a Green Card until I became US Citizen. I no longer have the Green Card, just my USA Passport and my Peruvian passport. I’m traveling to Brazil and I don’t have the time to get the VISA paperwork done so I want to use my Peruvian Passport (no visa required for Peruvians entering Brazil). In the past, I would present my Peruvian passport at check-in here in USA when getting my boarding pass. I don’t remember if I’m asked for my green card, but I’m going to assume no since I’m leaving the country. So, my plan is, (1) book my flight using Peruvian passport. (2) check in at airport in USA using Peruvian passport. (3) When I arrive to Brazil, I will show my Peruvian passport. (4) When I’m departing Brazil I will show my USA passport to the Airline ticket counter. Here is my question: When I’m still in Brazil, passing immigrations, I will show my Peruvian passport (they will see the stamp when I came into the country), but, won’t they ask me for my green card or some sort of proof I’m allowed to enter/reside in USA? When I became a USA Citizen, my green card was taken away. If that’s the case, what do I do? show them my USA citizen certificate or show them my USA passport????? Thanks. ME

    • misslina
      July 12, 2014 at 12:37 pm #

      Hi, I think that Brazilian customs will not care about your green card for the US. They are more interested that you were allowed in THEIR country. What interest do they have in American affairs? American customs will care about your green card.

      • StyleHiClub
        July 12, 2014 at 11:41 pm #

        This is correct. Also, you are an American citizen now. A green card is irrelevant. You have a US passport. That’s all the proof you’d ever need.

    • NIW_Engineer
      July 18, 2014 at 3:16 pm #

      Incredibly similar story to mine. Replace “Peru” with “Venezuela” and my post was going to be exactly the same as yours. When departing show Peru passport to Brazilian immigration and show US passport to airline staff

  164. misslina
    July 12, 2014 at 4:14 am #

    Hi Dave,
    Thank you SO much for writing this!! Very helpful.

    Question: I plan to fly from London > Tel Aviv (with a Canadian passport), and after 4 days there, will fly from Tel Aviv > Bangkok (booking flight with Thai passport, showing Israeli customs my Canadian). Just to complicate things further, my flight to Bangkok has a 2 hr layover in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. It’s required that I get a visa even for those 2 hrs. Please, what is your opinion.. which passport should I get the visa for???! I’d worried about having an Israeli stamp, but Uzbekistan I believe is NOT one of the countries that bans someone based on this. Thank you in advance for your help, very much appreciated as I really have no clue!

    • StyleHiClub
      July 12, 2014 at 11:43 pm #

      I would recommend you only use one passport for all steps going through Israel. Are you able to enter Israel on your Thai passport? The Israelis will not fool around when it comes to things like this. You’ll save yourself a lot of headaches if you use only one passport for everything in Israel. You should have no fear of an Israeli stamp unless you plan to go to Lebanon or Syria. No problem for Uzbekistan or Thailand.

      • misslina
        July 13, 2014 at 7:02 am #

        Thank you for your response. I plan to enter Israel with a Canadian passport because a visa is needed for Thai citizens, but not for Canadians. Surely checking in to a flight with my Thai passport would not arouse suspicion with the Uzbekistan airline staff? Isn’t it true that airline staff only care where you are going? Leaving customs I will show my Canadian passport. And upon 2nd thought I think I will get the Uzbekistan visa in my Canadian passport. What are your educated thoughts? 🙂

        • StyleHiClub
          July 16, 2014 at 8:17 am #

          That sounds fine. Just keep in mind that things in Israel are a bit more integrated than anywhere else. Nobody will only care about one thing. Everyone is trained to get the full story.

  165. Travels
    July 15, 2014 at 8:34 am #

    Such valuable information. I have a South African passport in my married name (which I no regret doing, should have left it in my maiden name to avoid the following complication)….. I’m a woman, therefore my dutch passport says my maiden name followed by “wife of ….. (Married name)” in small letters. I am flying from Cape Town to france via London. I guess I should book under my Dutch passport as most of my travel will be in Europe. What will SA passport officials do when I’m trying to leave on my travels but my ticket and South African Passport have different surnames? Do I show them both passports? It’s so tricky with the different surnames. I would have left my South African as my maiden name if I’d known it was so hard.

    • StyleHiClub
      July 16, 2014 at 8:06 am #

      You can add a second last name to an airline reservation for exactly this purpose – just give them a call.

  166. Tania
    July 15, 2014 at 6:51 pm #

    Hello! I have a question about the booking process. I have dual citizenship for US and Germany. When I book tickets to go to Germany I use my American passport information but when I arrive I use my German passport and there are never any complications. I am traveling to Brazil in a month and would really love to not have to get a visa as my German passport allows me to not have to. However, it is a trip through my school and I believe they will be using my American passport information to book the ticket as I just found out today that I could use my German one for free.
    Does this cause complications? Or would I still be able to use my German passport upon arrival?

    • StyleHiClub
      July 16, 2014 at 8:06 am #

      Please just check into your actual flight using your German passport. You are not clear where you are traveling from, but assuming it is US, there is no exit immigration so you will not present your US passport at all during the trip except when you check into the flight in Brazil on your return home and when you enter the US. (Although exit Brazilian immigration on your German passport).

      • NIW_Engineer
        July 18, 2014 at 3:12 pm #

        Given that the itinerary is most likely round-trip, won’t the airline staff in the US check the German passport for a US visa or ask for a green card? At this point, wont Tani have to show them her US passport?

        • StyleHiClub
          July 23, 2014 at 8:17 am #

          The airline staff in the US wont’ look for permission to be in the US for their return ticket, no. If for some reason they did, showing the US passport would be totally fine. But they won’t.

  167. Rubén Chacón
    July 17, 2014 at 7:21 am #

    I know my situation is probably unusual, but it’s all down to how crazy my birth country, Venezuela, is right now. Let’s see if any of you have any wisdom for me in this case:

    I am a dual citizen: Venezuela and Colombia. For all practical purposes, my residence is in Venezuela, and I hold a U.S. 10-year tourist visa on my Venezuelan passport. However, my passport expires in octobre, and due to many complications outside the scope of this question, it may not be possible to get the renewal in time for a trip later this year.

    I also hold a Colombian passport, but my U.S. Visa is in my Venezuelan passport. Would I be allowed to enter the U.S. by showing my valid U.S. Visa in my (by then) expired Venezuelan passport and also my current Colombian passport? I know that visas cannot be “transferred” between passports when the passports expire or when for example you change your name due to marriage, and that you just show the passport where the visa was issued, next to your new one, but I’ve found nothing that covers this situation where the “new” one is from a different country.

    Looking forward to your comments.

    • StyleHiClub
      July 21, 2014 at 10:43 am #

      Hi Ruben – you’ll be fine here. Show your visa in the expired Venezuelan passport along with your Colombian passport and you’ll be fine. Just make sure you have at least six months validity on the Colombian passport after arrival into the USA.

      • Rubén Chacón
        July 28, 2014 at 8:07 am #

        Thanks a lot for your reply. I’m sorry I ended up asking the question on two different forums unwittingly.

        Is there any “official” resource that I can check just to have it as a backup should anyone question my right to be there?

  168. July 17, 2014 at 8:26 pm #

    Hi. I have both a US and Australian passport. I am traveling from Australia to the US next week. This is my first trip to the US since obtaining my Australian passport.

    The guide is fantastic, so thank you very much for sharing this. I do have a question about Step 4 – Departing Immigration. Step 4 states “In most countries you need to clear exit immigration before departing the country. The US is a notable exception to this.”

    What is the exception in the US? Will I not need to show them my US passport on the way back to Australia? Is it ok for me to show them my Australia passport at this point? Do I even have to show a passport on the way out? It’s been 3 years since my last visit to the US and I only had my US passport then. I cannot remember if I have to show my passport when leaving.

    • StyleHiClub
      July 23, 2014 at 8:19 am #

      On departing the US there is no immigration checkpoint. You will check into your flight to Oz using your Aussie passport and nobody else will ask to see your passport again.

  169. maria
    July 18, 2014 at 2:47 am #

    I have swiss and uk passport. Currently in sri lanka with residence visa in swiss passport, but it expires next week. I intend to fly on a one-way ticket from sri lanka to singapore, getting the exit stamp to prove i have not overstayed in sri lanka. Then i want to enter singapore and i think i can do that on either passport yet when i return to sri lanka i want to enter on a tourist visa on my uk passport.
    Which passport should i use when entering singapore?
    Thanks for your tips

    • StyleHiClub
      July 23, 2014 at 8:20 am #

      It doesn’t sound like it matters which passport you use to enter Singapore. I’m not sure one would have a benefit over the other. Just make sure you are obeying the rules for Sri Lanka and aren’t overstaying. Even changing passports the same rules apply to you.

  170. Lovella
    July 19, 2014 at 2:46 am #

    I know you may of been asked this question a thousand times but I am still a little confused. I recently became a US citizen mainly because my children all still live in the USA. Then I moved back home with 2 passports to England where I born
    —using my British passport for departure and arrival. Now I am going to visit my children in September and I am unsure what passport to use and when?

    • StyleHiClub
      July 23, 2014 at 8:21 am #

      The steps in this post detail this exactly. You will check into your flight to the US with your US passport, exit with the UK passport, then enter the US with your US passport.

  171. Inspiring
    July 19, 2014 at 4:10 am #

    This is very helpful post. thank you so much 🙂

  172. Guest
    July 19, 2014 at 9:10 pm #

    I`m about to travel with two passports for the first time, booking roundtrip online under one passport but using another passport for the return leg. Thanks to Dave/stylehiclub and all the posts for the great info. Not trying to be trite but I have a legitimate question. Many of us are uncomfortable being in an airline`s computer system under one passport, then presenting a completely different passport at the airport (where there is enough stress and helplessness already). My original instinct was to call the airline`s 800 number while booking online and clarify the situation from the start, but I`m seeing an overwhelming reluctance to such an approach here. Those of us who don`t need so much discretion might prefer to sort this out before we pack our bags and head for the airport. Does it create a problem to disclose the issue to an airline or travel agent when booking or any time before the travel date, and do airlines have `official` or preferred procedures that remove all doubt if followed properly?

    • StyleHiClub
      July 23, 2014 at 8:22 am #

      If you feel more comfortable talking to the airline by all means go ahead. It won’t cause any problems. I imagine they will say that what matters is which passport you present when you check in for the flight. I have never heard of them actually putting two passport numbers on your record, but you can certainly try.

  173. Patricia
    July 20, 2014 at 10:27 pm #

    Hello..I am brazilian and US citizenship.. I Add a middle name when I got the citizenship…I have 2 passport with Patricia F Pudell Brazilian passport and Patricia Rebecca Pucell US Passport…I want to go to Turkey using my Brazilian we do not need a visa with it..…Do you think could I have problems to leave with my American passport..in case they asked my Turkish Visa in my AMerican passport.. i have to show the Brazilian passport where my name is different….….Thank you

    • StyleHiClub
      July 23, 2014 at 8:23 am #

      You should call the airline and see about adding a variant of your name. Although for just a middle name I don’t think you’d have a problem.

      • Patricia
        July 31, 2014 at 3:22 pm #

        Thank you very much for helping me …I will do that……Have a nice day..Patricia

  174. Mark
    July 20, 2014 at 11:34 pm #

    My wife has a thai passport and a US passport,the problem is they have two names remarried

    • StyleHiClub
      July 23, 2014 at 8:23 am #

      I’m not sure what your question is.

  175. Marty
    July 21, 2014 at 3:57 pm #

    I found your post incredibly helpful thanks!
    I have UK/US passports and reside in US. I am going to UK and when booking online, I gave details to the airline for my UK passport (so I am correct on the UK immigration checklist). But since I was booking a return trip and there was no place to give the airline my US passport details for the return leg, should I give those details to them when I check in for the return to US? I worry that US immigration need for these details from the airline 72 hours ahead rather than when checking in.

    • StyleHiClub
      July 23, 2014 at 8:24 am #

      This is fine. Just show your US passport when checking in for the flight from the UK to the US.

    • Theresa1958
      July 26, 2014 at 4:38 pm #

      In my experience, in your case it depends how long you will stay in the UK. If it is less than 90 days, then just use your US pp. In my case when I came to Sweden, everything was booked under the US pp, but my instincts kicked in when i got to Europe (Munich) and showed the Brit pp. Turned out I was right, I am still here 7 years later!

      As the author of this article so correctly explains, there is a rule: use the passport of the country you are going to or leaving from for the immigration folks. For the airlines, use the pp that allows you into that country.

      In no case EVER try to enter the US on another passport if you are a US cit. Legally you are renouncing your US citizenship!

  176. Martin
    July 22, 2014 at 7:03 pm #

    I’m US/UK dual residing in US and about to go to UK for visit.
    Booking roundtrip online, there was only one chance to give passport information to the airline (I gave my UK info and assume they pass it on to Immigration of destination country), so I could not give my US passport info for the return leg to US.
    Worried that if I give the info when checking in for the return flight, I will not meet the 72 hours notice required by US Immigration. Any thoughts?

  177. ronimal
    July 22, 2014 at 11:42 pm #

    I have dual US/UK citizenship. If I leave the US, following the steps above, wouldn’t the final US immigration officer want to see a stamp in my US passport, upon my final return?

    • StyleHiClub
      July 23, 2014 at 8:25 am #

      It’s unlikely but if they question why there is no stamp, just say you have dual citizenship. They will know where you are coming from regardless and you need to disclose where you’ve been on your immigration and customs form.

      • ronimal
        July 23, 2014 at 12:34 pm #

        Thank you. I realized that when I arrive in the UK, I won’t have any stamps in my UK passport, so it won’t really be any different than that. I suppose I was looking at the situation as being the end of a round trip, when I should be looking at it as freely moving between the two nations.

  178. Confused....
    July 23, 2014 at 1:30 pm #

    I am a dual citizen of Canada and Italy. I am going to fly to the UK for work through the US – driving across the border to a nearby airport. How would I travel in this case? I’m thinking I would cross the border as a Canadian – leave as a Canadian, enter the UK as an Italian, then leave as an Italian. Would this work? Any thoughts?

    • StyleHiClub
      July 24, 2014 at 10:36 am #

      In this case you could just do everything as a Canadian. But if you want to be in the UK as an Italian, check into the flight from the US to UK with that passport, then show that passport to British authorities upon entry.

  179. Duke
    July 24, 2014 at 5:08 am #

    Dual Russia/Canada citizenship with different names situation: Does anybody know if Russian Exit Customs require a boarding pass with your passport or just passport? I will be giving the airline my Can pp as I will be going home to Canada, but I will give my Rus pp to Rus Exit Customs. I’m just worried if they’ll hassle me about the name not matching on my Rus pp with the name on my boarding pass?
    I appreciate any feedback I can get. Thank you.

    • StyleHiClub
      July 24, 2014 at 10:37 am #

      How different are the names? I flew out of Russia to the US earlier this year using my Italian passport to exit Russia but my US passport to fly. I had no problems but my names are the same.

      • Duke
        July 26, 2014 at 12:33 am #

        Names are very different. By chance, do you remember if Russian Exit Customs only took your passport or did they want to see your boarding pass as well?
        If they only want to verify your entry stamp and put in their exit stamp – I won’t have any issues.
        Thanks.

        • StyleHiClub
          July 26, 2014 at 8:19 pm #

          They always take the boarding card but usually just to stamp it that you are departing. If they question the name not matching, you would have to show your other passport.

  180. Theresa1958
    July 24, 2014 at 7:39 pm #

    You have no idea what a service you are provding. I am here in Sweden as a Brit, but my passport has expired, so I thought, ”what the heck, I will leave on my US one”! Now I know, I must show my Brit passport to the immigration police when leaving Sweden, but show the US one to the airline if i am travelling to the US. THANK YOU.

    Time to get my Brit passport renewed with all that entails having to send it to England. Oh, by the way, the imformation I found on the official website says I have to enclose my current US passport along with my expired Brit one when I send in my renewal application. I have called them in the UK about this and they can give no other reason than ”that it is how it has always been”. This would leave me with no ID for at least one month here in Sweden.

    • Duke
      July 26, 2014 at 12:47 am #

      You are so right about usefulness of this page. Can’t believe UK PP Office demanded your US passport at renewal. Your US citizenship is none of their business. Also, can you not renew your UK pp at their consulate in Sweden? If they can issue new pp (in case of loss/theft), why can’t they replace an expired pp. God forbid governments will ever make it easy for us.

      • Theresa1958
        July 26, 2014 at 4:11 pm #

        Hi Duke, thank you for the response. No I can’t renew my pp here in Stockholm and that has been the case for many years. Until a couple of years ago, the pp had to be sent to Munich, now it has to go to England. Just when I had all my ducks in a row, a few days later LITERALLY, they changed the rules and I (and everyone else) must apply on line and ONLY on line. God forbid i am a little old lady with no computer. The fee has to be paid in advance, then the application has to be done electronically, then the whole darn application has to be printed out (I don’t have a printer) and signed and sent by mail along with my 2 passports!

        I have read on other forums that sending in the US pp is BS, just don’t do it. I am not sure about that. Any hints out there from informed posters???

        • StyleHiClub
          July 26, 2014 at 8:22 pm #

          There is no legal reason they should be asking for your US passport. 99% of the people in your position wouldn’t have a second passport to send. It makes no sense.

          • Theresa1958
            July 27, 2014 at 7:51 am #

            I know it makes no sense, and the UK pp office makes no sense when I ask. I have not made the application yet as this is REALLY bothering me, but if they ask ”do you hold another current passport” and I lie and sign the application, then I could be in trouble. Why on earth they want the actual passport is beyond me. They said, ”Oh don’t worry, we won’t do anything to it”!!!

          • StyleHiClub
            July 27, 2014 at 10:30 pm #

            It could be simply a security measure. I agree that lying probably is not a good decision. I’ve filled out a ton of documents that ask if I have second citizenship and I always pause and want to write “none of your business” – but ultimately comply.

          • Theresa1958
            July 28, 2014 at 5:08 pm #

            I understand the world changed after 9/11. After all, the perpetrators were all in the US on lax student visas (mine was really strict). I would be happy to send in a norotized copy of my US passport – the relevant pages – but having to enclose the whole pp is too much to ask.

            Any’ow will keep you posted as to what happens. I can’t be the only one in this situation.

          • candyann
            July 31, 2014 at 6:47 am #

            I share your irritation, Theresa. As far as I’m aware, the UK always want all a person’s passports every time you apply for a visa (or passport), no matter how irrelevant. It always bothers me as it is none of their business. Especially, why should they require the physical passport? They should only need the passport they are actually putting the visa in.

          • Theresa1958
            July 31, 2014 at 11:26 am #

            On other forums (not as good as this one) I have read it is OK to ignore this strange requirement. However, since everything was changed a couple of months ago, maybe there are more penalties for not complying with the regs. I won’t really know until I do the actual application which has become very complicated, has to be paid in advance, filled out on line, and only online, then print out a hard copy and send that along with the two passports.

            One reason I am so worried, is that my one bank card was compromised by fraud, so the bank stopped it and sent me a new one. Because of the fraud, I had to go and pick it up at the post office and they would only accept a pp. If I did not have my US pp (the Brit one being expired) I would be still without a card!! I guess the answer is to take out a ton of cash before I send of both my forms of ID, and take proper copies of both of them. I I want to notorize them, it will take me a whole day at the Brit and US embassies here in Stockholm. Plus the cost.

            The only good news, so far, is that the price of this new renewing has been reduced by 35% due to howls of complaint.

  181. Rodolfo
    July 26, 2014 at 11:33 am #

    Hi! I have a question. I hold 2 valid passports from Costa Rica (NO dual citizenship, my old one expires on December 2015 and the new one expires on April 2020). I had to get this new passport in order to receive my residence card here in The Netherlands for an extended period of time than just until December 2015 (as if it would have been if I would have presented my old passport). My old passport was not revoked or cancelled or stamped when I got the new one. My question is related to traveling to the US next month, as I have my US visa on my old passport. Which passport should I present upon arriving in the US or exiting The Netherlands? Should I present both passports upon arriving in the US or only the one with the visa? What if the US officer asks where is my exit stamp from the Netherlands?. Thank you!!

    • StyleHiClub
      July 26, 2014 at 8:24 pm #

      The US doesn’t care about your exit stamp from the Netherlands. What they will care about is you having a passport that’s valid for at least six months from the point of entry. December 2015 is more than enough time so I would just show the old one, with the US visa.

      For what it’s worth, if there was less than six months left on the old one, or even if it was expired, you would just show the new one as your passport and then bring the old one just to show the visa. That’s how it’s done since the visa can’t be moved to a new passport.

  182. singapore
    July 26, 2014 at 1:28 pm #

    This is very helpful advice indeed. But I have a question regarding Step 2 and Step 6. Since we may have to use 2 different passport for the 2 flights (1 departing and 1 returning), will this inconsistency be recorded by airlines? When we book flights, we normally book return flight, and I thought we have to use one consistent passport. Or is my understanding wrong? Thanks

    • StyleHiClub
      July 26, 2014 at 8:24 pm #

      What matters is which passport you check into the flight with. Don’t worry about it. Just show the correct ones when you check in and you’re all set.

  183. Emily
    July 26, 2014 at 2:00 pm #

    Hi, I have a question similar to those regarding maiden names on passports. My Japanese passport has a completely different name from my American passport except that it includes the American given name and surname in parentheses. I’m trying to visit China using my Japanese passport, travelling from Singapore where I live and have a work visa. Will it be possible to book flights under my American name, even though it is recorded in parentheses on the Japanese passport? I guess in this case the stumbling block is entering/exiting Chinese immigration.

    • StyleHiClub
      July 26, 2014 at 8:25 pm #

      This should be okay, but in this case I would definitely check with the airline. Usually as long as the name is on there in some form it’s okay. But it’s worth checking.

  184. DMP
    July 29, 2014 at 9:08 am #

    Hi there,

    Question for you: i have dual citizenship (Canadian and Colombian) and will be going to Brazil for vacation this coming Friday, departing from Toronto, Canada . I didn’t know Canadian citizens needed visa to enter Brazil and didn’t apply to a obtain one. However, Colombian citizens do not need a visa to enter Brazil so i was planning on using my Colombian passport to enter the country. On the other hand, i don’t have a direct flight. i have to stop in Detroit and catch another plane there to Sao Paulo. Colombians do need visa to enter the US whereas Canadians don’t. so what happens in a case like this? do i have to check in with the Colombian passport, then at departing immigration present the Canadian one, and then use the Colombian one once i arrive in Brazil? Hope this is not confusing. Any insight you could provide will be greatly appreciated. Many thanks,

    DMP

    • StyleHiClub
      July 29, 2014 at 9:25 am #

      Wow – we are actually writing a book and have included this exact scenario because we get this question A LOT!!! You should check into your US-bound flight with your Canadian passport. You will have to “enter” the US so it is doubtful they will give you a boarding card to Brazil until you are actually in the US. When you check-into that flight in the US, show your Colombian passport. Enter Brazil with your Colombian passport.

      If they give you both boarding cards to get to Brazil, just go to the airline counter in the US and make the passport change so that the flight manifest to Brazil matches the passport you intend to enter Brazil on.

      • DMP
        July 29, 2014 at 10:40 am #

        Many thanks for your quick reply. this helps a lot .. cheers!!

  185. naksuthin
    July 29, 2014 at 10:16 am #

    Question: I have dual Thai and American citizenship. I live in the US but would like to travel to Thailand.

    However, my Thai passport has expired and I don’t leave near a Thai consulate in the US.

    I was thinking of
    1. entering Thailand on my US passport…overstaying the visa (30 days),
    2. renewing my Thai passport while in Thailand and then
    3. exiting Thailand on my renewed Thai passport and
    4. entering the US on my US passport (with the expired Thai visa stamp)

    Would that be a problem as long as I didn’t try to enter Thailand again on my US passport

    • StyleHiClub
      July 29, 2014 at 10:34 am #

      Thailand is going to know who you are. I wouldn’t attempt this plan. The best bet may be to enter Thailand, inform them that you are a Thai citizen (your call if you do this at the airport, or after the fact), and go through the required channels to change your status from an American there on tourist visa to a Thai citizen. Your US stamp will be cancelled and your entry will be updated accordingly.

  186. Vera Morgan
    July 29, 2014 at 7:26 pm #

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  187. bdawg317
    July 30, 2014 at 3:04 am #

    Any recs regarding online check-in? AA requires you to fill out residence card info if you supply a foreign passport on a round-trip leaving the US. Or does this info just have to match re-entry info for the return portion?

    • candyann
      July 31, 2014 at 6:49 am #

      I would also like to know about online check-in. I had my U.S. passport information online (from the first leg of the flight into the U.S.), and when I checked in for my return flight, I didn’t think to update it. Then when I went to the airport and swiped my other passport at a kiosk, it flagged me for manual inspection of documents. There was such a long line that I could have missed my flight. What should I have done in this situation? Updated my passport information online, or is that not possible?

      • StyleHiClub
        August 3, 2014 at 10:13 am #

        It’s best to just not use online check-in. It complicates things a lot.

  188. baggy
    July 30, 2014 at 4:38 am #

    Hi would like to find out if I have 2 passports each with different name and I had used 1 to enter into Vietnam, recently I had some problems with the law and was wanted. If I used my 2nd passport to enter into Vietnam, will Vietnam customs know I’m using another passport to enter?

    • StyleHiClub
      August 3, 2014 at 10:14 am #

      It’s hard to say for sure. If your name is completely different, maybe not. But most authorities will check on several different parts of your passport, birthdate, etc. Although if you have totally different names and passports it’s hard to say. Would be a risk.

  189. the reaper
    July 31, 2014 at 10:54 am #

    Hi Everyone , i have a very different situation. Im currently in the USA on dependent visa which is on my indian passport. Next month i have my australian citizenship and will get an australian passport. I will leave USA to australia on my indian passport which has the US visa. Upon my return to USA which passport should i use . Upon entry of australia it will be my indian passport but on exit it will be my australian passport . Also india doesnt support dual citizenships and i should be surrendering my passport within 90 days of aquiring other country citizenship. Any one else face similar situation ?

    • Pasador
      July 31, 2014 at 4:32 pm #

      Exit Australia with the curry since you entered Australia with it. You have to enter and exit Australia with same passport.
      It’s up to your choice to enter US with Aussie or curry, but be sure that you have the right visa. Australia has a visa waived program with US.

      If you entered US with curry, you have to exit with curry as well. India ignores the curry does not imply the US has a same record. If you do not announce to India that you have Aussie passport, they won’t know neither. But if you know that your passport will be invalid within 90 days, and you still employs it, then you take the risk then.
      For your case, better enter US with the new Aussie passport. First you should not use a passport which you know will expire soon. Second it makes you look like a man.

  190. izzi
    July 31, 2014 at 11:14 am #

    Hi there. i have a question, I hold only one passport at the moment which is british passport, but i wasn’t born in the UK. I’m currently living in Australia and i’m thinking about getting an Australian passport too. i was wondering if i’m in title for an Australian passport as-well?. thanks

    • StyleHiClub
      July 31, 2014 at 11:19 am #

      Are you an Australian citizen?

  191. Cherry
    July 31, 2014 at 2:47 pm #

    Hi Dave, I have some questions for you!

    I have two passports and currently reside in the US (with a student visa). The visa stamp is in my Hong Kong SAR passport while I have a British national overseas (BNO) passport. I am planning to travel to south america and the BNO would grant me to go to more countries (like Bolivia and Paraguay). Would I be okay following what you mentioned in the article? Basically just treat my HKSAR passport as a US one since it grants me access into the US with a visa stamp? I don’t know if it would get tricky or not. Thanks! Great info to share!

    • StyleHiClub
      August 3, 2014 at 10:16 am #

      That sounds right, yup.

  192. Vanilla Custard
    August 1, 2014 at 9:32 am #

    Hi and interesting reading. Am about to do my first trip as a dual citizen – i have original UK passport and recent Belize passport. But i am exiting Belize through Mexico through the USA to UK but returning through USA to Belize and not back through Mexico. My plan is to exit Belize on the Belizean passport and avoid the departure tax and hassle then enter Mexico and exit Mexico the next day on my British passport, travel through the USA and UK and back again all on my British one and then finally exit USA on my British one but arrive in Belize on my Belizean one – do you see any obvious errors in these assumptions? Appreciated and thanks

    • StyleHiClub
      August 3, 2014 at 10:17 am #

      It sounds like you’ll just do everything on the UK passport except exit and enter Belize. That’s totally fine.

  193. Mianna
    August 3, 2014 at 12:26 pm #

    Um so im a Canadian and Australian citizen, say I want to go to Canada. Do I use my Australian passport when leaving Australia and ten the Canadian one when entering Canada?

  194. Isabel
    August 4, 2014 at 4:08 pm #

    Hi Dave,
    Many thanks for your time.
    I just bought my tickets to go to Colombia and now that I read your post I have a concern. My situation is: I have a colombian and a spanish passport. Im flying from Spain to Colombia with a stop in New York. My return flight will stop in New York as well.
    When I bought my tickets online I gave my spanish passport number to the airline, this is now my concern because I failed following the Step 2.
    To go to the US I have to apply for an authorisation with my spanish passport because that is easier than applying for a VISA with my colombian one.
    I was planning use my colombian passport just with the colombian migration authorities and show my spanish one in Spain and in the US. But, I guess the US authorities are gonna require not just the authorisation to be there but also the stamp of the country I am coming from (Colombia) that is gonna be in my colombian and not in my spanish one.
    It happened to me last year when I was going by bus from Peru to Bolivia and I want to avoid the same headache. They said that to put the stamp of entrance they need to see the stamp of exit from the previous country I was. So, what should I do to avoid any problem with the US inmigration authority? And how about the passport I gave to the airline, should I call and try to change it?
    Thank you for your advise!

    • StyleHiClub
      August 8, 2014 at 8:07 am #

      Hi Isabel – We answer most of your questions in our new ebook which you should check out at – http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/ – if we don’t answer your question in the book, it includes a personal consultation. I will say that the rules of looking for a stamp from the previous country do not apply to air travel. I’ve only heard of that at land crossings.

  195. karine
    August 4, 2014 at 7:47 pm #

    my daughter has a French and Australian passport, she has bought a one
    way ticket to france, if she has a personal loan here in australia, will
    that cause any issues for her? (i will be taking over the repayments)
    however, the loan will remain in her name

    • StyleHiClub
      August 8, 2014 at 8:05 am #

      A personal loan has nothing to do with her ability to leave the country.

  196. StyleHiClub
    August 5, 2014 at 7:11 am #

    Want to talk to us and get our opinion on what you should do in your specific situation? Still got questions about traveling with two passports? Check out our eBook. It’s the Internet’s definitive guide to traveling as a dual citizen. It also includes a personalized consultation! http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/

  197. Mae Managuelod Al Sharafi
    August 9, 2014 at 9:42 am #

    Hello I have a few questions please.. I have a Yemen passport and a Philippine passport but I live in Saudi Arabia and I use my Yemen passport here as it makes things easier since I’m an Arab. My question is for example i want to travel to the Philippines using my Philippine passport so i wont need a visa so I will book my flight using that passport but the exit re-entery visa will be in in my Yemen passport. Do I have to present my ticket information to the immigration? How about my flight back from Philippines to Saudi Arabia if what is registered on my ticket is my Philippine passport is it ok to present my Yemen passport even if its not registered on my ticket? its a bit complicated so i’m confused on this part.

    • StyleHiClub
      August 12, 2014 at 7:13 pm #

      Hi Mae – the steps above should work for you. If you want more info check out our eBook which goes into great detail on exactly how to travel with two passports. It includes a personal consultation in case we can’t answer your questions and it’s guaranteed. http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/

  198. Becki Blackwood
    August 9, 2014 at 2:45 pm #

    Hey no clue if you’ll know the answer but the embassy’s are shut and i need an answer sooner rather than later. So my friend is currently on holiday back home in Nepal and i want to know if he’ll be able to come on holiday with us to Corsica, France.
    Here’s the thing he has a Nepalese passport but UK citizenship. I want to know whether he needs a visa or not cause it says people who have british citizenship don’t need one. However does that mean they need a British passport too. Which he does not have.

    Need to know cause we planned for the end of the month and as you know applying for anything includes a lot of paperwork and short notice means you have to rush everything

    • StyleHiClub
      August 12, 2014 at 7:14 pm #

      Your friend can’t travel as a British citizen without a British passport. How else would he show he has British citizenship? That’s what a passport is for. If you want more info check out our eBook which goes into great detail on exactly how to travel with two passports. It includes a personal consultation in case we can’t answer your questions and it’s guaranteed. http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/

  199. Joc
    August 12, 2014 at 4:26 pm #

    I have both a US and Swiss passport and am planning to fly soon to the UK for a 9 month graduate program. In order to avoid the expensive visa required of US citizens, I will enter and leave the UK with my Swiss passport (and enter/leave the US with my US passport). I have already bought my roundtrip flight though, and provided the airline with my US passport number. From what I have read, this won’t be a problem on the return flight, but could it be a problem on the flight from the US to UK?

    • StyleHiClub
      August 12, 2014 at 7:15 pm #

      Hi Joc – our posts on this site should answer your question. If you want more info check out our eBook which goes into great detail on exactly how to travel with two passports. It includes a personal consultation in case we can’t answer your questions and it’s guaranteed. http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/

  200. DualCitizenKane
    August 14, 2014 at 7:35 pm #

    I can definitely confirm that immigration authorities, at least in the Netherlands, don’t care about where you’re headed, they only care about your status there. As I was leaving the EU I checked-in with my non-EU passport and as the passport control counters say “prepare your passports and boarding passes” I presented the passport that I had used at check-in. However the passport control agent checked it thoroughly trying to find the entry stamp so I quickly presented the EU passport as well and I was told to always show the EU passport regardless of where I’m flying to. However the check-in is automated so I think you really need to use the passport used for purchasing the ticket there (although there might be a workaround, I didn’t test it).
    Now I have a question, in some countries it’s either illegal or not advisable to be a dual citizen. Can I enter the non-EU passport details when purchasing a ticket for the USA? Or are you required to enter either VISA or ESTA details when buying a ticket as well? I would definitely show the EU passport at check-in (otherwise they wouldn’t let me in without a visa) but to avoid unnecessary questions of the immigration agent regarding dual citizenship the boarding pass would hold details of the local passport (the fact that there is no visa stamp is not too relevant, many countries are going paperless these days such as Australia). Also would it be a problem vis-a-vis US Advance Passenger Information? Would they ask me about the passport I used for check-in or they wouldn’t care? Thanks!

    • StyleHiClub
      August 19, 2014 at 10:32 am #

      If traveling to the US the passport you check in to your flight with must match what you show up and use to enter. I don’t know what your non-EU passport is though. If you have more questions on traveling as a dual citizen, you should check out our eBook. http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/

  201. Louis DiFante
    August 14, 2014 at 11:47 pm #

    Does it matter if expedia didn’t ask me for any passport information prior to booking my flight to Sweden? I’m American/Italian planning to study in Stockholm for a masters program. I’m going to check-in with my Italian, show my American at immigration in the States and then upon arrival in Sweden show my Italian. Anything I’m missing/you recommend I do beforehand to expediate this process and make things nice and easy on both sides of departure and arrival?

  202. DualCitizenKane
    August 17, 2014 at 2:10 pm #

    I have another question, has anyone tried to compile a list of countries that require an exit stamp of the country you are coming from? I’ve noticed people say this about countries in South East Asia such as Laos, Malaysia, Brunei, are there any others? It’s great to have two passports that provide an excellent combination of visa-free destinations but this could pose a problem. For an example if you don’t require a visa for Thailand with one passport and for Brunei with the other one you would still have to get one of those two visas due to their policy.

    • StyleHiClub
      August 19, 2014 at 10:33 am #

      For what it’s worth, I’ve never heard of this problem other than at land border crossings.

  203. Kyle
    August 18, 2014 at 4:33 am #

    Hi. I’m going to be going to China in a year and I want to know wether its better to enter China on an Irish or a US passport? Money doesn’t matter that much as the visa is discounted from being a student, but which would be best for personal safety in, a highly doubtable, disaster wether it be terrorist attack, natural disaster, etc.

    • StyleHiClub
      August 19, 2014 at 10:34 am #

      I’m not sure what your concern really is. Where do you live? It may be easier/faster to get a visa in your US passport if you live in the US or Irish Passport if you live in the EU. Safety wise the only thing I can think of is if something happens catastrophic in China while you are there. The US typically does a great job of evacuating it’s citizens in those situations. Make sure you register that you are going abroad with the State Department before you travel.

  204. LVB
    August 18, 2014 at 10:10 pm #

    Hello first of all thanks for the useful post, but i’d like more clarification. I have US and French citizenships. I am currently in Colombia having started my travels in Costa Rica. I flew from the US to costa rica on my US passport. I will be heading to bolivia, brazil, and argentina in a few weeks/months without returning to the US. Can i start using my French passport from now on or will this pose a major problem when i return back to the US from the last country i visit on my trip (likely Brazil)? The reason i want to start traveling with my French passport is that there is no Visa for those countries. If i travel into those 3 countries with a US passport it will be $135/each for the Visa entry which i’d like to avoid if possible. Let me know!! Thanks.

    • StyleHiClub
      August 19, 2014 at 10:36 am #

      We’e provided an overview of how to do this in our posts. If you want more detail I suggest you check out our eBook which goes into great detail on how to travel as a dual citizen. It also includes a free personalized consultation should you have more questions. http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/

  205. Mai G. Koitabashi
    August 19, 2014 at 1:54 am #

    Thank you for this helpful post. But I have a question regarding steps 4-5 and 7-8. Won’t the immigration @ arrival

    • StyleHiClub
      August 19, 2014 at 10:37 am #

      I think we’ve covered this in our posts, but if you want more detail I suggest you check out our eBook which goes into specific detail on your situation. It also includes a free consultation should you have more questions. If we can’t answer your question, it’s a money back guarantee. http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/

  206. nounouafrica
    August 20, 2014 at 6:03 am #

    Hi THere, if I have my UAE residency visa in my married name in my South African passport but I have my French passport in my maiden name – what do I do? I am going to France in September and not sure if I should book my tickets in my maiden name or married name and if I can travel like that?

  207. KTTY
    August 20, 2014 at 9:29 am #

    I am travelling from Canada to Brazil with a change f plane in the US. I do not have time to get a VISA for my Canadian passport but have a valid UK passport. Problem is that my UK passport is in my maiden name. Do I switch all my air tickets to reflect that name and only use the one passport throughout the whole trip there and back?

    • StyleHiClub
      September 2, 2014 at 8:42 am #

      That sounds like your best course of action.

  208. guest
    August 20, 2014 at 2:22 pm #

    I am a canadian debating travelling to Iran. It is next to impossible to get a visa for Iran as a canadian (which must be applied for in advance). However, I also have dual portuguese citizenship and am applying for a passport. Citizens of Portugal can apply for a visa to Iran at the airport in Iran. My question then becomes more specific. When being questioned in Iran would I also have to declare my canadian citizenship and potentially show them my canadian passport?

    • StyleHiClub
      September 2, 2014 at 8:43 am #

      As a general rule, never lie to immigration authorities. If you hold a Portuguese passport you can get a visa on arrival. The rules of being a Portuguese citizen apply to you as an absolute. It doesn’t matter if you have another passport. That said, if you are specifically asked if you have another citizenship, you should be honest.

  209. Hugo
    August 21, 2014 at 8:54 pm #

    Hi Dave,

    Congratulations on the website! It is really interesting.
    I’ve been surfing the web and cannot find any information about travelling with two passports from the same country, which are both valid. I’m wondering if you perhaps could clarify some things for me. We are a Portuguese family living in Canada under a temporary work permit. My permit and that of my wife are valid until 2016, but our kids visitor’s record expires next December, because their passports will also expire in December. However, we were planning to travel to the US for a short break and renewed our kids passports, because they would expire within less than 6 months of the day of the trip (required for travelling). The problem now is that the new passport number does not match the visitor’s record and it seems we cannot travel afterall. Our kids have two passports, one valid until December which has the visitor’s record that allows them to be in Canada and a new one valid for two years.The only option would seem to be to go to the US on the new passport and came back on the old one, but I’m sure this is not as straightforward or even possible.
    Thanks for your time

    Hugo

  210. Ernesto Perez Hernández
    August 26, 2014 at 7:17 am #

    Hi, I have dual nationality Mexican and Spanish, I was chosen for a Erasmus mundus scholarship as Mexican for study in Austria, I went to embassy, the consulate assistant told me he couldn’t give me a visa as mexican if I have EU citizenship,Do you know what happen in those cases if you are register as your first citizenship (mexican in my case) in the country of Europa Union citizenship , Do I need visa? could I obtain a visa?

    • StyleHiClub
      September 2, 2014 at 8:46 am #

      You do not need a visa to go anywhere in the EU. You are an EU citizen and can stay in the EU for any purpose for as long as you like. You do not require a visa.

  211. Kevin
    August 29, 2014 at 7:19 am #

    Hi,

    I was wondering that entering the US again with your second passport (let’s say you have French and Spanish citizenship) wouldn’t the biometric data (fingerprint, photo) took previously, tell the border agent that you are using a different passport?
    Considering that their data base is centralized.

    • StyleHiClub
      September 2, 2014 at 8:47 am #

      It is your choice which passport to use as long as you are following the rules. You should of course assume that CBP is aware you are the same person and if asked, you should be honest. You can still use both passports on different trips however. There is nothing wrong with that.

  212. Ginhong
    September 1, 2014 at 2:06 am #

    I have a dual citizenship USA/Thai. However, I’m now living in Australia as a student (I’ve applied my Australian visa with my Thai passport because I’m on a scholarship with the Thai government). Now here’s the tricky part. I plan to go for a vacation to UAE in which I don’t need to apply for a visa if I use my US passport. So my intention is to use my US passport upon my arrival in UAE. The bad news is I just found out that my Thai passport just expired and I have to leave Australia within the next 4 weeks!

    My question is…can I use my US passport to leave Australia? (I used my Thai passport to enter Australia last year) Will there be a problem if I showed the immigration that my Thai passport has expired?

    Thank you in advance for your help!

    • StyleHiClub
      September 2, 2014 at 8:48 am #

      You can’t leave Australia using your US passport as you didn’t use it to enter. It will be scanned and flagged and you will have to explain. How long have you been in Australia for? Have you overstayed? If you want to discuss this further I suggest you pick up a copy of our eBook which goes into topics like this at length and includes a free individual consultation – http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/

  213. PeterH
    September 2, 2014 at 9:54 am #

    I understand the benefit of leaving the US with my US passport and entering the UK with my UK passport. However, when I return to the US using my US passport, the immigration officer will ask me where I am coming from. When I tell him that I am coming from the UK, he will not find a stamp in my US passport indicating that I entered the UK. Is that a problem?

    • StyleHiClub
      September 18, 2014 at 8:32 am #

      Assuming you show your US passport to the airline in the UK before you fly the immigration officer will already know where you are coming from. When they ask, answer honestly. They will not look for a passport stamp or care that one doesn’t exist. Answer all questions honestly. If you have more questions about this process, you should check out our eBook! http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/

  214. Jose Vivas
    September 11, 2014 at 10:47 pm #

    Hi my question is the following well actually several, my wife is planing to travel to the US from venezuela this October she has dual citizenship Venezuelan and Italian and she already has her ESTA application approved but we want to but a one way ticket and i have been told that the airlines will not sell me a one way ticket unless i am a US citizen etc.. is this true can i buy a one way tickest?

    my other question is that my wife’s italian passport will be expiring on February 1 2015, is this going to be a problem to enter the US?

    • StyleHiClub
      September 18, 2014 at 8:33 am #

      You should not have a problem buying a one-way ticket. Not sure who told you that. If you are concerned, just call the airline and ask. As for the passport expiration, that will probably be a problem. You should have six months validity.

  215. sam
    September 15, 2014 at 6:29 am #

    But what if they noticed I’m using two different passports, I mean I’m checking in with passport “a” and I’m departing the country with passport “b” is there a point where they are gonna check if it is the same passport or not ??

    • StyleHiClub
      September 18, 2014 at 8:34 am #

      There is no such point as both are being used correctly for different processes. If an immigration officer ever asks you, just answer honestly. You aren’t doing anything wrong by using two passports.

  216. virginian
    September 15, 2014 at 6:03 pm #

    Hi,
    Your how to is perfect, but I do have some questions.
    I have U.S passport and X passport. However, they have similar but not the same last name. I booked the flight with X passport.

    When exiting the U.S, I will show the X passport to the airline (shouldn’t be a problem). Then proceed to the passport control to show my U.S passport as well as my boarding pass in order to depart U.S. Since the last names are not exactly the same on the U.S passport and the boarding pass, could this cause an issue? I do have a copy of my name change petition if that makes it easier.

    Thanks!

    • StyleHiClub
      September 18, 2014 at 8:35 am #

      First off, there is no US exit immigration so the scenario you describe may happen, but not in the USA. As for the name discrepancy, it may cause a problem. Call the airline and try to have both names added to the ticket.

  217. Bill
    September 21, 2014 at 8:22 am #

    I have a question in regards to check in. I’m Australian and am heading to Argentina. I would need to book and check in with the UK passport (to avoid the reciprocity fee), immigration with AU passport, then on through with the UK passport all the way to Argentina. However, if as you say I need to use my Aus passport to return back to Aus at check in when leaving, then a problem of the wrong passport will be on the ticket when I try to depart…

    • Chandra
      October 29, 2014 at 9:26 am #

      This isn’t a problem. Think of each segment of the flight as it’s own itinerary. What you show when you check in should match what you fly with but you can change this on the other way around. Just be sure to enter and exit immigration on the same passport. If you have more questions about this process, you should check out our eBook! http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/

  218. Kyung In
    September 25, 2014 at 10:48 pm #

    I am not making a round trip, so I am slightly confused about how I should go about this. I first return to my home country (Philippines) from the country I am studying in (US). My Philippine passport holds the student visa to be in the US. I am travelling back to the Philippines and then after my holidays, I return to the US; however, I have decided to stay in Japan for a few days. The Philippines requires a Japanese visa to stay in Japan but the Korean passport does not. Since my trip is not a round trip and is a multi-city trip, does this cause any unnecessary problems? I am slightly confused as to what I should be doing…

  219. Phil
    September 28, 2014 at 3:47 am #

    I have a question which I couldn’t figure out the answer to from your article. I have both a Canadian and Polish passport. I am travelling to Brazil from Canada, with a layover in the U.S., all on one ticket. I would need a visa in my Canadian passport to enter Brazil, and a visa in my Polish passport to enter the U.S.

    However, if I fly into and out of the u.s. on my Canadian Passport, and enter Brazil on my Polish passport, I would not need any visas.

    Would I have any problems at check-in in Toronto doing such a thing? I can prove legal visa-free entry into both countries on my itinerary by showing both passports…

    Thanks,

  220. rebecca hunter
    September 30, 2014 at 2:54 pm #

    hi Dave. thanks – this has been very helpful to me, not being a seasoned traveler. I just have 1 question, which I have seen posted somewhere, but with no answer: When I return to my home country, in my case to south africa from britain, won’t my S.A. authorities want to see a stamp in my S.A. passport showing where I’ve been? I suppose what I’m actually asking, is whether I should’ve established beforehand that I am allowed by my home country to have dual citizenship. (I shall be asking my Home Affairs department, too.) thanks for the help. rebecca

    • Chandra
      October 29, 2014 at 9:32 am #

      Your home country may ask where you have been or you may need to fill out where you have been on an entry card but they will almost certainly not look for a passport stamp. Should they want to see one, just explain you have dual citizenship and show the other passport. Always be honest with Immigration authorities. So you know, both the UK and South Africa allow dual citizenship. Just be sure you always use their own passports to enter those countries. If you have more questions about this process, you should check out our eBook! http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/

  221. Argentinisimo
    October 3, 2014 at 12:53 pm #

    Hi there, everything is clear.
    My only concern is, if i show my US Passport upon reentry with no stamps of having traveled (bc I traveled on my Argentinian Passport) wouldn’t it be troublesome on customs?

  222. guest75
    October 6, 2014 at 2:04 am #

    Hello,
    I have a Swiss passport and my children have both US and Swiss passports, we plan to visit the US. We have already visited the US on our Swiss passports. If I understand correctly, that means my children have to present their US passports and I have to present my Swiss one upon arriving there?

  223. erika yasuma
    October 7, 2014 at 4:56 pm #

    what if i used japanese passport to go to japan but wil i be able to leave if it is expired… although my philippines passport is still okay…. im going back to the philippines…

    • Chandra
      October 29, 2014 at 9:35 am #

      This is a bit unique since you are in your home country. You could go to the Philippines on your Philippine passport but will need to renew your Japanese passport before coming home. If you have more questions about this process, you should check out our eBook! http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/

  224. erika yasuma
    October 7, 2014 at 5:19 pm #

    i cam to japan using japan passport but it is expired now and i am leaving on 15th but my philippines passport is still okay… im going back to philippines…

  225. Christine
    October 9, 2014 at 6:23 pm #

    Hello! please someone answer my question they said if you going to Russia and you only have 1 way ticket they are not allowed you to going to Russia…… they want Roundtrip ticket, they said the immigration they not allowed if you only have 1 way ticket going to Russia they want the round trip ticket…,

    • benop
      October 10, 2014 at 1:46 pm #

      Hi there! If you not allowed to go to Russia just with one way ticket your airlines wont allow you to board the plane for that trip. I had similar situation traveling to Mexico and during the check in they asked me when I am coming back but my answer was I dont know. They said I wont be allowed to travel to Mexico with only one way ticket. It is airlines responsibility to complay with thelaw of the coutry you are traveling to otherwise they might be fined.
      You will be probably asked to present some proof of return ticket confirmation during check inn. Also immigration will probably ask you similar question whe entering russia.

  226. Dualoz
    October 10, 2014 at 8:43 am #

    Not sure if my question got posted. New at this. I am a female dual citizen Australia/Italy. Italian passport is issued with maiden name. How will this work when leaving EU and ticket has married name on it?

    • Chandra
      October 29, 2014 at 9:37 am #

      I’m told the Italians can add the married name on a separate page. Otherwise you can try having the airline add both names to your record.

  227. benop
    October 10, 2014 at 1:37 pm #

    Hi there! I am wondering if I can exit Mexico with my Polish passport and enter US with UK passport [transit to Europe]. My concern is that my Brittish passport doesn’t have any stamps at all (from Mexico or anyother country) and that can be a problem for US authorities. If any one knows or was in similar situation please let me know. Will really appreciate yourcomments! Thanks! Ben

  228. SDL
    October 11, 2014 at 7:47 pm #

    I have dual European nationality, if I travel as a tourist in Japan on one passport, go back to Europe and travel back to Japan again on the other passport, is it likely immigration has my name in their database with a different nationality? Also, when asked, when did you last travel to Japan, and your 2nd passport shows no record (stamps), what do you say? I was traveling with different passport?

    • Chandra
      October 29, 2014 at 9:38 am #

      It is likely they will know you are the same person but you can use either passport without issue. They will see your travel history on the computer, not rely on stamps so always be honest. If you have more questions about this process, you should check out our eBook! http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/

  229. Aya21
    October 17, 2014 at 7:50 am #

    Hi i have a question. I have uae passport and philippine passport. Uae does not allow dual citizenship however in the philippines it is allowed. What will i use and which is which? Pls reply thabks

  230. Fabíola
    October 17, 2014 at 11:17 pm #

    My friend came to Brazil to visit me with his British passport (as there’s no need for a visa), he holds a dual citizenship (American-British) and he currently lives in the US. As his American passport is expired he only came with the British one. Today he was supposed to return to America and the airline didn’t allow him to board, even though he got his ESTA. They stated that he might be deported and the airline would have to pay a $5,000 fee if that happen. Can they do that?? Now he has to wait until monday to get an emergency passport. Pleeeeease help us! 🙂

    • Chandra
      October 29, 2014 at 9:40 am #

      He shouldn’t have told them he didn’t have his American passport. They can’t deport a US citizen. What he did was wrong but they have ways of confirming you are a citizen when you arrive.

  231. Hanna
    October 19, 2014 at 3:04 pm #

    I have a Dutch and Moroccan Passport. I have overstayed my stay in Brazil and will be paying a fine when I go back to Brazil. My ticket from Brazil to Europe was booked on my Dutch passport. Ill be going back to Brazil from Europe and wanted to know if there will be any questions asked when trying to enter Brazil with my Moroccan Passport. (I will still have a fine to pay, but its registered on my Dutch Passport) Flight booked was Brazil-Europe and going back from Europe to Brazil and has been booked on my Dutch passport. It’s a round trip booked while I was in Brazil and I don’t was to loose the flight back to Brasil.

    Hope I am clear in my story.

    • Chandra
      October 29, 2014 at 9:42 am #

      The passport you enter when booking a ticket is irrelevent. What matters is only which passport you show when you check in for your flight and what you give to immigration authorities. There is no such thing as booking a ticket “on” a passport so you can adjust accordingly. If you have more questions about this process, you should check out our eBook! http://www.stylehiclub.com/definitive-guide-traveling-as-a-dual-citizen/


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