The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Don't make travel arrangements until you have visa in hand

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Monday, Jun 06, 2011
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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Don't make travel arrangements until you have visa in hand

I am planning a visit the U.S. in August. I have a valid U.S. visa but my passport is expiring in Nov 2011, which is less than 6 months from the date of travel. However, I will be staying in the U.S. only for 2 weeks and plan to return well before the passport expires. Please let me know if it is okay for me to travel under these circumstances or will there be any problem at U.S. entry or during departure from India.

S. P. Mohana Rao

When applying for a new visa, applicants need to carry a passport valid for travel to the United States and with a validity date at least six months beyond their intended period of stay in the United States. Under U.S. immigration law, travellers will not be granted admission into the United States by the immigration authorities for a period extending beyond the actual expiration date shown in the passport. Similarly, an extension of stay in the United States cannot be extended beyond the passport's validity date until the validity of the passport has been extended. Since you plan to travel and return before your passport expires, this should not affect you.

We were granted with 10 years valid visiting visa to visit the U.S. in the year 2006. At that time our son in law and daughter were there. We could not utilize the visa till now. Our doubt is, presently our son and daughter-in-law are staying in the U.S. whether we can utilize our existing valid visa to visit them. Is there any objection or formality to be complied by us?

I. J. Rao

As long as your U.S. visa is valid, you may use it for travel to the United States. The Consulate attempts to give maximum validity visas, and we understand circumstances may change over time. What matters is that the essential purpose of your visit (tourism) has not changed. Please note that a valid non-immigrant visa is just one criterion for entry into the United States. It does not automatically permit entry. A visa simply indicates that one is eligible to apply for entry to the country for a specific purpose. It is up to the Officer at the port of entry in the United States to decide on permitting entry into the U.S. and also decide the length of stay for any particular visit. Permission of entry into the United States and the length of stay in the country are determined by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), at the port of entry. More information can be found on the website: www.uscis.gov.

I have made numerous business trips to the United States. My 10 year visa expired in April 2011. I have been requested to make a visit for a business meeting and exhibition in June 2011. How long will it take for me to get a visa if I apply now?

Dev Khushalani

Unfortunately, it may be too late to schedule an appointment and obtain your new visa. We encourage all applicants to submit applications and schedule interviews well in advance of their planned travel to the United States. Please don't wait until a few weeks before you intend to travel. The process can sometimes take longer than you anticipate. Visa processing times vary based on the individual circumstances of each case and applicants should not make travel arrangements until their visa is received since visa processing times vary.

I was on an F-1 visa doing my Masters in the U.S. and I came to India in November 2010. I want to go back for this fall to finish my Masters. Do I have to apply for a new F-1 visa or can I return to the U.S. on my existing F-1 visa. If I have to apply for a visa now what will be the procedure for it? Please advise me.

Ramya Sreepathi

A student visa is still valid if the SEVIS number, programme and university has not changed, and the visa itself has not expired (note the visa's validity date and allowed number of entries). If you do require a new visa, remember a student cannot enter the U.S. more than 30 days prior to the start date listed on his/her new I-20. Having a U.S. visa allows you to travel to a port of entry, airport or land border crossing, and request permission of the DHS, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) inspector to enter the U.S. While having a visa does not guarantee entry to the U.S, it does indicate a consular officer at a U.S Embassy or Consulate abroad has determined you are eligible to seek entry for that specific purpose.

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