Overview
While in H-1B status you may travel outside the United States to conduct personal and/or professional business. To re-enter the United States after international travel you must have a valid passport with an unexpired H-1B Approval Notice. Unless you travel on a Canadian passport, you must also obtain an H-1 visa at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate abroad.
The exception to this rule is for visits to Canada or Mexico lasting 30 days or less for those who have a U.S. visa of some kind in their passports and a copy of the most recent I-94 electronic record. (Unfortunately this visa exception does not apply to those who travel on Iranian, Syrian, North Korean, or Cuban passports. If you travel on a passport from one of these countries, you must always obtain a visa to enter the United States.)
Canadian citizens are exempt from visa requirement and should use the H-1B Approval Notice (I-797) and Canadian passport to enter the U.S.
It is not necessary for the name of the employer on a valid H-1 visa to match the name of the employer on the current H-1 Approval Notice. If you have an unexpired H-1 visa in your passport for another employer, you may use that visa to return to Iowa State University after international travel. Please budget time in your next international trip to apply for a visa if you do not have a valid H-1 visa in your passport. Consult the website of the U.S. Embassy/Consulate where you will apply for your visa to learn what you will need for a successful application and let us know if we can assist you.
Regulations do not require those in H-1B nonimmigrant status to obtain a travel signature. We suggest traveling with a recent letter from your employer confirming your continued employment in addition to a copy of your H-1B Approval Notice and a copy of the H-1B petition.
Prior to visiting another country, it is advisable to determine whether you will need a visa to enter that country.
I-94 Record:
Whenever you travel internationally please check the end date in your I-94 electronic record when you return to the U.S. The end date entered in your most recent I-94 electronic record determines the end date of your H-1B status and work permission, regardless of what is stated on your H-1B Approval Notice. So, for example, if your H-1B Approval Notice is valid through June 30, 2026, but your most recent I-94 record indicates your status expires September 1, 2025 (perhaps because your passport expires in September 2025) then your H-1B status and permission to work end on September 1, 2025, not on June 30, 2026. If this happens to you, we can help you correct the end date if you let us know BEFORE your I-94 end date. Check your end date each time you return to the U.S. If the end date on the I-94 card does not match the end date on your most recent H-1B Approval Notice, contact us immediately for assistance.
H-1B Visa Stamp:
If your H-1B petition was filed for consular processing rather than as a change of status, you must obtain an H-1B visa stamp from a United States Consulate abroad. H-1B visa stamps cannot be issued within the United States. Applicants need the following documents to obtain the H-1B visa stamp:
- Original H-1B approval notice (I-797)
- Current letter from sponsoring department confirming employment, position title and salary
- Photocopy of H-1B petition (I-129)
- Photocopy of Labor Condition Application (LCA)
- Documentation of legal immigration status in the United States, if applicable (I-20, DS-2019, I-797)
- USCIS Waiver Approval Notice for persons previously in J status
- Paystubs or other proof of employment
In some instances H-1B petitioners may require a background check before the visa stamp will be issued. Background checks can take 2-6 weeks, or longer, to complete. Please keep this in mind when making travel plans.