I94 update with new I797 post Travel outside US
I recently had an experience with my H-1B extension process that was quite stressful. My petition for the H-1B extension had already been approved, but I had not yet received the new I-797 approval notice at the time of travel. Upon my return, my I-94 was shortened based on my visa expiration date, even though my extension had already been approved. I later learned that the I-94 issued by CBP at entry takes precedence over the I-94 associated with the USCIS approval notice.
My immigration team advised me to travel to Canada and/or Mexico to have the I-94 corrected and extended. I traveled to Canada and re-entered the U.S. on May 4, but the preclearance officer declined to extend it and instead suggested I travel again closer to the new petition validity start date of July 14.
I then submitted a request through the online CBP portal, but received only a standard response and no change was made to my I-94. Finally, I visited a local CBP office on May 20 with all supporting documentation and requested an extension in person. After reviewing the documents, the officer agreed and extended my I-94.
The overall process felt highly discretionary. There seemed to be little consistency or clarity around what rules applied, what deadlines mattered, or what the proper process actually was. In practice, it felt as though the outcome depended largely on the individual officer’s judgment rather than on a clearly communicated standard.
Posting this on as information/experience if anyone is in a similar situation.