My H1B I-94 is valid through 2022, but the visa stamp in my passport has expired. I am taking a round-trip, 3-day cruise to the Bahamas. Do I need a visa for this?

Answer

Yes, ordinarily, a valid H1B visa “stamp” would be required, even for a brief trip abroad such as this.

Note that there are some exceptions to his general rule. For instance, if certain conditions are met, an H1B worker may travel to Canada or Mexico for up to 30 days, and then return based on the automatic visa revalidation rule. However, automatic visa revalidation does not apply to H1B workers who travel to the Bahamas. See the MurthyDotCom article, Contiguous Territory Rule Permits Reentry from Canada or Mexico (26.Mar.2018) for more details on this rule. (11.Dec.2019)

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