Returning from Canada, Mexico, and the Adjacent Caribbean Islands
If you are traveling to Canada, Mexico, or the adjacent Caribbean Islands (except Cuba) listed here, you may be able to return to the U.S. in the same status with an expired visa. This process, automatic revalidation, is not considered a new admission to the United States.
Need to know
Only students and scholars in F and J status may use automatic revalidation to return from a trip to adjacent islands - in addition to Canada or Mexico – with an expired visa.
All visa types are eligible for automatic revalidation to return from Canada or Mexico.
Eligibility Requirements
How to Travel with Automatic Revalidation
Return to the U.S. within 30 days after visiting only one of the destinations.
Carry the necessary documents.
- Unexpired passport
- Unexpired I-94 arrival/departure record. If you have changed your status in the U.S., carry the USCIS approval notice with you)
- Expired visa in passport
- Unexpired I-20 with valid travel signature
- Unexpired passport
- Unexpired I-94 arrival/departure record, If you have changed your status in the U.S., carry the USCIS approval notice with you)
- Expired visa in passport
- Unexpired DS-2019 with valid travel signature
- Unexpired passport (valid for at least six months beyond the date of travel to the U.S.)
- Unexpired visa (Canadians are exempt from visa requirement)
- Unexpired DS-2019 with travel signature
- SEVIS Fee Receipt
- Evidence of continued employment if you are working for Columbia (most recent appointment letter or 3 recent pay statements)
- Appointment letter or invitation letter from your department
- Unexpired passport (valid for at least six months beyond the date of travel to the U.S.)
- Unexpired visa (Canadians are exempt from visa requirement)
- Evidence of continued employment (most recent appointment letter or 3 recent pay statements)
- Original I-797 Approval Notice for H-1B/O-1 status
- Copy of Columbia's I-129 Petition H-1B/O-1 status
- Sponsor letter from academic department
- LCA (Labor Condition Application for H-1B status)
- Unexpired passport (valid for at least six months beyond the date of travel to the U.S.)
- Unexpired TN visa for Mexicans. Canadians are exempt from the visa requirement
- Evidence of continued employment (most recent appointment letter or 3 recent pay statements)
- Department letter offering TN employment including length of continued employment. TNs may be admitted for 3 years
- Educational credentials required for the TN profession (Customs and Border Protection (CBP) may require the originals)
- Refer to Customs and Border Protection (CBP) TN guidance on fees and entry requirements
- Unexpired passport (valid for at least six months beyond the date of travel to the U.S.)
- Unexpired visa
- LCA (Labor Condition Application)
- Sponsor letter from hiring department
- Copy of both I-797 Approval Notice and I-129 Petition, if an E-3 petition was filed on your behalf with USCIS. Not common.
- Evidence of continued employment (most recent appointment letter or 3 recent pay statements)
Ask specifically for automatic visa revalidation from the port of entry officer when reentering the U.S.
We advise that you print a copy of the automatic visa revalidation information just in case the officer is not familiar with the procedure. Also, if you have an I-94 card inside your passport do not surrender it when leaving the United States.