Traveling to Canada or Mexico

If you plan to travel to and from Canada or Mexico for a short visit (less than 30 days), you must have:

• Valid passport. It must be valid for at least six months when you re-enter the U.S.
• Valid I-797 H-1B approval notice.
• Expired H-1B visa stamp.
• An I-94 indicating H-1B status.

Automatic revalidation does not apply to individuals from state sponsors of terrorism, such as North Korea, Iran, Syria, or Sudan.

Automatic revalidation also does not apply if you have applied for a U.S. nonimmigrant visa at a U.S. Embassy/Consulate in Canada or Mexico during your trip.

In all cases, you must have documents required to enter the country to which you are traveling. Contact the respective country’s consulate for required entry documents and visas.

Traveling abroad

This section does not include travel to Canada and Mexico.

If you are an H-1B worker and you plan to travel abroad, in order to be readmitted to the U.S. you need to present to the customs and border officer, at the port of entry, the following documents:

• Valid passport. It must be valid for at least six months when you enter the U.S.
• A valid H-1B visa stamp in your passport.
• Valid H-1B approval notice.

When applying for a new H-1B visa, the following documents may be required:

• Valid passport with at least six months of validity remaining.
• Valid H-1B approval notice.
• Copy of the most recent H-1B petition filed on your behalf. Contact Mayo Clinic’s Legal Department at VisaHelp@mayo.edu for instructions regarding downloading the petition from the immigration web module.
• Employment verification letter found using I2Verify.
• Three of the most recent Mayo Clinic paystubs.

Entry into the U.S. is at the discretion of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (USCBP) officer at the U.S. Port of Entry.

Note: The U.S. Department of State recommends that visa applications be made in the exchange visitor’s home country as difficulties can arise when apply for a new U.S. visa in a third country.

After traveling outside of the U.S.

Retrieve and print your I-94. To access your record, you will need your passport. 

Verify that the following information on the I-94 printout is correct:

• Your name, as it is appears in your passport
• The appropriate visa classification (H-1B or H-4)
• The end date on the I-94 should match the H-1B approval notice (Form I-797) or be extended for 10 additional days beyond the end date of the H-1B approval notice

If your I-94 is shortened due to your passport expiring prior to the I-797, your status will end on the date marked on the I-94 record rather than the H-1B approval notice. Immediately contact Mayo Clinic’s Legal Department at VisaHelp@mayo.edu with the new expiration date.

Contact Mayo Clinic’s Legal Department at VisaHelp@mayo.edu if you notice an error or data inconsistency, or if the end date on the I-94 does not match your H-1B approval notice.