Do i Need Passport
 

I'm an Indian citizen working in US on H1-B. I want to know that if I travel to Hawaii do I need to carry my passport with me.

I know for US Citizen it is not required but not sure about H1-B people working here in US. Is there any kind of immigration check any where (I mean in Hawaii or in US while coming back).

Thanks in advance!

First of all, assuming that you are flying to Hawaii, you'll need some sort of governmental ID to board the plane. And there's no better one than a passport.
I don't know what the official rules are, but I would think it would be prudent for you, as a foreign national to carry your passport when travelling.

I suppose you'd need an immigration lawyer to get a complete answer, but flying to Hawaii shouldn't be any different than flying to any other state in the U.S. So the short answer is that you don't need a passport unless you use it as a form of picture identification for flying.

I have valid US driving license. I think that can be used in place of ID.

This will sound weird, but I feel like we went through some sort of cuctoms check when we returned because they have so many restrictions on what can be brought back onto the mainland from Hawaii. I don't really remember though but I know I was worried about my lei being taken. (That might have been in Hawaii though.)

Am I imagining or misremembering this?

~gnr~

Amazing!! A passport is not reuired to travel within the United States or within any other country. A passport is a document for international travel. There are no customs checks travelling between Hawaii and any other US state.

There is an agricultural check/inspection when entering Hawaii or traveling between islands, mostly to prevent the spread of new species and diseases.

As others have said, it's the airline ID issue that you'll have to deal wtih -- otherwise, it's just like traveling between any 2 states.

The agriculture inspection is done when you leave HI not when you arrive. There is certain plant/animal life that may not leave HI.

Thanks Suzie and Anon. I knew there was something official and that something was checked.

~gnr~

By the way, it would seem that they would do it both ways since they don't want invasive species introduced there either.

~gnr~

Also, I would think that if there is a problem with something that mvermani has with him, they might ask to see a passport/green card/proof of identification if he isn't a US citizen.

~gnr~

But how will they know he's not a US citizen, in the first place?

They don't inspect your bags upon arrival, but you have to fill out the declaration form while you are on the plane. In addition, those beagles wandering the baggage claim area are sniffing for plants, fruits, etc. If they point you out, you'll be asked to show what's in your bag.

He is NOT leaving the United States!

It's always safer to bring your passport with you, even on domestic flights, since you are not a citizen or a Permanent Resident. HOWEVER, you are not leaving the US, so it is not required. Flying between states is very easy; all you will need is a photo ID.

The "customs" others are referring to is just the USDA Hawaii Agriculture inspection.

Mver:

Get a passport, it is super convenient. Even when I go to Canada I will take mine and as an American citizen I am told don't need it.

Stephanie, Mvermani is an Indian citizen living in the US. He/she must already have a passport in order to be admitted into this country. The question is whether or not to take it to Hawaii.

Mvermani, the passport might not be required for this trip, but is it really that much trouble to carry it with you on your trip, just in case some type of question comes up? In today's world of increased security, it's much better to be safe than sorry.

Carrying a passport is not at all a problem for me. But my concern is that if I have to go through immigration check while coming back to US than I do not have my latest H1-B stamped on my passport.

Say for instance if I have to go Europe I will need to get visa stamped on my passport otherwise I cannot enter US. I just wanted to confirm that it is not the same case when I'm traveling to Hawaii.

Carry your passport whenever you travel, just as a precaution. You never know when a flight may be diverted to Canada or Mexico, and your re-entry would be much much easier if you already had the passport on you. In the case of your trip to Hawaii, you would probably not be questioned on entry to the islands, but you can't be 100% sure there might not be some questions on your return if, for example, your flight were a continuation from elsewhere or there was some INS shuffling around or security alert. Or just some I'm-not-profiling-just-asking security agent being-extra-careful.

Whenever you are traveling outside your home country, you should have either your passport or a copy of your passport. Who knows what emergency could arise.

Since you are already in the US, you will not need your passport for anything accept identification.

We used to get asked this question a lot. So, I called the US Department of State and asked them the question. They said that THEY don't require a passport as you're traveling from state to state, but that the AIRLINE may, as you're traveling over international waters. They suggested that you contact the airline and ask them.

She also mentioned what Cassandra suggested: in case the flight had to be diverted to Mexico or Canada, you'd need your passport.

I always carry mine when I travel, and I'm a citizen. It's the best ID you have. I'd suggest taking it with you, just in case...

GoTravel, you speak as an American citizen who has never had to deal with INS as a foreign national. Their experience can be very different and very difficult -- I've seen it over and over again. Just because the letter of the "law" is that no one needs a passport to travel within the 50 states, the hard fact of life is that that only works predictably for US citizens.

While mvermani may not need a passport to drive from Ohio to Indiana, dealing with airport security to fly around the country, let alone traveling to Hawaii, has the chance -- however remote -- of providing something unexpected in which mvermani could be at the very least delayed and inconvenienced while things are verified.

A passport just isn't that heavy and shouldn't be a problem to bring along, but mvermani's got the added problem of having some documentation not quite up-to-date. Mvermani, although you should try to get that visa updated, even if you can't before you travel, I'd still take all the ID you have.

It would be nice to think mvermani would be treated as "well" as any American air traveler is in post 9/11 airports, but that's just unrealistic.

I don't understand the requirements for getting the H1-B visa stamp on your passport. If you aren't required to have it stamped, except when leaving and rentering the country, then you won't need it for Hawaii. You might choose to carry your passport and US license for Id purposes, but you will not need a Visa to travel between states - even if going over the Pacific.

But, if you are lacking the stamp and need to have to stamped regardless of your travel plans, then I would strongly urge you to get in compliance with the law.

mvermani: If you have a U.S. driver's license, you won't need your passport. Unless your driver's license says you're not a U.S. citizen or permanet resident. I don't know if there's a code on those for non-U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Who knows with today's security measures.
Frankly, I think some people get a bit anal about when to use their passport. It's an I.D. like anything else. There's nothing wrong with using it for travel within the U.S. I used to have a driver's license with no picture so I would use passport for airline travel within the U.S. and I certainly never got any weird look from the airline agent about me using between NJ and Atlanta for example.
Personally, I think that because you're on a work visa, you should carry your passport. Although it wouldn't be too awful getting stuck in Hawaii. :-)

People, people, people -- not one of you is an INS official or lawyer and yet the majority of you seem to think mvermani can count on getting by with just a driver's license. You can't possibly know what non-citizens encounter -- you're just blithely parroting what has been your experience and what you think is the truth about non-citizen travel in the US.

The only advice that makes any sense whatsoever is for a non-citizen, non-resident-alien is to TAKE YOUR PASSPORT. It's hardly illegal to do so, and even if no one ever asks for it, it's just not a problem to carry it. But if you should need added proof of your identity or status for any reason whatsoever, you will for damn sure want it with you.

(The only reason you, mvermani, even asked the question is because you don't have the latest visa stamped in your passport -- why not? Get 'er done!)

Recommend you take your passport and H1B approval notification with you to be on the safer side.

A stamp is not essential unless you plan to travel out of the country as long as you have the approval notification from INS.

My only point was that if he got caught with something illegal, they might want proof that he is allowed to be in the US at all. Better to be safe than deported.

<font color=#990033>~gnr~</font>

cfc, to get the H1B stamped you have to go out of the country - Mexico or Canada is usually where most folks do. But this is a painful process, and most people do not do this unless they have to.

I'll just add that I wasn't always a U.S. citizen and a U.S. driver's license was just fine to travel within the U.S. But that was way before 9/11, so I don't know if today's driver's license have special codes for non-Americans and non-permanent residents. That's why I think the passport should be carried by the OP just in case.

In Puerto Rico, which is also the USA, inmigration ramdonly pick people to check documents...they do this because of illegals trying to enter the USA. SO better take your passaport...

Hi Mvermani,

I am also on an H-1B visa. I've asked my lawyer this question (if I can travel to Hawaii or Alaska after my H-1B expires and before my Advance Parole is approved).

My lawyer's answer: &quot;You should not need any immigrations documents to travel within the United States, even if you are leaving the continental US. Please make sure that the flights to not require you to disembark in another country first.&quot;

That being said, just bring all your immigration documents with you (passport, receipt notices for Advance Parole/H-1B extension/I-485, recent paystubs, letter from employer verifying current employment). You never know what they're going to ask for (even if technically it is a &quot;domestic flight&quot;). Better safe than sorry :-).

jmoy, the lawyer's response fits the letter of the law but not the reality of practice, so your advice is much better than his (hers). If you or mvermani got caught in some moment of TSA or INS super-officiousness, or some random re-routing, all the letters-of-the-law wouldn't make up for the hassle.

There's no legal requirement that you have it, because you'll only be clearing Agriculture and not Immigration, but take your passport, I-797 and I-94 with you to avoid hassle, as you will be flying over international waters and the airlines may choose to be ultra-careful. You don't need to renew your visa stamp (in fact you can't, because you won't be anywhere where there is a U.S. consulate, and the State Dept. ended visa revalidation on 10/26). Incidently, I AM an immigrtation lawyer (though of course you'd have no reason to trust that, as I'm also just a random person answering your query).

I am an american citizen and I take my passport on every trip whether in the country or out. I think it is the best id for travel. I would take it since you are not a citizen and you are boarding an aircraft.

Hello mvermani,
I was curious about what you finally did. Did you face any problems entering US mainland again? Was there any sort of immigration check when returning. What airlines did you fly?
I am in the same situation...going to Hawaii and visa is not stamped in the passport.
Thanks.

For bhh77: Traveling to Hawaii is like traveling to any other state- airline just asks for photo id. My husband is not a US citizen, we have been to Hawaii last year and this year, he just shows his driver license as id. when we check in (he does not carry his passport on US trips and neither do I- and I am a US citizen). I have been to Hawaii 8 times and have never been asked for anything more than a driver license for id.

On the plane on the way in you will be given a form to fill out, it is just and agricultural declaration where you say if you are carrying in any animals, plants, etc.