If you are like me, you may have thought being issued a (non-immigrant) visa means that you have been granted entry into the United States. This is not so.
A visa issuance does not guarantee admission to the U.S.
The visa expiry date is different from your granted stay date.
For example:
Your visa may be valid for two or ten years but an immigration officer determines the length of your stay upon arrival at a U.S. port of entry. It is important to make a note of this date and make sure you request an extension at least 45 days before your stay expires.
You must use USCIS Form I-539 to request an extension of stay. The filing fee is $300, as of Jan. 2010.
Two pages worth reading are the USCIS's "Extend My Stay" and the Department of State's "Duration & Extension of Stay" sections.
Note: Form I-539 is also used to request a change of visa status.
This blog is about my immigration journey - which began in the late-1990s - from Zimbabwe to the United States of America. I am sharing my experiences with the objective of helping individuals who, similarly to me, may find the immigration process impermeable. I am not an attorney and the contents of this blog do not constitute legal advice.
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