Automatic Visa Revalidation (AVR) to enter USA

[nookala_vikas]

Hi All,

I am currently in US on H1b Visa and I have a valid I-94 till 2021. My Current US visa stamping has expired. I am planning to travel to Canada for 2 weeks. Below are my questions

1. What is the preferred mode of transportation by ROAD or Air Travel ? Since I do not have an Expired Visa should I travel by Road or by Air.
2. What are the documents I need to carry when I am re-entering USA.

Vikas

 

[lampbreaker]

1. Does not matter
2. Passport, petition approval notice with I-94 and optionally LCA, client letter if applicable, recent paystubs etc.

 

[saineela21]

Hi

I got my passport stamped for the Canada PR. The expiry date is 16th June 2020. Can I travel to Canada for my stamping and SIN process and come back to the US on an AVR with an expired Visa stamp but a current student i20 and client letter?

If so, what kind of documentation would I require?

Thanks
SaiNeela

 

[harinidev]

Hi, my spouse and I got our PPR on Feb 4th and sent our passports. Our medicals expire in April so I am guessing we will have to land before that. Currently, we are in the US and I am on my H1-B visa. My husband is on F1 and is on CPT. His F1 stamp expired in December. Is there any chance for him to come back to the US after landing? So that we can settle a few things here.

Our other options are:
1. Book a visa appointment with the US Embassy and try to extend his F1 based on his I-20
2. Book an appointment for a visitor visa/ H4 visa.

However, I was reading about AVR in this group. So I was wondering if that is a possibility for us.

 

[lampbreaker]

Hi

I got my passport stamped for the Canada PR. The expiry date is 16th June 2020. Can I travel to Canada for my stamping and SIN process and come back to the US on an AVR with an expired Visa stamp but a current student i20 and client letter?

If so, what kind of documentation would I require?

Thanks
SaiNeela

Hi, my spouse and I got our PPR on Feb 4th and sent our passports. Our medicals expire in April so I am guessing we will have to land before that. Currently, we are in the US and I am on my H1-B visa. My husband is on F1 and is on CPT. His F1 stamp expired in December. Is there any chance for him to come back to the US after landing? So that we can settle a few things here.

Our other options are:
1. Book a visa appointment with the US Embassy and try to extend his F1 based on his I-20
2. Book an appointment for a visitor visa/ H4 visa.

However, I was reading about AVR in this group. So I was wondering if that is a possibility for us.

Both of you can use AVR. However, note that irrespective of AVR (even if you had a valid Visa), CPT is a red flag. If you are enrolled in some shady, private, day 1 CPT type university any travel or Visa application is going to be highly scrutinized.

 

[harinidev]

Both of you can use AVR. However, note that irrespective of AVR (even if you had a valid Visa), CPT is a red flag. If you are enrolled in some shady, private, day 1 CPT type university any travel or Visa application is going to be highly scrutinized.

Thanks. So what is the best thing for us to do now. If we want to come back via AVR, what documents do we need? And what information should we provide?

 

[rahmath8121]

Hello,

I have recently received my COPR and will have to do my landing process shortly. I am in US and initially was on F1 and then applied for H1B which got approved and started the H1B status from October 1 2019. I have not left the country and do not have a H1B visa stamped.I have the F1 visa in my passport which is valid till 2021. I have two questions:

1. Does change of status from F1 to H1B mean that the F1 stamp existing on my passport is expired?
2. Can I use AVR to reenter the country with approved I-797 document and current I-94 which is D/S as expiry date when I first entered United states on F1?

Thanks in advance!!!!

 

[Khush_Mugambo]

T

1. Not a problem....as long as the i94 is valid you should be good to go
2. No. I had done this because I wanted to be absolutely sure but now that I know I can tell you it's not needed. You may still want to do it for peace of mind. Nothing more.
3. You can go for stamping in Canada...although the wait time is over 2 months now.

Thanks Krohit01! Appreciate your time and patience.

 

[Khush_Mugambo]

I am thinking of a soft landing in the next couple of weeks. Will be re-entering the US using AVR. Has anyone heard about problems in AVR or re-entry in general for that matter, because of the ongoing Corona virus crisis?

 

[JustIndian]

I am thinking of a soft landing in the next couple of weeks. Will be re-entering the US using AVR. Has anyone heard about problems in AVR or re-entry in general for that matter, because of the ongoing Corona virus crisis?

Hi - Not fully relevant to your question but not sure if you saw this - https://www.canada.ca/en/immigration-refugees-citizenship/corporate/publications-manuals/operational-bulletins-manuals/bulletins-2020/669.html. They are allowing more time in case travel restrictions go up.

 

[JustIndian]

Hi - I am new to the forum, but found the information here very helpful. I had a question regarding AVR. Has anyone heard of any cases where they were able to use AVR even when they had a scheduled H1B interview in Canada in future? Alternatively, has anyone heard of any cases where they were denied entry on AVR when they had a scheduled H1B interview in Canada in future?

I had planned by softlanding in April and had scheduled H1B interview accordingly. However, due to the escalating coronavirus crisis I was thinking of advancing my plan and travel in next 2 weeks. Was wondering if that will be an issue.

Appreciate any responses as it will help me in my planning. Thanks.

 

[harirajmohan]

Hi - I am new to the forum, but found the information here very helpful. I had a question regarding AVR. Has anyone heard of any cases where they were able to use AVR even when they had a scheduled H1B interview in Canada in future? Alternatively, has anyone heard of any cases where they were denied entry on AVR when they had a scheduled H1B interview in Canada in future?

I had planned by softlanding in April and had scheduled H1B interview accordingly. However, due to the escalating coronavirus crisis I was thinking of advancing my plan and travel in next 2 weeks. Was wondering if that will be an issue.

Appreciate any responses as it will help me in my planning. Thanks.

No issues, Dont worry too much on it as your application never gets into review stage unless one attends the interview.
If they all consider the Ds160 submission as visa application then the people who miss interview while being US should loose their status.

 

[JustIndian]

No issues, Dont worry too much on it as your application never gets into review stage unless one attends the interview.
If they all consider the Ds160 submission as visa application then the people who miss interview while being US should loose their status.

Thank you, this is very helpful. Make sense to me completely. Do you know of cases who have done this, i.e., used AVR with scheduled interviews in Canada?

 

[JustIndian]

If I understand @harirajmohan correctly, online visa application and interview scheduled are not considered "pending new visa application", so until one attends the visa interview in the consulate they can use AVR. I am wondering if anyone has actually tested this in practice. I am trying to fill out an application to renew my H4 visa and schedule an appointment, but I am worried if it invalidates my eligibility for AVR. Anyone?

Hi - Did you manage to get any new information on your question? Any information will be very valuable for me as I am in similar situation and trying to evaluate AVR option even if I have an H1B interview scheduled in the future.

 

[JustIndian]

No issues, Dont worry too much on it as your application never gets into review stage unless one attends the interview.
If they all consider the Ds160 submission as visa application then the people who miss interview while being US should loose their status.

Hi - One more question. Please let me know your thoughts urgently. Let's say if my AVR is denied at Toronta airport due to scheduled interview. Will I be able to reenter at Toronto with my stamped CoPR? or will I be refused entry since I would not have PRTD. Thanks.