Short Canada Visit on H1B require stamping?

[visavisa007]

Hi

Anyone travelled to Canada and came back without needing to get visa stamp recently?

I have a valid canada visa and approved i797 with valid i-94 on it. Need to visit Canada for a week, can I travel back without going to visa stamping. Planning to travel back through  airport.

 

Thank you 

[Tjgarla]

Hello you dont need a visa. There is a rule called AVR. You can travel to the neighboring countries and islands and come back to USA with a valid i797 and no visa.

https://travel.state.gov/content/travel/en/us-visas/visa-information-resources/visa-expiration-date/auto-revalidate.html

[shekar11#]

22 hours ago, visavisa007 said:

Hi

Anyone travelled to Canada and came back without needing to get visa stamp recently?

I have a valid canada visa and approved i797 with valid i-94 on it. Need to visit Canada for a week, can I travel back without going to visa stamping. Planning to travel back through  airport.

 

Thank you 

Yes, you can do that. Use AVR (Automatic visa revalidation) process.

[gopalakrishnach]

Is your existing stamped H1B visa in passport expired. If yes, then you need to get it stamped. If no, you can return back with your old stamped valid visa along with I797 and valid I94.

[02112018]

You should have a valid visa stamped on passport to go for short/long canada visit and come back, if you have expired visa on passport and have approved i-797 in hand, they won't let you get in, you got to go to stamping to return states.

[shekar11#]

20 hours ago, 02112018 said:

You should have a valid visa stamped on passport to go for short/long canada visit and come back, if you have expired visa on passport and have approved i-797 in hand, they won't let you get in, you got to go to stamping to return states.

That is not right. AVR is an option.

Edited May 8, 2019 by shekar11#

[02112018]

shekar11#, thanks for correction

[ashukla]

On ‎5‎/‎7‎/‎2019 at 1:44 PM, gopalakrishnach said:

Is your existing stamped H1B visa in passport expired. If yes, then you need to get it stamped. If no, you can return back with your old stamped valid visa along with I797 and valid I94.

If you want to reenter USA from Canada through land border, and your current visa stamp is expired then you must meet the following criteria in respect to use AVR:-

1. Valid I-797
2. Valid - I-94 with expiration date in future
3. Valid Passport
4. You haven't appeared for visa stamping in any US consulate in Canada
5. Your return date to USA is less than 30 days from the date of departure
6. You haven't traveled to any other during your visit to Canada.

You really not required to have active visa stamp on your passport to return from Canada by land. I am not sure about air travel but I believe CBP rules does not change by the method of travel. Still check on this before making any decision.