Last year, I changed status to H1B, so I am in valid status, but I don’t have an H1B visa stamp. I will soon be visiting a friend in El Paso, Texas. Will not having a valid H1B stamp be a problem?

Answer

A visa foil (commonly referred to as a “stamp”) is an entry document. As long as one remains in the U.S., there generally is no need to have a valid visa.

That being said, border cities, like El Paso, sometimes have border patrol checkpoints. El Paso has several permanent checkpoints on the roads leading into the city. A valid visa is not needed (or particularly helpful) at such a checkpoint, but one should have proof of valid immigration status; a valid passport and a copy of one’s I-94 typically is sufficient. (16.Apr.2018)

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