Automatic H1B Visa Re validation for travel to Mexico on Cruise

USA H1B Visa
1

Hi,

I have a valid H1B extension for 3 years whereas my visa stamp is expired.

I want to travel to Mexico/Bahamas via cruise.

Can I apply for automatic visa re-validation for H1B and travel and comeback.

If so, please let me know the process.

Thanks
Radha

2

Hi @radha_madimi

What is the status of your i94? Is it valid or expired? Since, you mentioned that you have approved H1B extension, your i94 should be valid too.

Assuming you have your i94 valid, you can simply travel on cruise as you have approved H1B extension.
There is no separate procedure to apply for automatic revalidation.

Just walk into the immigration counter at as usual and show your documents to get revalidation done.
You would need:

  1. H1B i797 approval copy
  2. un-expired i94
  3. Passport with expired H1B visa stamp.

Here is the complete article that I wrote for your reference:

3

Thank you so much. One more question I have is can automatic revalidation used multiple times. I mean can I use it for couple of times for Canada/Mexico

4

Yes, you can use it multiple times but all the conditions should be met.

Note that you can’t have a pending/denied visa stamping in Canada or Mexico and still use ‘automatic revalidation’.

5

Thank you Anil.I appreciate it.

6

Hi Anil,

I have a valid i94 and expired visa stamp on my passport. Can i take the cruise to Mexico? if yes do i need Mexico visitor visa as my US visa stamp is expired

7

Hi @saikiran111986
Looks like you can go for Mexico cruise.

Mexico allows people with valid USA visa or valid i797 to enter their country.
But, i would still advise to check with cruise to see if your i797 will work.

8

@radha_madimi, Were you able to go on cruise using Automatic Visa Revalidation process, can you share your experience here on how it went. I am in the same situation and planed to go to Bahamas.

Based on information at below link, our attorney said H1B is ok to go to Bahamas Cruise with expired Visa and valid i797 with i129 form:
https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/1218/kw/revalidate%20visa/session/L3RpbWUvMTQ0NTAwMjEwMC9zaWQvWTk4dVk0em0%3D

Please suggest

9

Hi ,

I am not sure on Bahamas but I went to Mexico no issues . U just need to carry valid i94.

Thanks

Radha

10

Than you @radha_madimi…

11

@Anil_Gupta can you suggest if I can go on closed loop cruise in my situation to Bahamas… any suggestion would be much appreciated…

12

I don’t think you can go to Bahamas if you want to use AVR.

13

Pls let me know ur experience to Bahamas

14

Radha, did you end up needing to apply for a Mexico visitor visa or was that not required with a valid I-797 and I-94? TIA.

15

Hello I had a question about the automatic revalidation I was planning on going to Mexico , I have a valid i94 and all other documents except my expired f1 visa. Will I need to show the original visa , I have a copy of it but I lost my old passport. Will I still be able to do the AVR ?

16

Continuing the discussion from Automatic H1B Visa Re validation for travel to Mexico on Cruise:

Has anyone traveled to Mexico and used automatic revalidation to come back ? I was on f1 but changed my status to H1. I want to go to Mexico but to come back what documents do I need ? I have every document except my original f1 visa. As I have lost my old passport. I do have copies however. Will that work ?

17

Will my I-94 be enough or do I need any other documents?

18

U just need I 94 and your H1 B approval, it has been 4 years I have went not sure anything changed after that

19

Thank you so much for responding. So you didn’t have to show your old visa at all ? I lost my old passport so I was just worried about that and was it to Mexico that you traveled ? Thank you

20

:pray: Hi @radha_madimi @Anil_Gupta , Please help answer this:
I am planning to go on a 3 day cruise from LA to Ensenada, Mexico. It’s a closed loop cruise. Basically I will be on the cruise majority of the time & will only spend around 6-7 hours in Ensenada.

Current visa situation:
I was on F1 visa (expired Nov 2021) & got H1 visa approval (form I-797) in October 2021 for the first time. Basically, don’t have a H1 visa stamped on the passport.

I have a I-94, it states ‘Class of admission: F1’ & ‘Admit until Date: D/S’

Can I go on this cruise travel & face no issues while re-entering back to US (same port of departure)? What documents should be sufficient for re-entering? Will Automatic H1B Visa re-validation rule apply in this case? I am worried that I will be denied entry. Please help :pray: