Automatic visa revalidation/ landing question

[ftbhat95]

Hello
Iam planning to drive to Canada from Wisconsin to validate my PR visa. I am on H1B right now.
With this short trip I just want to validate the immigrant visa before expiry, Iam planning to move there permanently only in late 2019.
My H1 stamping expired in 2017 and I have to use AVR to enter and other posts about this process are helpful.

I have a few questions that I believe I didnt see in other posts:
1) Do I have to inform my current employer about the visit? ( I just dont want to make them think I might be leaving them soon).
Better put, will any of these happen that will let my employer know after the fact that I travelled:
a) a new visa stamp against the temporarily revalidated visa? or
b) Updated date in the online I-94 portal or
c) any other document that I have to provide to my employer later on for a h1 extension
(my H1 expires in Apr 2019 and my employer will ask for these docs in December).

I have my 797, old passport with the expired stamp, new passport (no h1 stamp but with Canadian IM visa), client letter (dated within the past 4 months), all pay stubs, WI driving license.

2) I dont have Labor copy. Do I need that?

3) I am planning the trip to be 4 days including a week end, is that sufficient?

4) Is there any commercial service that can redirect my PR card to US address when it is sent?

Thanks in advance.

 

[harirajmohan]

Hello
Iam planning to drive to Canada from Wisconsin to validate my PR visa. I am on H1B right now.
With this short trip I just want to validate the immigrant visa before expiry, Iam planning to move there permanently only in late 2019.
My H1 stamping expired in 2017 and I have to use AVR to enter and other posts about this process are helpful.

I have a few questions that I believe I didnt see in other posts:
1) Do I have to inform my current employer about the visit? ( I just dont want to make them think I might be leaving them soon).
Better put, will any of these happen that will let my employer know after the fact that I travelled:
a) a new visa stamp against the temporarily revalidated visa? or
b) Updated date in the online I-94 portal or
c) any other document that I have to provide to my employer later on for a h1 extension
(my H1 expires in Apr 2019 and my employer will ask for these docs in December).
I have my 797, old passport with the expired stamp, new passport (no h1 stamp but with Canadian IM visa), client letter (dated within the past 4 months), all pay stubs, WI driving license.
2) I dont have Labor copy. Do I need that?
3) I am planning the trip to be 4 days including a week end, is that sufficient?
4) Is there any commercial service that can redirect my PR card to US address when it is sent?
Thanks in advance.

1. Logically you need to inform your employer before you travel to get full cooperation if any issues happen during travel. It all depends on employer's perspective and thinking about an employee travel to other country on immigration visa - yes some selfish manager or small employer might create issue which you need to assess the situation and handle it. You are the best person to judge.
My employer doesnt care as we had already a person coming from Canada to work hence it was normal for them.
1.a. During travel you might or might not get new I94 (depending on cbp officer)(both scenarios happened during my travel hence you can expect any outcome). Depending on the processes in place for your immigration team, you need to send updated copy - for my one of the previous companies i did not need to as they wanted it just before extension but for my current company i need to update my immigration lawyer. So its based on your company policy.
1.b. Recent entry date might or might not get updated. It depends on how cbp officer processes it. Both scenarios happened to my/family travel. So expect any of the outcomes.
1.c. Dont know - refer your immigration team's checklist. it wont be different than what you provided last time.
2. Depends on cbp officer. if he/she wants to verify the work location then he might ask but its rare.
3. Documents to carry: Same as how you traveled last time. What i usually carry: current I797 with valid I94, old passport with expired visa, new passport, lca copy, I129 copy, recent 2 months payslip. If you have recent client letter or employer letter then just carry but dont show as showing just I797 with 2 passports should be enough initially unless asked for any of the rest.
4. I opened one PO box with ups and gave that address but i read few threads on officers not accepting po box address or friend's addresses. But its not an issue as you can apply for pr card later too. I dont think you can redirect a post/mail internationally.
How i handled: After i opened the po box in Canada(while in US) and gave the address at border, i used to call and check back with ups on the PR cards arrival and asked them to ship it to US address. I never visited the ups store.

 

[lampbreaker]

Hello
Iam planning to drive to Canada from Wisconsin to validate my PR visa. I am on H1B right now.
With this short trip I just want to validate the immigrant visa before expiry, Iam planning to move there permanently only in late 2019.
My H1 stamping expired in 2017 and I have to use AVR to enter and other posts about this process are helpful.

I have a few questions that I believe I didnt see in other posts:
1) Do I have to inform my current employer about the visit? ( I just dont want to make them think I might be leaving them soon).
Better put, will any of these happen that will let my employer know after the fact that I travelled:
a) a new visa stamp against the temporarily revalidated visa? or
b) Updated date in the online I-94 portal or
c) any other document that I have to provide to my employer later on for a h1 extension
(my H1 expires in Apr 2019 and my employer will ask for these docs in December).

I have my 797, old passport with the expired stamp, new passport (no h1 stamp but with Canadian IM visa), client letter (dated within the past 4 months), all pay stubs, WI driving license.

-- You don't have to inform your employer. You can always tell them that you are visiting Canada for tourism and not for PR landing anyway.

2) I dont have Labor copy. Do I need that?
-- Not for traveling, but it is good to have it in general.

3) I am planning the trip to be 4 days including a week end, is that sufficient?
-- Yes, that's fine.

4) Is there any commercial service that can redirect my PR card to US address when it is sent?
-- No. You can give a friend or relative's address and they can forward it to you.

Thanks in advance.

See above.

 

[Bill922]

Hello
Iam planning to drive to Canada from Wisconsin to validate my PR visa. I am on H1B right now.
With this short trip I just want to validate the immigrant visa before expiry, Iam planning to move there permanently only in late 2019.
My H1 stamping expired in 2017 and I have to use AVR to enter and other posts about this process are helpful.

I have a few questions that I believe I didnt see in other posts:
1) Do I have to inform my current employer about the visit? ( I just dont want to make them think I might be leaving them soon).
Better put, will any of these happen that will let my employer know after the fact that I travelled:
a) a new visa stamp against the temporarily revalidated visa? or
b) Updated date in the online I-94 portal or
c) any other document that I have to provide to my employer later on for a h1 extension
(my H1 expires in Apr 2019 and my employer will ask for these docs in December).

I have my 797, old passport with the expired stamp, new passport (no h1 stamp but with Canadian IM visa), client letter (dated within the past 4 months), all pay stubs, WI driving license.

2) I dont have Labor copy. Do I need that?

3) I am planning the trip to be 4 days including a week end, is that sufficient?

4) Is there any commercial service that can redirect my PR card to US address when it is sent?

Thanks in advance.

any updates? friend.
expired H1B stamp, valid I-94?

 

[Rockstar62]

Hi Friends,

Thanks first of all to all the members for guiding me. Now is the time to share my experience

I have recently transitioned from F1 -> H1B. I dont have H1B stamp, last stamp i have is F1 which is also expired. I have approved petition till JAN 25 with valid I94. This is the background
I traveled by road to Canada. Took peace bridge route. While crossing border, we have duty free shop before entering bridge - can get CAD dollars here. There is no customs check on the US side, we drive straight to canadian border. Please follow the signs "AUTOS" as they have different lanes for buses/nexus etc.
Questions on the canadian border:
1. Purpose of visit ---> Came for PR landing
2. Are you cmg to settle now ----> No, Just came for landing
3. When are planning to settle ---> In about 6 months time.
4. Please make sure you follow residency obligations ----> Yes Sir.
5. Park your car at the building and meet officer inside to complete landing ---- > Sure

Parked my car as said. Inside the building, met another officer - she completed the whole process. I told them i have goods to accompany list. They did accept my list but didnt like the entry jewelry - he wanted pictures of the jewelry. I didnt have any so he gave one time exception. They were pleasant. They stapled COPR to my passport and said i should be able to cross land border using this until i get PR card.

Applied for Social Insurance number -> this is quick. Just Walkin.
Applied for Bank Acct -> this is also quick. Take appt

On the way back. We took the same peace bridge route. As expected, officer at US border asked me to park my car and see officer inside. They interviewed me
What status you were on, when did you come to US, who is first employer, when did start working with the current employer, Did you transition to H1b with same employer, employer location?, client location?, designation ? etc....

After that finally they issued paper I94 and collected 6$.

Finally relaxed. Returned back to US using Automatic Visa Re validation. This works.

 

[ron24by7@gmail.com]

Hi Friends,

Thanks first of all to all the members for guiding me. Now is the time to share my experience

I have recently transitioned from F1 -> H1B. I dont have H1B stamp, last stamp i have is F1 which is also expired. I have approved petition till JAN 25 with valid I94. This is the background
I traveled by road to Canada. Took peace bridge route. While crossing border, we have duty free shop before entering bridge - can get CAD dollars here. There is no customs check on the US side, we drive straight to canadian border. Please follow the signs "AUTOS" as they have different lanes for buses/nexus etc.
Questions on the canadian border:
1. Purpose of visit ---> Came for PR landing
2. Are you cmg to settle now ----> No, Just came for landing
3. When are planning to settle ---> In about 6 months time.
4. Please make sure you follow residency obligations ----> Yes Sir.
5. Park your car at the building and meet officer inside to complete landing ---- > Sure

Parked my car as said. Inside the building, met another officer - she completed the whole process. I told them i have goods to accompany list. They did accept my list but didnt like the entry jewelry - he wanted pictures of the jewelry. I didnt have any so he gave one time exception. They were pleasant. They stapled COPR to my passport and said i should be able to cross land border using this until i get PR card.

Applied for Social Insurance number -> this is quick. Just Walkin.
Applied for Bank Acct -> this is also quick. Take appt

On the way back. We took the same peace bridge route. As expected, officer at US border asked me to park my car and see officer inside. They interviewed me
What status you were on, when did you come to US, who is first employer, when did start working with the current employer, Did you transition to H1b with same employer, employer location?, client location?, designation ? etc....

After that finally they issued paper I94 and collected 6$.

Finally relaxed. Returned back to US using Automatic Visa Re validation. This works.

Thanks for sharing your story... almost my store is same but bit different, I transitioned from F1 -> H1B 7 years back. I dont have H1B stamp, last stamp i have is F1 which is also expired. I have approved petition till DEC-2020 with valid I94. I have Canada Visiting visa (Not PR).. Is it safe to travel on AUTOMATIC VISA ReValidation in my Case as I don't have PR.

 

[lampbreaker]

Thanks for sharing your story... almost my store is same but bit different, I transitioned from F1 -> H1B 7 years back. I dont have H1B stamp, last stamp i have is F1 which is also expired. I have approved petition till DEC-2020 with valid I94. I have Canada Visiting visa (Not PR).. Is it safe to travel on AUTOMATIC VISA ReValidation in my Case as I don't have PR.

That's fine. Canadian PR has nothing do with US AVR.