Port of Entry

What should I do if I failed to turn in my departure card to the airline officer? Worse, upon arrival in my home country, I lost my departure card. I have already reported it to the Department of homeland Security and have mailed the documents that substantiate my departure from the US long before the expiration date on the card. Will the DHS record my departure based on the documents I submitted? Can I enter the US again without any problem at the port of entry? Or do I have to follow up on the reply from DHS or our local consulate office? I certainly appreciate your help on this matter.

lynn_ventenilla@yahoo.com

1. As long as you have entry stamped in your passport in your native country there would be no problem.

2. As long you have documentation, which says you have informed Homeland Security, you need not worry about the same.

I hold a valid H-1B visa but have not traveled to the US. Do I need to inform the US Consulate that I have not left the country? In addition, do I need to get my H-1B visa re-stamped? What are the hurdles I will face after landing in the US? Can the Consulate officers at the port of entry deport me because I delayed travelling after getting the H-1B visa? Does my consultant need to send any documents again?

Himanshu Shah

You need not get your visa re-stamped. You need to get a letter from your employer that your job is still open in the US.

I have gone through the site. It is excellent and very informative. I got the visa in early June. My employer has asked me to wait. But my family is in the US and I want to go as soon as possible. Considering these factors, I am planning to leave for the US by early August.

I am not informing my employer about my arrival. Will this create problems? I will be reaching the US on Sunday afternoon. Can immigration ask, "Why I chose to land on Sunday afternoon?" Will they call the employer from the airport?

Currently, I am planning to apply for leave from my current job. Will the immigration authorities ask me for the resignation letter? Please let me know what are the documents one needs to produce at the port of entry.

P L A

You are taking a definite risk by not informing your employer. Since Sunday is a holiday, immigration will not be able to contact your office and you might just escape. As far as we know, immigration does not ask for the resignation letter. You need to have valid H-1B papers and the appointment letter from the company. For the complete list of documents an H-1B holder must produce at the port of entry, please read article - He's got a ticket to the US and it's called I-94

(Disclaimer: We claim no responsibility for the accuracy of the information. Application of the law can vary drastically according to the facts of a particular case, judge or State in USA. The FAQs are not meant to be specific legal advice. The answers must be viewed as general information and are no substitute for the services of a lawyer.)

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