Do I need my visa stamped??

[caterpiller]

I entered US first on April 2002 under L-visa for Company A. After that I got an H1 B visa from Company B (July 2004). I travelled back to India in Aug 2004 and came back in Sep 2004 with the L 1 visa stamped under Company A. Expiration date for L visa was April 2005.

After that I started working for Company B from October 2004.

In April 2005 I went out of status because my L-visa expired. I got my earlier H1-B visa transferred to Company C in May 2005.

Now I have all the new H1-B papers for Company C till April 2008, but dont have my visa stamped.

Is this a problem if I dont go out of the country? Or should I try to get an appointment for stamping? Can I do my stamping in Canada or Mexico?

Any help is highly appreciated.

 

[naveedhuq]

You can stay in US as long as your H1B paper is valid and you are under the sponsor company's W2.

However, you cannot go to Canada/Mexico to stamp visa because you have L1 stamp in your passport and US dept of Justice requires you to take the initial stamp from your home country.