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Applying for an H-1B Visa and Entry/Re-Entry

Applying for an H-1B Visa

To enter the US you will need a valid H-1B visa.* If you must apply for a visa, visit usembassy.gov for details about the visa process and requirements.

You will likely be required to provide some or all of the following:

  • Your passport
  • Your portion of the I-797 H-1B approval notice (sent via FedEx)
  • Copies of the I-129 and Labor Condition Application which we used to file your H-1B petition (sent via FedEx)
  • Your highest-level diploma (original if possible, but a photocopy will probably be accepted; an alternative is a photocopy of the diploma plus an original transcript showing the degree). If your diploma is from a non-US university, you will also need a copy of your degree evaluation.
  • The official offer of employment from the University of Tennessee and any other correspondence you have received from your department
  • Form DS-160: the visa application form available from the US consulate or from their website (filed online before your interview)
  • Other items required for all visa applications (photograph, etc.)
  • Proof that you have paid the visa application fee (US $205). You should consult the website to see how the visa fee should be paid.
  • If you have previously held J-1/J-2/H-1B status, copies of those immigration documents
  • If you will be working in a potentially sensitive academic field and you may be subject to a background check, a letter from your supervisor giving some details about the nature of your work. If you are not sure if this will be necessary, feel free to discuss it with a ISSS advisor. Note: A background check can delay the issuance of your visa for one month or more.

*Canadian citizens are exempt from the visa requirement and do not need to apply for a visa. Canadian citizens can therefore apply for H-1B status when they enter the US.

 

Entering/Re-entering the US

If you travel outside the US the following documents are required for entry:

  • Valid H-1B visa (obtained from a US consulate outside the US)*
  • Valid passport
  • Copy of Form I-797 (H-1B Approval Notice from the USCIS) which is valid for a period beyond the anticipated travel.
  • Copy of Form I-129 (the H-1B visa petition). This is given to you by ISSS along with your H-1B approval notice.
  • Copy of the LCA (Labor Condition Application). This is given to you by ISSS along with your H-1B approval.
  • Offer letter (if you are a new employee) or recent letter (if you are a current employee) from your hiring department verifying your current and continuing employment. The letter should also state your title and salary.

*Canadian citizens are exempt from the visa requirement.

 

Entering for the First Time

After you obtain your H-1B visa you may enter the US up to 10 days prior to your petition start date. You can begin work as early as your start date, but you must begin work within 30 days of entering the US.

When you arrive, you will be inspected by a US immigration officer. They will stamp and notate your passport. We urge you to read the stamp in the passport very carefully and make sure that it indicates that you have been admitted in H-1B status until your petition end date* or 10 days later. If it indicates anything else, ask to have it corrected, as it is rather hard to correct mistakes after you arrive in Knoxville.

*Please note that if your passport expires prior to the petition end date, the officer may only give you an I-94 end date of your passport expiration date. If this occurs, please notify ISSS as soon as possible.

 

Upon Your Entry/Return to the US

As soon as you can get to a computer, go to https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov and save your I-94. The I-94 is your official documentation of legal status in the US., and it should also show H-1B status valid until your petition end date (or 10 days later).* Send a copy of your new online I-94 record to ISSS for verification.

*Please note that if your passport expires prior to the petition end date, the officer may only give you an I-94 end date of your passport expiration date. If this occurs, please notify ISSS as soon as possible.

 

Traveling in the US

While traveling inside the US you are urged to carry with you your original I-94 showing H-1B status, plus a photocopy of the petition approval.