H-1B Travel

If your U.S. visa in your passport has expired or will expire prior to your next re-entry to the U.S., you will need to renew your visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad before you can re-enter the US.  There is no option to renew a U.S. visa while inside the U.S.  Visit this website for updated visa renewal information and procedures at your nearest U.S. consulate in your home country. In some circumstances, you may also be able to renew your visa in a third country. 

Note: your U.S. immigration status remains valid as long as you are maintaining proper H-1B status at UMass.  A U.S. visa is only necessary for travel and re-entry to the U.S., but is not necessary if you do not have immediate travel plans! This is the only documentation that can expire while in the U.S. in your valid H-1B status.

Note: Canadian Citizens do not require a visa stamp to enter the United States. However, they must present the appropriate documents in order to be admitted in H-1B status.  

Anyone planning to depart from the U.S. and return after a temporary absence must have a valid passport in order to exit the U.S. The passport must also be valid for a minimum of six months into the future at the time of re-entry to the U.S. Some countries have an agreement with the U.S. that automatically extends passport validity for 6 months, for U.S. entry purposes only.

For a visit of less than 30 days to Canada, Mexico, and the Caribbean (except Cuba), you are allowed to re-enter the U.S. with an expired visa. This process is known as Automatic Visa Revalidation.

You will need your:

• Valid Passport
• Most recent Visa Stamp
• Current valid I-797 Approval Notice

Please note if you apply for a H-1B visa in Canada, Mexico, or the Caribbean and denied; you will not be able to return to the U.S. using Automatic Revalidation.

Nationals of Cuba, Iran, Sudan, and Syria are not eligible for automatic revalidation of an expired visa. Please consult with ISSS for further details.

Note: Not valid for Canadian citizens.

Please pay extra attention to your most recent I-94 record and make sure that you won't inadvertently lose H-1B status and work authorization. At the immigration officer's discretion, some H visa holders may be given a 10-day grace period reflected on their I-94. The grace period is outside the approved H-1B petition period that allows you to work in the U.S. Do not confuse with the date discrepancy and speak with ISSS if you have questions.