Employee Travel

Travel Within the U.S.

• Valid Passport
• Copy of H-1B approval notice

Traveling Abroad

• Original H-1B approval notice;
• Copy of the Labor Condition Application (LCA);
• Valid passport (6 months into the future) with valid H-1B visa stamp;
• Copy of your I-129 petition;
• Updated employment verification letter from NU department stating that you are currently employed, dates of employment, salary, job title and brief description of job duties.

Dependents

When traveling, H-4 dependents should carry:

• Copy of the H-1B Approval Notice;
• Copy of the H-1B petition most recently submitted to USCIS;
• Other relevant documents related to H-4 status (Approval Notice, H-4 visa stamp);
• Valid passport.

If your H-1B visa stamp has expired, you must obtain a valid H-1B visa stamp to re-enter the U.S.

Exception: If you are traveling in Canada or Mexico and will stay for less than 30 days, you can re-enter the U.S. on an expired visa stamp. Longer visits will require a valid stamp to re-enter.

If you are changing or extending your H-1B visa, you will need to obtain an H-1B visa stamp to re-enter the U.S. in H-1B visa status.

• This includes H-1B beneficiaries with a change of status (COS) within the U.S. who are currently in H-1B status with an Approval Notice. If the visa stamp is from another visa category (e.g. F-1), then you will have to obtain an H-1B visa stamp to re-enter the U.S. in H-1B visa status.
• If you are an H-1B beneficiary traveling while an H-1B extension is pending and will be re-entering the U.S. close to the expiration date of your current H-1B,  you are encouraged to carry the documents listed above plus the extension Receipt Notice and copies of the extension petition while traveling.
• If you are an H-1B beneficiary who is changing employers (COE) and traveling with a valid visa stamp from another employer, you are required to bring all of the documents listed above.

When crossing the U.S. border, be prepared to answer specific questions about your current H-1B petition. You may be asked about: the nature of your employment (i.e. NU department, job title); specific job duties (i.e. job description); exact work location; or salary.

Occasionally individuals are selected for secondary inspection. Reasons for this inspection might include:

• Your travel documents are incomplete or you do not have the proper documents or visa
• You appear to have previously violated your immigration status
• You appear to have a criminal record that is of concern
• You have been selected for a random inspection

If you are pulled into secondary inspection, please answer all questions directly, truthfully and to the best of your knowledge.

Traveling abroad

• Valid E-3 visa stamp
• Valid passport

Although not required for travel, the following documents may support your E-3 status. They are on file in the OISS office and are available upon request.

• Original E-3 approval notice (I-797A): If you received your E-3 visa stamp in Australia, you will not have this document
• Original E-3 extension receipt notice (I-797C)
• Copies of USCIS approval (COS/COE) petition
• Copies of USCIS extension (EOS) petition
• E-3 visa support letter
• E-3 status letter 

Please request these documents from your scholar advisor.

Status changes

If you are extending your E-3 visa, and you plan to travel while the extension is pending, you may be able to enter the U.S. close to/after the expiration of your current E-3.

However:

• Please notify the OISS of your plans before departure.
• Take your extension receipt notice (I-797C) and copies of the extension petition with you while traveling.

Traveling abroad

• Canadian TN holders may travel and re-enter the U.S. as long as the period noted on the I-94 is valid.
• Mexican TN holders must ensure that the TN visa stamp in their passport is valid for readmission.
• Travel with all documents needed to prove TN status, as each entry is up to the discretion of the border officer.

If you are extending your TN visa, traveling while the extension is pending with the USCIS may create complications.

• Please notify the OISS of your plans before departure.
• The OISS will then request that USCIS send the electronic approval notice to the nearest U.S. consulate/embassy (for Mexican TN-holders) or location of pre-flight inspection/border crossing (for Canadian TN-holders).

Travel within the U.S.

• Valid passport
• Copy of O-1 approval notice

Traveling abroad

• Original O-1 approval notice;
• Valid passport (6 months into the future) with valid O-1 visa stamp;
• Copy of your I-129 petition;
• Updated employment verification letter from NU department stating that you are currently employed, dates of employment, salary, job title and brief description of job duties.

When traveling, O-3 dependents should carry:

• a copy of the O-1 Approval Notice
• copy of the O-1 petition most recently submitted to USCIS
• any other relevant documents related to O-3 status (Approval Notice, O-3 visa stamp)
• a valid passport.

If your O-1 visa stamp has expired, you must obtain a valid O-1 visa stamp to re-enter the U.S.

If you are changing or extending your O-1 visa, you will need to obtain an O-1 visa stamp to re-enter the U.S. in O-1 visa status.

• This includes O-1 beneficiaries with a change of status (COS) within the U.S. who are currently in O-1 status with an Approval Notice. If the visa stamp is from another visa category (e.g. J-1), then you will have to obtain an O-1 visa stamp to re-enter the U.S. in O-1 visa status.
• If you are an O-1 beneficiary traveling while an O-1 extension is pending and will be re-entering the U.S. close to the expiration date of your current O-1, you are encouraged to carry the documents listed above plus the extension Receipt Notice and copies of the extension petition with him/her while traveling.
• If you are an O-1 beneficiary who is changing employers (COE) and traveling with a valid visa stamp from another employer, you are required to bring all of the documents listed above.

When crossing the U.S. border, be prepared to answer specific questions about your current O-1 petition. You may be asked about: the nature of your employment (i.e. NU department, job title); specific job duties (i.e. job description); exact work location; or salary.

Occasionally individuals are selected for secondary inspection for various reasons. If you are pulled into secondary inspection, please answer all questions directly, truthfully and to the best of your knowledge.