Travel and Visa Stamping
H-1B visa vs. H-1B status
An H-1B visa is a stamp issued in an individual’s passport by a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad which allows them to seek entry to the U.S. A visa stamp does not determine the period of stay in the U.S., meaning an individual’s visa can expire while in the U.S. without jeopardizing their ability to remain in the U.S.
H-1B status is granted by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) upon entry to the U.S. or by United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) with an I-797 Approval Notice. An I-94 – issued by either CBP or USCIS – determines the period of stay in H-1B status, meaning an H-1B employee may not work or otherwise remain in the U.S. beyond the I-94 end date, unless the employee has a pending H-1B petition.
For more information on period of stay and I-94, see Period of Stay & I-94.
Travel
Travel to/ from U.S. states and territories does not require a visa stamp but air travel does require a Real ID.
International Travel
International travel should be carefully considered based on the purpose and necessity of the trip as entry restrictions and other risk factors may exist. ISSS has created an International Travel Worksheet for individuals to make informed decisions on international travel, prompting them to evaluate their travel plans by confirming the trip’s necessity, assessing admissibility risks, reviewing applicable U.S. entry requirements, ensuring documents remain valid, and gathering supporting materials.
For more information on international travel considerations, see International Travel Considerations for International Students and Scholars.
Automatic Revalidation
International travel generally requires a valid visa stamp in a valid for an individual to request reentry to the U.S. However, under automatic revalidation, individuals holding expired visas who request reentry to the U.S. may be admitted by CBP if:
- They are in valid H-1B status and reenter to resume the same status;
- They have a valid Form I-94 Arrival Record;
- They travel only to Canada or Mexico for 30 days or less;
- They do not apply for a U.S. visa while abroad;
- They are not a national of a State Sponsor of Terrorism designated country. Review more about State Sponsors of Terrorism and FAQs;
- They have never had a visa cancelled for visa overstay;
- They are otherwise admissible.
Obtaining a visa stamp
A visa stamp is obtained at a U.S. embassy or consulate in an individual’s country of residence. If routine U.S. visa operations are suspended or paused in an individual’s country of residence, they should apply at their designated immigrant visa processing post, unless the individual is a national of another country with ongoing operations.
Note that the time needed to obtain a visa stamp varies depending on the country and U.S. embassy or consulate. For current visa wait times, see Department of State Visa Appointment Wait Times.
The documents needed to obtain a new visa stamp at a U.S. embassy or consulate include:
- I-797 Approval Notice
- Valid passport
- Copy of the H-1B petition submitted by the university on an individual’s behalf
- Most recent CU Denver | Anschutz paystubs (last 3 months)
- Employment verification letter (current employees) or letter of offer (future employees)
- Complete curriculum vitae or resume
- If working in a sensitive field, a letter from your direct supervisor providing a detailed description of your job duties in terms that a non-expert would understand
- Any additional documents required by the specific embassy or consulate