Why Your Visa’s Expiration Date Matters

There are tens of thousands of people that come into the United States every single year on a visa that is completely valid. You enter the United States with a valid visa and are set for a period. When the expiration date of the visa is starting to approach, what should you do? Why should the expiration time on that visa matter to you? Why should you care about it while you’re working towards full citizenship?A visa expiration date is a number you’re going to want to hone in on. Once you know your visa’s expiration date, be sure you’re working to either have that time extended or to push towards the path to permanent citizenship in the United States.

What Happens When the Visa Expires

What will happen if you have a visa that has fully expired? The visa you have is nothing more than an entry document. When you get a visa, the date is going to let you know when you can rightfully leave and the re-enter the United States. It has no bearing on how long you are going to be able to stay inside the United States.When you enter the country, you are going to get a second card that is going to be kept along with your visa. This is known as the Form I-94. On the Form I-94, you are going to have a date printed on it that will legally say how long you can stay in the country.  

Two Dates to Remember

There are two sets of dates you’re going to want to remember. The time on the visa itself has to do with the entry into the United States, while the time on the Form I-94 is the correct expiration of when you need to leave the country.When the visa does expire, if you were employed, you are going to have to stop working immediately. You will be employed unlawfully if you are working without a valid visa. If the date has passed beyond what you had on Form I-94, you’ll be building up what is known as an unlawful presence in the United States.If you have 180 days or more of unlawful presence, you’re going to be inadmissible to the United States for a period. This means you cannot get a visa, green card, or any other immigration status for either three or 10 years, depending on how long you stayed beyond the expiration date.

What to Do Before it Expires?

There are plenty of things you can do before your visa expires. You can certainly request for it to be extended. Be aware that it can be quite difficult to get the extension passed through in a timely fashion. You can also leave the country before the visa expires so that you have a sound status to be able to re-enter under a new period.  Applying for permanent citizenship is another tactic that can indeed be pursued so that you can stay in the country permanently. Our team at Berlin Law wants to help you with your visa. We want to work with you so you understand all of the significant dates that you need to focus on, how you can extend them and stay lawfully within the United States. Reach out to us today so we can help you on your journey in this great country.