International Travel

Travel to Canada or Mexico

Most H-1B and H-4 visa holders can travel to Canada and Mexico for up to 30 days and return to the United States with an expired H visa ("automatic revalidation"), but please note:

• Before traveling to Canada or Mexico, check with that country to see if a visitor/tourist visa is required for you to be allowed to enter that country.
• All citizens who apply for a visa at a U.S. Consulate in Canada or Mexico are not eligible for automatic revalidation.
• Mexican citizens must always have a valid visa when returning to the U.S. from Mexico.
• Citizens and nationals of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Sudan, North Korea, and Cuba are not eligible for automatic revalidation and should expect significant and burdensome delays when traveling outside of the U.S.

Travel Documents

Present these items when re-entering the U.S.:

1. Your passport, which must be valid at least 6 months into the future
2. Your I-94 record that permits stay beyond the date you re-enter the U.S. (you should have an I-94 card indicating an expiration date that is not earlier than the I-797 expiration date)
3. Your visa for which the original I-94 was issued
4. Original top portion of your unexpired H-1B Approval Notice (Form I-797)
5. Copy of a recent U.S. hospital pay statement

Travel Any Other Country

Travel Documents

Always travel with the following items:

1. Your passport, which must be valid at least 6 months into the future
2. Your I-94 record
3. Original top portion of your unexpired H-1B Approval Notice (Form I-797)
4. Copy of a recent U.S. hospital pay statement
5. If you do not already have a valid unexpired H-1B visa stamp in your passport, you will need to obtain an H-1B visa from an American Consulate/Embassy while abroad (only Canadian citizens do not need visas in their passport).

Visa Application

1. Get specific visa application instructions on website of the American Embassy/Consulate to which you will apply.
2. Review visa processing times here.
3. The original top portion of the I-797 approval notice and the copy of the H-1B application that was included with your approval notice are the only items that you need from our office for the visa application. 
4. If you are asked for a letter to confirm your current employment, please request this from your employer/department at the hospital.

Visa Application Delays

Some visa applications take more than 30 days due to "Administrative Processing" security and background checks. While "Administrative Processing" at a U.S. embassy/consulate is infrequent, you should be aware of the following:

• "Administrative Processing" can happen during any visa application, even if you have already legally been living in the U.S.
• It is not possible to inquire whether "Administrative Processing" will apply to you before you apply for the visa.
• It is not possible to expedite "Administrative Processing."
• "Administrative Processing" normally lasts 30 to 60 days.
• Always purchase flexible/refundable plane tickets if you will apply for a visa.

Your Obligation After Each Time You Reenter the U.S.

A U.S. Immigration officer will enter an electronic I-94 Arrival record each time you reenter the U.S.  After reentering the U.S., you must:

• Go to www.cbp.gov/I94 and print a copy of your new electronic Form I-94.
• Review your I-94 information. Your "Admit Until Date" should not be dated earlier than the expiration date listed on the I-797 approval notice.
• If there are any errors on your Form I-94, please contact PIPS and we will provide you an e-mail address to contact U.S. Custom and Border Protection
• Keep a copy of the I-94 in your passport.
• Keep a copy of the I-94 for your permanent records.