Can I Travel to Another Country While in the U.S. On a B1 or B2 Visa?
Yes, you can visit Canada or Mexico while in the U.S. on a B-1 visa or a B-2 visa but not other countries.
You may visit Canada or Mexico if the duration of your visit will not be longer than 30 days. If you travel to Mexico or Canada while in the U.S. on one of these visas, you will need to make sure that you re-enter the U.S. before the expiration of your authorized period of stay. Your Form I-94 will have the date on which your authorized period of stay will expire. You also need to remember that the visa expiration date and the date on which your authorized period of stay will expire are not the same.
For example, if your authorized period of stay is six months and if you enter the U.S. on a B1 or a B-2 visa on January 1, your authorized period of stay will expire on July 1. (This six month period will be generated by a computer) During this six month period, if you seek to visit Canada or Mexico, you may do so but make sure you return within a month. Likewise, if the date on which you are returning to the U.S. from one of those countries is the same date on which your stay in the U.S. will expire, you will need to depart the U.S. on the same day to avoid falling out of status.
B-1 and B-2 visas are meant for U.S. travellers. You will have to hold proper documentation to enter Mexico or Canada while in the U.S. on a temporary visa. You may be able to travel only to Canada and Mexico while in the U.S. as a tourist or a business visitor and re-enter into the U.S. If you travel to other countries like England or Costa Rica, your entry into the U.S. will be considered as a new entry.
Check out our immigration blog for more immigration facts!