Canada/Mexico and Re-Entry to the United States
Automatic Visa Revalidation
The Toronto skyline at night.
What Documents Do I Need to Re-enter the U.S.?
Canadian Visas
You are required to have a passport that is valid for six months beyond the period of your intended stay in the U.S. Exception: Citizens of countries on the “Six-Month Club” list can re-enter the U.S. with less than six months of validity as long as their passport is still valid. If your country of citizenship is NOT on this list, DO NOT attempt to enter the U.S. unless you have at least six months of validity on your passport.
- If you are in J-1 status: Your DS-2019 with a travel signature that is less than one year old
- If you are in H-1B status: Your unexpired Form I-797 Approval Notice
Generally, you are required to hold an unexpired U.S. visa stamp in order to apply for admission to the U.S. However, you may or may not need a U.S. visa to re-enter the U.S. from Canada. This will depend on many factors, such as the length of your stay in Canada. Please review our office's information on automatic revalidation for guidance on short trips to Canada.
Please read the questions below for more details regarding automatic visa revalidation.
Under the “automatic revalidation of visa” benefit, individuals on nonimmigrant visas (J-1, J-2, H-1B, H-4) may re-enter the U.S. with an expired visa after a stay of less than 30 days in Canada or Mexico. (Individuals in J-1 or J-2 status may also enter the U.S. after a stay of less than 30 days on islands in the Caribbean). To re-enter, J-1 scholars will need a valid DS-2019, an up-to-date travel signature on their DS-2019 and their unexpired passport.
There are two important exceptions to the “automatic revalidation of visa” benefit:
1. Individuals from Iran, Sudan and Syria may not re-enter the U.S. with an expired visa. This means that they will have to return to their home country, renew their U.S. visa there and attempt to return to the U.S.
2. Individuals whose U.S. visa application is pending or was denied may also not re-enter the U.S. They will also have to return to their home country, renew their U.S. visa there and attempt to return to the U.S. Please note that this restriction applies even if the original U.S. visa is still valid.
No. If your application for a change of status was approved and your current documents are in accordance with the new status, you may re-enter the U.S. without a visa stamp matching your new status as long as your trip to Canada was less than 30 days and you are not a citizen of Iran, Sudan and Syria.
Yes. If your trip to Canada was more than 30 days, you will need a VALID U.S. visa stamp in addition to your other immigration documents to re-enter the U.S.
Yes. If you traveled to another country outside Canada (regardless of the length of time) and you wish to re-enter the U.S. from Canada, you must have a valid U.S. visa stamp to re-enter the U.S.
Note: If your U.S. visa stamp has expired or will expire prior to the date of your re-entry to the U.S., you must apply for a new visa stamp at a U.S. Consulate or Embassy. This may only be done OUTSIDE U.S. borders.
Disclaimer
The information contained on this web page is provided as a service to the international faculty, researchers, staff, employees and administrators of University at Buffalo, and does not constitute legal advice on any immigration, tax, or other matter. We try to provide useful information, but we make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to this web site or any associated site. As legal advice must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case, and laws are constantly changing, nothing provided herein should be used as a substitute for the advice of competent counsel. Neither the University at Buffalo nor the Office of UB Immigration Services is responsible for any errors or omissions contained on this web page, or for the results obtained from the use of this information.
Contact
Email: immsvcga@buffalo.edu Tel. Number: (716) 645-2355