Given the present visa situation, people on work visa in the US have been adviced not to leave the country even if they have no criminal record and anything questionable that can make them suspicious in the eyes of law enforcement. But traveling inside the US also comes with several risks, an H-1B Redditor shared, recounting their recent experiences of being stopped at border checkpoints.The person said they — two people on H-1B extensions with valid I-797 approval notices, but stamping expired — went to visit White Sands National Park in New Mexico and Big Bend National Park in Texas. They were denied entry to White Sands Missile Range Museum as non-US citizens must show a passport for entry and one of them did not have that. At a border checkpoint, they were asked for their immigration documents. They had an I-797 which was accepted but one of them had only a soft copy saved on his phone. The officer was reluctant to accept that but accepted it later. At another checkpoint, the patrol officer refused to review a soft copy of I-797and asked for a driver’s license. “We were sent to secondary inspection for verification (10-15 minutes) and were cleared. After the verification, when I asked whether carrying a printed I-797 was sufficient, the officer explained: Soft copies may be rejected due to forgery risk. Even with a printout or original document, an officer may still conduct further inspection. It is legally required to carry immigration documents at all times,” the person explained. “Border Patrol operates internal checkpoints near border regions, not just at ports of entry. Officers were professional and respectful throughout. It is strongly recommended and legally required to carry immigration documents at all times, especially near the border. I only presented my 1-797 (passport was available if requested), and officers were able to verify my identity using it,” the Redditor explained.
What is an I-797 approval notice?
An I-797 approval notice is the document that shows that USCIS has approved your petition. It mentions the status of the visa holder, the validity dates and the name of the employer, if applicable.
