Automatic Revalidation

Returning to the U.S. Using “Automatic Revalidation”

Automatic Revalidation allows certain nonimmigrants to re-enter the U.S. with an expired U.S. visa stamp in their valid passport after visiting Canada, Mexico or an adjacent island for less than 30 days.  This includes individuals in F, J, O and H-1B status.*  Under this provision, the expired nonimmigrant visa is considered to be automatically extended to the date of readmission.  Individuals who have changed their status from within the U.S. but do not possess a visa stamp for their current status, may also be readmitted to the U.S. under Automatic Revalidation using a valid or expired visa stamp from a prior nonimmigrant classification.  For the most up-to-date information, visit the website of the Department of State or the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection.

Automatic Revalidation is NOT available to:

• Citizens or nationals of state sponsors of terrorism as determined by the Department of State.  To see the most up-to-date, visit the Department’s website
• Individuals whose visas have ever been cancelled under INA 222(g)
• Individuals who entered the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program
• Individuals applying for a U.S. visa while abroad
• Individuals who were not admitted to the U.S. on the basis of a nonimmigrant visa

Adjacent islands include:

Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Curacao, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Marie-Galante, Martinique, Miquelon, Montserrat, Saba, Saint-Barthelemy, Saint Christopher, Saint Eustatius, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Maarten, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre, Saint Vincent, Grenadines, Trinidad, Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, Other British, French and Netherlands territory or possessions bordering on the Caribbean Sea. (Cuba is not included)

*Only F and J nonimmigrants are able to use Automatic Revalidation when visiting an Adjacent Island.

Other important travel-related information