Is I-94 re-dated on US-Canada-US roundtrip ?

J

jhumkasrc

Registered Users (C)
From US my wife (on H1: H1 expiry date March 2004 ) went to India and on coming back to US, her I-94 was stamped with end date of July 2003 (which coincided with her passport expiry date).

She doesn't have the I-797 bottom right I-94 portion because that was taken away in her visit to India.
On subsequent queries, INS officials verbally said that her I-797 bottom left portion (which is supposed to be kept as personal copy) can be used as a proof of her eligibility, but in the absence of anything written from them, we are thinking not taking any chances and going to a foreign country and come back to get her I-94 end date aligned with her H1 visa expiry date.

She has since renewed her passport.

We are thinking of flying to Vancouver from SanFrancisco and back -- a visit of 2 days. Can somebody please tell from experience whether on such a visit her current I-94 will be taken away and will she get a new I-94 on her return ? (Obviously, we want that to happen)

I have heard conflicting evidences -- some version stating that I-94s are not touched in US-Canada-US short visits, other versions claiming that new I-94s are issued on way back (eg. in Toronto airport).

Friends could you please share your experience ?

Also, if US-Canada-US visit is dicey regarding I-94 re-issue/re-stamping -- any other ideas ? Will US-Mexico-US visit help ?

Regards
 
I went to Toronto in March from atlanta and came back in 2 weeks. My I 94 was not taken while leaving US but while returning the immigration officer at Toronto airport, took my old I 94 and issued me a new I 94, stapled in my passport and stamped my passport.
My wife just did the same trip to toronto on H4 visa in first week of April, and they did exactly the same thing with her.
 
Thanks Khush, for sharing your experience -- it looks like major airports like Toronto do issue new I-94s on US-Canada trips, no matter how short. That gives me the impetus to try out SanFrancisco-Vancouver approach.

Regards
 
Hi jhumkasrc

Did you end up trying the SF Vancouver option. Please write about your experience with the consulate if you did, it would be a BIG help to me!

Thanks
Shefali
 
From Khush's experience (and tallied by experience from a friend of mine), it seems that when you fly to Toronto from US on howsoever small a visit, your I-94 will be renewed. But Toronto is going thru the SARS outbreak now!

So we toyed with the idea of doing SanFrancisco-Vancouver : but another friend of mine said from experience that his family went on a couple of such flights but their I-94 was not touched.

That leaves me with the option of only Mexico! I haven't had any feedback whether I-94 will be re-stamped on SanFrancisco-MexicoCity-SanFrancisco flight -- I guess I will have to take the chance!
 
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