H1B Approved - Travel Plans to Puerto Rico (US Territory)

[SJ9184]

Hello,

My H1B was just approved and I have a trip planned to Puerto Rico on October 2nd to Oct 10th. 
 

1). I would like to know if i can travel to Puerto Rico from NY and be able to come back to NY by the 10th.

2). I have no plans to go to India this year for Visa stamping. I was on F1 visa and applied for my H1B which just got approved. Does that make my F1 visa null? 

3). Am i required to have passport to go to Puerto Rico? Will I be going through immigration there? I believe Puerto Rico is an US acquired territory. 

4). Is there a deadline to get my passport stamped from my home country. I understand i cannot travel abroad and expect US to grant me entry. But does that mean that i can stay in the country for another year without getting my VISA stamping done?

Please let me know if you have any anwers to my questions above.

 

Thank you.

[newacct]

US visas (what you call "stamping") are only for entering the US. If you don't need to enter the US (and the US for immigration purposes includes Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands), you do not need a US visa.  There is no "deadline" -- you never have to get a visa if you remain in the US.

There is some conflicting information about whether you need a passport when going between the states and Puerto Rico; bring your passport to be safe. There is an immigration check when returning to the states from Puerto Rico, but since it's not an entry to the US, you don't need a visa. Proof that you are in status (e.g. your H1b I-94 which came with your H1b approval notice) should be enough.

Your F1 visa is still valid if it is unexpired, but it is useless if you are not using it to enter into the program of study that you got the visa for.

[JoeF]

The only thing that is required is picture id (e.g., passport) and the I-94 showing legal status in the US.  As was already said, Puerto Rico is part of the US.