Application Question - HELP!!!!!!!

[mikelid 0]

Hi,

I have requested a change of status from a H2B visa to an F1 and as of now its going on 5 months without hearing anything. we sent absolutely all the evidence they asked for and more. We had notification of them recieving it and when i called up they said its been delayed because background checks are still going on.

anyway, it looks like i wont be able to go home to england for xmas, so my family are coming over here to see me. the question i have is my H2B visa expired this week and though im legally allowed to stay in the country whilst the application is pending i was wondering whether internal american flights would be a hassle due to the fact that my passport states that my visa expired. i dont want to get to the airport and then they say not only can you not get on the plane to travel in the US but were deporting you. obviously i could find ways around it like driving there but as it stands im in michigan and my family want to meet in florida. so it would be a lot easier to get a flight.

any thoughts would be greatly appreciated

[rahulv 4]

If you have any other kind of photo-identification like a driver's license or a state id then you do not need to show your passport at the airport.

Also if you do have to show your passport (in case you do not have any other government issued ID) at the airport, they are only interested in you picture-id not your visa. Once you are inside US travelling domestic does not require you to confirm to any visa (expired/current). There would not be any problems, just show them your passport and they (only the security check people at the airport) are only interested in your picture ID.

[mikelid 0]

rahulv,

I do have a drivers licence but not an american government issued one. i have a british driving licence that i use for id. but as long as theyr not interested in the visa then that would be fine, thanks alot for your advice

[marie09 5]

rahulv,

I do have a drivers licence but not an american government issued one. i have a british driving licence that i use for id. but as long as theyr not interested in the visa then that would be fine, thanks alot for your advice

If you show the passport hand it too them with it open on the passport page. Years back I had a J1 and was travelling the day after it expired - you have 30 days to leave the country on a J1 and I was 1 day into it. I was at a small town airport and the security person opened my passport on the visa page. They didn't know the J1 laws, and noticed it was expired, i explained i had 30 days and had a plane ticket internationally for the following day. the security staff said they could let me on the flight no problem but their policy when they come across

expired visas is to do a thorough hand luggage search. They literally emptied out my hand luggage and went through it...

A year or two later friends told me I could travel on my British DL, I used to take my passport too but showed the British DL several times travelling in country and I was never asked for a passport, though had it with me... Accepted every time... It was actually faster! Though now I have my US DL it is sooo much easier! No questions!

I think my experience was just unknowledgeable small town airport staff and like everyone said they're only meant to check identity, i'm sure you will have no problems but maybe bring your NOAs, just incase of any dumb questions.

Enjoy your trip!

[mikelid 0]

Thanks alot marie,

That really helps. iv been stressing about it for a while because its been setback after setback with my application still pending its like taking it day by day to see if i can go home or not an the closer it gets the less likely it is that i can go home, so to hear that i might have troubles travelling inside the country its like someone determined to stop me from seeing my family which isnt a great feeling. so thanks alot for easing some of my nerves

[marie09 5]

Thanks alot marie,

That really helps. iv been stressing about it for a while because its been setback after setback with my application still pending its like taking it day by day to see if i can go home or not an the closer it gets the less likely it is that i can go home, so to hear that i might have troubles travelling inside the country its like someone determined to stop me from seeing my family which isnt a great feeling. so thanks alot for easing some of my nerves

Awww i'm so sorry! I feel so bad... I wish i'd never shared my story... Honestly i'm pretty sure my experience was just dumb uninformed small airport staff... And honestly an extensive hand luggage search isn't that bad - it happens to some people randomly anyway... It was barely 5 minutes and the staff were nice about it... just said that was their policy...

I think that's absolutely your worst case scenario, I assumed from you asking your question you wanted to hear everyones experiences/opinions on the subject - good or bad. So I shared my story of my experience however - when I had that situation they never once suggested i couldn't travel. Just said that when they notice expired visas they're required to do an extra security check. Plus you have NOA's showing you have a pending application. I just explained to them in my case that J1s have 30 days to travel, they didn't know what a J1 visa was - but they didn't look it up either - so it's obviously not a requirement.

Also as I said b4 try using your British DL first. You mentioned you're going to Florida... I used my British DL at Orlando airport no problems...

Sorry to hear you're still waiting - hope you get good news on your case soon. You never know your papers may even be here before then anyways...

Edited November 25, 2009 by marie09

[mikelid 0]

I should be fine. im glad you shared your story though its definitly made me feel alot better. at least i know now what might happen in the airport. i was just like working myself up with possible things that could happen when i was in the airport,discarding the fact that im legally allowed to be in the country with a pending application. an i did just go to worst case scenario straight away, but youve definitly brought me back around to sane reasoning and i do feel good about it now.

thanks !