Hello everyone,
As an H1B holder, My Visa Page says Issue Date 26May2021, Expiration Date 25May2026. However, I have annotations section which has the following:
WAC number 06/02/2021 - 06/01/2024
PN - Employer name
PN - Employer name
P# - WAC number 06/02/2021 - 06/01/2024
So, do I have visa until 2026 or 2024? Can I enter after June 2024 or am I limited by annotations?
I couldn’t find this answer anywhere, any help is appreciated.
P.S. I94 online shows Admit Until Date : 06/01/2024 P.S. My wife as an H4 holder has the same expiration dates as mine, however, her I94 was expired due to her passport expiration and she got H4 renewed together with I94 until the same date as mine.
Your I-94 is tied to I-797 approval ( which is what is referenced with the WAC number) and also governs your legal status in the US. So you are good there. Ofcourse you will need to apply for extension of status for H1b and H4 within 180 days of your current I-94 expiry of June 2024
Generally speaking, H1B visas are issues with 3 year validity so I am surprised that your visa has a 5 year validity instead of 3 year.
You may send an email to the consulate referencing the visa number and your passport details to double check if the visa expiration date was an error.
I appreciate your answer.
It is still unclear which date I should use. I will try to contact consulate and I will update this post when I get an answer back.
However, there aren’t any email addresses listed for consulates. I don’t know how to find any embassy or consulate email address. Also, should I contact the consulate that I have received my visa, any of them, or my home country’s?
Hello all,
I have received some responses from the embassy and I would like to get your opinion on this. This may also serve as a help to the other who might have the similar issue in the future.
Here are the answers I received from embassy. However, it still does not explain why I have visa expiration date until 2026 on the contrary to what is annotated in the annotations part.
Are both still employed by your respective employers in the United States under this visa category? If so, you both can return to the United States on these visas. If not, even though the visas are still valid you both cannot to the United States on these visas.
If you both want to travel to the United States on another purpose, you both need to apply for new visas.
#2
You can only return to the United States on this visa if you are still currently employed by this organization annotated on this visa. Otherwise, you will be denied entry into United States
If you no longer employed, you need to a new visa for coming travel to the United States.
Well it still is not clear though. I don’t understand If I extend my H1B status with the same employer, my visa will be valid until 2026 or 2024. Because that’s what is annotated according to their answer. I have asked again for the clarification but I don’t know why they give not clear answers to this.
Annotation is just a reference of the I-797 approval notice that was used for the visa stamping. The visa is valid till the expiration date on it. So if you do extension of status or even change employer you can still use your visa to enter the US on H1B status.
When are you planning to use your visa to enter the US? My understanding is that visa is independent of the employer even if it has employer annotation on it. So as far as the visa is valid you may use it to enter the US even after an employer change, ofcourse you will need to show the new I-797 at PoE and CBP will issue I-94 based on the I-797 expiry or your passport expiry whichever is earlier.
In your case becuase the consulate response contradicts my above understanding you should consult your immigration lawyer for further clarity.
I am planning to use my visa to go out and enter about the time it expires, months 06/07/08 .
I have received a new reply from the embassy but I feel like they are beating around the bush not to answer my questions fully. It seems like they are avoiding giving exact answer to my questions.
If you are currently employed by this organization in the United States. You can still return to the United States on this visa as it is still valid.
You must understand that the annotation on your visa shows your employment or contract end date that you cannot travel this visa once it expires, even if you visa remains valid.
You will have to apply for another visa to travel to the United States for whatever the purpose would be.
Why not they are giving the exact time for visa expiry and telling me what annotations mean. Or am I misinterpreting their answers? I told them that I am still employed by this employer and they will extend my H1B status when it expires.