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If I Get a New Passport, Do I Need New Foreign Visas?

June 19, 2017
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3 min read
Chinese, USA and Shengen European visas in passports
If I Get a New Passport, Do I Need New Foreign Visas?
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"Reader Questions" are answered three days a week — Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays — by TPG Senior Writer Julian Mark Kheel.

If your travels have taken you to a foreign country multiple times or if you've stayed there for more than just a few months, you might have obtained a visa for that country. But what happens if you have to replace the passport your visa is already in, as TPG reader Mark asked us in a Facebook message...

[pullquote source="TPG Reader Mark"]I just renewed my US passport. Do I need to get a new Chinese visa or can I take my old passport with the still current visa to present to immigration along with my new passport?[/pullquote]

It's extremely rare that the expiration of a visa from a foreign country will line up exactly with the expiration of your passport, so if you're a regular international traveler, it's entirely likely that at some point you'll find yourself facing the same situation as Mark. And since visas can be expensive and time-consuming to acquire, it'd be nice if you didn't have to get a new one or transfer the old one just because your passport expired, right?

Well, in Mark's case, he's in luck. According to the Chinese embassy, if you have a new passport but your visa is still valid in your old one...



You may travel with both passports provided that your visa is still valid and the personal details including your name, sex, date of birth and nationality on both passports are exactly the same.

Note that if any of the above are not true — for instance, your name has changed on your new passport — you will have to reapply and pay for a new visa. But as long as your details are identical, you should have no trouble just carrying both passports with you when you travel to China.

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two US passports
China will let you use a visa from an old passport. But not every country is the same.

Now, it's important to keep in mind that not every country has the same rules as China. Some countries might insist that you have to get a brand-new visa with a new passport. Others want you to inform them of your new passport details. Still others may require you to transfer the visa from the old passport, and this does not mean cutting the visa out of your old passport and pasting it into the new one. If a country requires a visa be transferred to a new passport, you generally have to submit the new passport and the appropriate paperwork to get the transfer done.

Visas can be tricky, especially when it comes to multiple passports, as another TPG reader found out recently during a trip to Australia. So if you find you do need a new visa, TPG recommends using a third-party service like Allied Passport & Visa. Mention The Points Guy on your order form and you’ll get a $5 discount just for TPG readers.

But Mark, if the only visa in your old passport is the one from China, you should be good to go just by carrying them both. Thanks for the question, and if you're a TPG reader who'd like us to answer a question of your own, tweet us at @thepointsguy, message us on Facebook or email us at info@thepointsguy.com.

Featured image by Getty Images/iStockphoto

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  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

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  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
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  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
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