le10

Hi folks,

Returning to the UK this afternoon for a week to see family.

I'm here on an L1-B visa and last time we came back the immigration fellow seemed to imply that my COPY of the I-797 was not sufficient and that it needed to be the original. Given that my employer has been granted a blanket approval, my understanding is that a copy is all that is required.

Anyone know the actual requirement ?

Also, I am staying in the UK for a week and my wife and children are staying for 2 weeks. Therefore, this is the first time they are flying to the USA without me.

From an immigration documentation perspective, do I just need to give them an additional COPY of the I-797 ( I will have used a copy getting myself back in).

Many thanks for your help.

Paul.

le10

Forgot to say of course, that my family are all on L2's

tonrob

Where there any particular circumstances that meant you were supposed to carry your I-797 (copy or not)? I was on an L1-A to begin with and never carried nor was asked for this, and I traveled once every few months.

SanDiegogirl

Same here ....... travelled back and forth on L1 visa and only ever showed passport.

le10

Hmmm...my companies immigration attorneys recommend presenting it...I'll seek clarification from them. Thanks.

FinnDiego

Good idea. With a blanket L1 you won't have the original, but you can (and probably should?) carry a copy. I was never asked, but I didn't present it unless asked, just carried it with me. In my experience that seems to be the best strategy with immigration documents at least for simple cases such as re-entry on L1 - have your additional supporting documents with you (I-797 and whatnot) but only present the minimum needed unless asked.

Vimto

I have just (thursday this week) renewed my L1a visa and the visa stamp is annotated "MUST PRESENT I-797 OR I-129 AT POE"
When I presented my passport to the immigration officer yesterday on my return to the US he was quite chatty and told me that this was the first time he had seen this annotation. He actually said to me 'this is a pain in the @ss. You will need to have this paper with you every time you travel outside the US"

Maybe they have changed the rules again but who knows?

N1cky

I travelled back yesterday, through Chicago. The immigration officers were actually looking at everyones passports in the line and asking questions. I heard them ask at least 15 people if they had their I797 with them, and asked to see it. I was asked, what visa I was on? L2, so you are here for someones work? I said, yes, my husband, he asked who he worked for, and what his job title was.

I then got to the desk, where I had the arseist officer ever, he kept me at the desk for 20 minutes, and only asked me one question. He just huffed and puffed at me. When I got to the desk there were at least 40 people behind me, by the time I was allowed to go there was no one else in the hall. My bags were going round and round on the conveyor belt all on their own.