csf

Hi,

I am an H1-B visa holder who recently had my visa extended until 2007. The problem is, the visa currently in my passport is stamped with the original expiry date May 2004. Also, it is only a 1 year temporary visa due to expire in October 2004.

Is there a way I can get the passport renewed and visa updated to enable me to travel back & forth to the UK? I need to head over there within the next 2 months.

Do I need to get the visa stamp updated within the passport, or is my new I-94 sufficient for re-entry to the US? If a restamp is necessary, can I get it done in the US? I remember having to go to the US embassy in London the last time something like this happened (it was a visa transfer to a new company at that time).

Any help appreciated!

Thanks,

Chris

marlborobell

If your visa expires in October (which is surprising if the petition expiry date is May, but I guess it's possible), and you plan to return to the US before then, you can use the old visa with the new I-797 approval of your H-1B status. Just make sure when you arrive back at the port of entry that the officer gives you a new I-94 valid until 2007.

If your visa has expired and you need to travel in the next two months, you'll need to renew it somewhere. Renewing it in the US is still possible, but only for another two weeks (the program ceases on July 16), but they usually take about three months to process the renewals -- so that's of no use to you. You'll have to go to http://www.nvars.com/ to see if you can get an appointment to renew your visa somewhere in Canada or Mexico in time; otherwise, you'll need to get someone in Britain to call the premium-rate number to get an appointment for you at the Embassy in London for the next time you're there. But in general, renewals in Canada/Mexico are same-day or next-day, whereas in London you could be stuck for two or three weeks.

Be warned, of course, that if you renew in Canada or Mexico and they decide not to accept your renewal (because, for instance, they can't validate your degree), you'll be stuck there and you'll have to travel directly to the UK without setting foot in the US.

csf

Hi marlborobell, thanks for the reply I just realised that I incorrectly stated my visa was due to expire in October 2004. That was a complete mistype on my part. I meant to say my PASSPORT is due to expire in October 2004. I was only issued a one year temporary passport due to having lost it twice in the spare of 3 years.

I had my visa extended until 2007 which is great, however, the visa stamp in my passport still contains the original visa which is stamped as expiring in May 2004.

That changes my situation a little bit. I guess I am just wondering how to go about getting my passport replaced before the expiration and whether I need to get the visa stamp in the passport replaced with an updated one stating expiry in 2007. I have a new I-94 which states the 2007 expiration.

Hope that makes a bit more sense

Thanks!

csf

Marlborobell, some good news. I just discovered today that my original UK visit business trip has been cancelled. This means my next trip isn't until christmas.

Does this give me enough time to have my visa revalidated? Also, with my passport expiring in October 2004, is it possible to get that replaced at the same time, or is that a separate process?

Thanks.

marlborobell

The problem is that the whole visa revalidation service dies on July 16th, and they refuse to put a visa in a passport that expires in less than six months.

If you can get your passport renewed at the UK Embassy in DC and have it in St. Louis for revalidation by July 16th, then go for it. But chances are you won't manage. As such, you'll need to get your visa renewed either in London during your Christmas trip or in Canada or Mexico sometime between now and then.

suacpa

In the past this has been my experience with expired passports that contain valid US visas: the passport office (for me it was out of the Cayman Islands) will issue a new passport and stamp the expired as cancelled, but will bind the two passports together (with rubberbands). So there is no need to have your current US visas reissued. Just be sure that you never misplace either passport!

Oh, and traveling in and out of the US with the new and cancelled passports attached never posed a problem.

Cheers!