Term Details - Entry Visa
Entry visas are the labels that State Department personnel apply to the page of a passport. They represent the State Department’s belief that the person is eligible to enter the US to pursue a particular activity. There is a nonimmigrant classification defined by an entry visa to comprehend many activities. Entry visas may have a limited validity, depending upon the holder’s country of citizenship. Citizens of Canada, Canadian landed immigrants with a Commonwealth nationality and residents of some British territories (principally Bermuda) are (largely) exempt from the entry visa requirement. An expired entry visa does not affect a holder’s ability to remain in the US; only the I-94 card does. This is because the entry visa is only an authorization for an individual to present him or herself to an USCIS officer at a port of entry (such as an airport) for consideration of admission. The US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) determines how long an individual may remain in the US. An expired entry visa means that the holder must get a new one before trying to come back in to the US again in the status indicated on the visa label. There are some exceptions to this, probably best explained by a referral to the web site or the International Employment office. See also Visa.
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