US Visa in an Old Passport: Still Valid? Can It Transfer?

Yes, a US visa in an old passport is still valid until the expiration date printed on it, as long as it has not been cancelled or revoked and the visa page is not damaged. You do not need to transfer it, and in fact you cannot: the US Department of State says not to remove the visa from the old passport, and that doing so makes it invalid. You simply travel with both passports, the new valid one and the old one holding the visa.

This guide explains how that works at the airport, the situations where you do need a new visa, and what it means if you plan to renew from the UAE. Last checked 24 September 2026 against the US Department of State and US Customs and Border Protection.

US Mission UAE status, checked 24 September 2026: if you need a new visa rather than using the one in your old passport, note that the Mission’s Visas page says: “While the U.S. Embassy in Abu Dhabi and Consulate in Dubai are open, routine visa processing is not available in the United Arab Emirates at this time. Further updates regarding visa processing will be posted here when available.” The Mission’s security alert of 1 September 2026 said: “Limited Non-immigrant Visa appointments are available. All Immigrant Visa services remain suspended.” That line was not repeated in the alerts of 11 and 19 September. Routine services have not resumed.

Is a US visa in an old or expired passport still valid?

Yes. The State Department’s visitor visa page says: “A valid U.S. visa in an expired passport is still valid. Unless canceled or revoked, a visa is valid until its expiration date.” It adds: “If you have a valid visa in your expired passport, do not remove it from your expired passport. You may use your valid visa in your expired passport along with a new valid passport for travel and admission to the United States.”

Its visa FAQ gives the same answer to the question most people ask after renewing a passport, “Do I need to apply for a new visa with my new passport?”: no, as long as the visa is valid, not damaged, and is the right type of visa for the main purpose of your trip.

Can a US visa be transferred to a new passport?

No, and it does not need to be. There is no official transfer service for US visas. The visa stays in the passport it was issued in, and that passport stays with you. The State Department is blunt about the one thing not to do: “Do not try to remove the visa from your old passport and stick it into the new valid passport. If you do so, your visa will no longer be valid.”

This is different from how some other countries handle residence permits and visas, so it catches people out. If an agent offers to “move” your US visa to a new passport, that is not something the US government does.

How to travel to the US with two passports

When you arrive, the Customs and Border Protection officer checks the visa in the old passport. If you are admitted, the officer stamps your new passport and adds the annotation “VIOPP”, which stands for visa in other passport. A few practical points:

• Carry both passports in your hand luggage, and show both at check-in and at US arrival.
• Both passports must be from the same country. The State Department says the valid and the expired passport “should be from the same country.”
• Your new passport must be valid long enough. The State Department asks for a passport valid for at least six months beyond your period of stay, “unless exempt by country-specific agreements”. If you are unsure whether your country is exempt, check with your airline or the US Mission before you fly.
• A visa is permission to travel, not a right to enter. The State Department says a visa allows you to travel to the US port of entry, where the CBP officer “authorizes or denies admission” and decides the length of stay.

Your permitted stay is shown on your admission record (Form I-94), not by the visa’s expiry date. The State Department says you can remain for your authorised period of stay even if your visa expires while you are in the United States.

When you do need a new US visa

Indian and other passports renewed in the UAE

Many UAE residents renew their passports here, and some passport offices return the old book cancelled, for example with a corner clipped. The State Department’s guidance talks about an “expired” passport and does not deal separately with cancellation marks. In practice, what matters is that the visa itself is intact and still valid. Keep the old passport safe, do not let anyone detach or stamp over the visa page, and if you have doubts about a heavily marked passport, ask your airline or the US Mission before you fly. Our guide to Indian passport renewal in the UAE and what it means for your visas covers the passport side, and our note on what happens if your passport expires during a visa application helps if you are mid-application.

If your name or personal details differ between the two passports, read our guide on name mismatches between passport and visa before you travel.

Renewing a US visa that sits in an old passport

If the visa in your old passport has expired, or will soon, the old passport matters for your renewal too. Under the State Department’s interview waiver rule, a B1/B2 renewal can be considered without an interview only if you apply within 12 months of the old visa’s expiry, the old visa had full validity, you were at least 18 when it was issued, you apply in your country of nationality or residence, and you have never been refused (unless the refusal was overcome). The UAE application centre’s renewal page also requires that the previous visa “was not lost, stolen, or revoked.” A lost old passport can therefore take the waiver off the table.

Right now the waiver route is not available in the UAE, because routine processing is not available. Our guides to the US visa dropbox in the UAE and US visa renewal from Dubai set out the current options, including applying in your home country.

A quick checklist before you fly

• The visa in the old passport is still within its expiration date.
• The visa page is clean, attached and readable.
• The old and new passports are from the same country.
• The new passport meets the six-month validity rule, or your country is exempt. Our passport validity checker can help.
• Your names match, or you have the legal documents that explain the change.
• Both passports are in your hand luggage, not your checked bag.

How Visa Doctor helps

We check whether the visa in your old passport can still be used, whether your circumstances call for a new application, and, if you need to renew, whether you qualify for an interview waiver. We prepare the DS-160 and documents, watch the official calendars and book the earliest suitable appointment the official system offers. The consular officer decides the visa, and the CBP officer decides admission.

WhatsApp us on +971 58 509 5268 or call +971 58 509 5268.

Frequently asked questions

Sources and official references

• US Department of State: Visitor Visa (checked 24 September 2026)
• US Department of State: Visa FAQs, About Visas, The Basics (checked 24 September 2026)
• US Department of State: What the Visa Expiration Date Means (checked 24 September 2026)
• US Department of State: Interview Waiver Update, 18 September 2025 (checked 24 September 2026)
• US visa information for the UAE: Renew a visa (checked 24 September 2026)
• US Embassy and Consulate in the UAE: Visas (checked 24 September 2026)
• US Mission UAE: Security Alert, 1 September 2026 (checked 24 September 2026)