Traveling abroad during H1B renewal

[silkroute]

Hello,

 

My H1B is currently being renewed. It's been sent for renewal for about a month now. I need to travel abroad in Nov 2014. My visa stamp expired in Aug and the renewal process was started just about ten days before the visa expiry. My questions are:

 

1.Can I expect the H1B renewal to happen by mid Nov 2014?

 

2. Even if I get the renewal done, can I travel outside the USA since my old visa expired in Aug 2014?

 

3. I have a visa for the other country but it was got before the H1B expired. Can I still use it to travel in Nov 2014 or will I need another visa from them? 

 

4. Is it possible to get the US visa renewed in Canada or Mexico? How long does that take?

 

Many thanks for your help

[jairichi]

1. 3 to 4 months for approval by regular processing.

2. Yes.

3. What other country and what visa? Be clear.

4. Yes, you can. Depends on availability of slots.

[itsmeusa]

1. Nope.

2. You can.

3. They will ask you where you want to go after coming to their country. As your H1b is expired, you could only go back to India.

4. Yes. From 5 days (clear case) to few months (221g fiasco).

[silkroute]

Thank you to all those who replied back. As a follow up question I want to provide more information and ask something. The other country I need to visit is the UK. So assuming that the H1B renewal does come through by Nov 15th and I travel to UK, what happens when I return back to the US? Remember that my US visa expired in Aug 2014. I have no plans of going to India after my UK visit. Given this scenario when I return back to the US can the Immigration office deny entry because while my H1B will be valid, there won't be any new visa stamping.

 

Second, itsmeusa wrote that the US visa can be renewed at Canada and the processing time may be anywhere between "5 days to a few months." Do I have to be in Canada for the renewal or can I mail my passport to the US Consulate there? Also, if one needs to be physically present to file the visa application does it mean that for the entire period during which the processing takes place (5 days- few months) I will have to be in Canada? I assume that I won't be able to cross the international borders and return back to the US. Is that correct?

[silkroute]

If I may add, travelling outside the US when the H1B renewal process is underway is NOT possible. Correct?

Thank you so much