Daily commute (Detroit-Windsor) (H1b and Canada PR)

[harirajmohan]

Hello Everyone!

I'm currently living in Windsor as a PR of Canada since March of 2020 and I've been travelling to Michigan daily for work with a valid H1B stamp which expires Sept 30th, 2020.

I have received an I-797B approval notice for 1 year (I-140 is still pending a decision) and wanted some help w/ the below mentioned questions :

a. My I797B states POE as Detroit Michigan Tunnel. Will I need to stamp my passport at a US consulate in Canada before going to POE?
b. Appointments are tough to find for US visa stamping in Canada, will I be allowed to still travel to Michigan for work under AVR provided I get my I94 from the border officer? FYI : I won't be leaving North America.

a. No issues on using this document in any port. its just one port they have mentioned but its not mandatory to use the same.
b. Is your I94 extended in your I797 bottom portion?

Is your visa stamp expired in Sep 2020 or expires in Sep 2021?
if its going to expire next month then you can go this month to get new I94 based on new petition approved.
Or if your I94 is already extended, just take that I94 and staple it in your passport and start using it.

 

[nkapoor14]

Hi Harirajmohan,

- There was a typo in my previous post, I meant to say my current H1B stamp on the passport expires Sept 30th, 2021.
- The I797B is just an approval document and no I-94 attached to it. It just states that its valid from 10/1/2021 to 9/30/2022 at the bottom of the document and consular/POE as Detroit Michigan tunnel.

 

[harirajmohan]

Hi Harirajmohan,

- There was a typo in my previous post, I meant to say my current H1B stamp on the passport expires Sept 30th, 2021.
- The I797B is just an approval document and no I-94 attached to it. It just states that its valid from 10/1/2021 to 9/30/2022 at the bottom of the document and consular/POE as Detroit Michigan tunnel.

Same like i had in March2020. So just stop by at cbp office few days before Sep30 to get new I94.
THis way you dont need to worry when you would get the new stamping date. For now it would be tension free with valid I94.

They will just ask if its for same employer etc. So while going inside, you have to take all the docs(i797, I129, lca) along with your recent payslips(if asked you can give).

In sep, whenever you want to get new I94, you can ask the officer at the booth that you would like to get new I94 based on new petition. They he/she may ask to show the I797 and then send you inside.

 

[nkapoor14]

Thank you for the feedback and letting me know the documents I need to carry as well.

I did ask the border officer today and he told me to come on Oct 1st w/ the documents to be issued a new I-94.
I will try again closer to middle of September to see if they issue me a new I-94.

 

[harirajmohan]

Thank you for the feedback and letting me the documents I need to carry as well.

I did ask the border officer today and he told me to come on Oct 1st w/ the documents to be issued a new I-94.
I will try again closer to middle of September to see if they issue me a new I-94.

I dont think that you can do it on Oct1st since you dont have visa.
So please try it before 30th. I dont want you to run into risk of getting entry denied if you go on Oct 1st.

 

[nkapoor14]

I dont think that you can do it on Oct1st since you dont have visa.
So please try it before 30th. I dont want you to run into risk of getting entry denied if you go on Oct 1st.

Hari,

Definitely! I will try again in a 1-2 weeks.

 

[Akki9172]

Hello Everyone!

I'm currently living in Windsor as a PR of Canada since March of 2020 and I've been travelling to Michigan daily for work with a valid H1B stamp which expires Sept 30th, 2020.

I have received an I-797B approval notice for 1 year (I-140 is still pending a decision) and wanted some help w/ the below mentioned questions :

a. My I797B states POE as Detroit Michigan Tunnel. Will I need to stamp my passport at a US consulate in Canada before going to POE?
b. Appointments are tough to find for US visa stamping in Canada, will I be allowed to still travel to Michigan for work under AVR provided I get my I94 from the border officer? FYI : I won't be leaving North America.

Hello I am just curious that when you travel daily do the officers on US side stamp your entry each day?

 

[nkapoor14]

Hello I am just curious that when you travel daily do the officers on US side stamp your entry each day?

Hi Akki,

No they don't stamp anything on the passport.
Your I94 is electronically updated.

 

[swan0206]

Hello I am just curious that when you travel daily do the officers on US side stamp your entry each day?

They do not stamp instead they swipe your passport and its automatically updated.

 

[banparv]

Hello! I commute daily between Detroit and Windsor. My status in US is H1B and my US visa stamp is expired so I travel using AVR. If I fill DS160 for the visa interview and still keep commuting between Detroit and Windsor, my travel information updated in DS160 will be obsolete by the time I appear in the visa interview at the consulate since I would have commuted so many times between filling DS160 and appearing for the interview. I wanted to confirm if that can harm my visa application in any way if my travel information is not current at the time of visa interview?

 

[harirajmohan]

Hello! I commute daily between Detroit and Windsor. My status in US is H1B and my US visa stamp is expired so I travel using AVR. If I fill DS160 for the visa interview and still keep commuting between Detroit and Windsor, my travel information updated in DS160 will be obsolete by the time I appear in the visa interview at the consulate since I would have commuted so many times between filling DS160 and appearing for the interview. I wanted to confirm if that can harm my visa application in any way if my travel information is not current at the time of visa interview?

Its fine. They know that it wont be accurate for commuters.

 

[Anks86]

I am on a H1B visa living in New Hampshire. My wife’s job recently moved to Toronto. I am planning to live near Niagara Falls with her and commute to US side of Niagara Falls daily to work (my employer needs me to work out of US). I have an approved I797 till 2023 but no visa stamp on my passport. Will the CBP allow me to enter US everyday using AVR?

 

[siddix16]

Has anyone applied for "H1B EXTENSION" recently. I have filled the whole application and I am getting option of drop in and they will courier me Visa back. Have not seen any appointment option. My question is, has anyone gone through the drop in route? After how many days did you get the Visa (Toronto Embassy).

 

[harirajmohan]

Has anyone applied for "H1B EXTENSION" recently. I have filled the whole application and I am getting option of drop in and they will courier me Visa back. Have not seen any appointment option. My question is, has anyone gone through the drop in route? After how many days did you get the Visa (Toronto Embassy).

Yes, this is the way dropbox facility works in US consulates in Canada. It depends but mostly 7-14 days typical at Toronto.

 

[Cecoct2017]

i got my Canadian citizenship and planning to work in Michigan now (industrial engineering in automotive sector). how to find jobs in states ? directly or via consultant? any help will be appreciated . thanks