Automatic Visa Revalidation (AVR) to enter USA

[chaitanyauppala88]

Soft landing by road is open for COPR approved before March 18th.

We aren't sure at the time of our travel. Also unsure whether 14 days quarantine rule applies to people traveling via road. If you know someone who did pls do let me know. I have someone who wants to do that.

 

[hardikpatel123]

Seems like you just missed the executive order. Want to know whether someone was able to enter on an expired h1 stamp after executive order was passed

 

[bcpnpapplicant]

Seems like you just missed the executive order. Want to know whether someone was able to enter on an expired h1 stamp after executive order was passed

Here is one in another thread and few more also have done it after EO on expired visas

https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-i...-entry-h1b-holders-around.691179/post-8693056

 

[JAY19892014]

Hello,

My wife's and mine COPR is expiring on September. She is on H4. We're planning to do soft landing.

But the question is can H4 also use AVR to return US on expired visa stamp after soft landing in Canada?

 

[harirajmohan]

Hello,

My wife's and mine COPR is expiring on September. She is on H4. We're planning to do soft landing.

But the question is can H4 also use AVR to return US on expired visa stamp after soft landing in Canada?

AVR is not specific to H1.
"holding expired nonimmigrant visas https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1218?language=en_US

 

[JAY19892014]

Which port of entry ?

Plan to land in Vancouver

 

[JAY19892014]

AVR is not specific to H1.
"holding expired nonimmigrant visas https://help.cbp.gov/s/article/Article-1218?language=en_US

But is H4 considered as essential?

 

[harirajmohan]

But is H4 considered as essential?

Essential travel restriction is only for Canada. So you are entering Canada to do landing which is not classified as non-essential. So H1 or H4 is nothing to do with travelling to Canada when doing the landing.
US doesnt care if you are travelling for essential or not but you are resident hence you dont have any problem in reentering US.
So both side no issues in entering.

 

[hardikpatel123]

Guys, is print out of my bank account statements enough for proof of funds?

 

[harirajmohan]

Guys, is print out of my bank account statements enough for proof of funds?

Yes, its fine.

 

[hardikpatel123]

Anyone was able to come in with H4 through avr after EO?

 

[im2gaurav]

Hi All,

Quick update, this might help for future travelers. We were able to do soft landing and come back to US, stayed there for 15 days and returned using AVR. Travelled on June 5th returned 20th, only had expired F1 stamp on passport and carried H1 approval 797 and i94 attached to it. Only minimal questions asked at POE.

Thanks.

Hi,

But the decision of h1b travel restriction came around 22nd June. Not sure if anyone traveled and returned after that restriction.

 

[harirajmohan]

Many people. Also many commute. Just read few threads.
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-i...s-the-entry-h1b-holders-around.691179/page-17
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-i...returned-to-us-using-avr.693107/#post-8702959

 

[im2gaurav]

Many people. Also many commute. Just read few threads.
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-i...s-the-entry-h1b-holders-around.691179/page-17
https://www.canadavisa.com/canada-i...returned-to-us-using-avr.693107/#post-8702959

Thanks for the information.

 

[zaid.ahmed23]

Hello everyone,

My spouse and I were able to successfully enter USA from Canada without any issues today, after completing our soft-landing in Canada. I used the AVR option to enter.

We landed in Canada by flight at Toronto Pearson Airport on June 16th and went into self-isolation for 14 days. During that time, the EO was signed on June 24th and I was a bit tensed if I’ll be allowed to return back to USA since I had an expired H1B stamp on my passport and was planning to use AVR. Also I was outside of USA when the EO was signed so wasn’t sure if it would affect me or not.

We flew back today (July 6th), from Pearson Airport. We were flying American Airlines. While we were checking in at the counter the lady behind the desk had no clue about AVR and was searching for a valid visa stamp on my passport. When I handed her the I-797A, she still did not understand what to do with it. After consulting with someone, she entered something on her computer from my I-797A, which allowed the system to print a boarding pass.

After that we crossed security and headed towards US Immigration. The officer was very polite and asked for our passports. I had an expired H1B Visa, with a valid I-797A and I-94, and my spouse had a valid F1 visa stamp with recent I-20.

Officer:- Why did you visit Canada? Answer: To immigrate and start the PR process.

Officer:- How long were you in Canada? Answer: 20 days

Officer:- Why so long and why didn’t you return back sooner? Answer: Because we had to self-isolate for 14 days.

Officer:- Where do you live? Answer: US City

Officer:- House Address? Answer: XXXXX (Not sure why he asked that)

He stamped our passports and handed them back to us. The whole process was smooth, without any issues. I did not have to mention anything about AVR to the officer.

The whole experience of soft-landing went well amidst the coronavirus outburst. My sincere thanks to everyone on this forum who have contributed their experiences and have taken time to answer questions posted by other members. I was closely following all the threads on this forum and reading everyone’s experience with border crossing, which gave me a lot of confidence boost.

My best wishes to all those who are planning a soft-landing soon and hopefully everything goes smoothly for you all as well. Please feel free to message me if you have any questions and I’ll be happy to answer them all.