Cruise on J-1

[care_candidate]

Hello,

 

My wife (Indian) is on 3rd year of her 4-year J-1 (Physician residency) program. She has J-1 stamped on her passport for first time with D/S on I-94. She extends J-1 each year with new DS-2019 document but no entry on passport.

 

We are planning to take closed loop cruise (start and finish at same US port) with couple of caribbean countries to visit. I have been researching with many parties (CBP, Cruise company, J-1 visa sponsor-ECFMG) to exactly figure out if it is possible for her to enter into those countries for few hours and come back to cruise and finally re-enter to US port with no issue. I came across a term called "Automatic Revalidation" which might what she is suitable for but I am not 100% confident considering all the complications that may arise.

 

Is there anybody who can give me good information, or may be from similar experience. This is our first time for cruise and I am not even sure how entry/exit to cruise is different from airports. I really don't want to get stuck at any point during the trip.

 

[JoeF]

AVR allows to enter the US without a new visa if the person has traveled to Canada or Mexico (on H, F, J) or adjacent islands (F,J).

From https://www.ice.gov/sevis/travel#_Toc81222015

"

The adjacent islands are:

• Saint Pierre
• Miquelon
• Cuba
• The Dominican Republic
• Haiti
• Bermuda
• The Bahamas
• Barbados
• Jamaica
• The Windward and Leeward Islands
• Trinidad
• Martinique
• Other British, French, and Netherlands territory or possessions in or bordering on the Caribbean Sea"

And in this case, it doesn't matter because your wife has a J visa.

 

AVR has nothing at all to do with entering any of these countries.

To enter the other countries, both you and her may need visas for these countries.

[jairichi]

AVR cannot be used to visit all countries and re-enter US but only to visit certain countries like Canada, Mexico, etc where the visit is less than a month.

[care_candidate]

Thanks so much for answers. I know many H-1b, B1/B2, H-4...who do not travel to these adjacent islands because of not knowing this rule.

 

cheers!

[JoeF]

Thanks so much for answers. I know many H-1b, B1/B2, H-4...who do not travel to these adjacent islands because of not knowing this rule.

 

cheers!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This rule doesn't apply to people on B1/B2.

Also, for people n H1 or H4, AVR is only available for travel to Canada and Mexico.