H1B Visa Stamping and Passport Question

[Ahmed1234]

Hi,

My H1B visa was approved last year and I started working on H1B from Oct 1, 2014. The H1B has been approved for 3 years, so it's valid until Sept, 2017.

My question is - My passport is valid only until January, 2017 and my visa has been approved until Sept 2017. I'm planning to go to India for my stamping next month and I have already paid the appointment fees (but I'm yet to book an appointment date yet). Somebody told me that I have to renew my passport before I go for the stamping since the passport end date is before the visa end date. Is this true? I'm scared because I have already completed the DS160 form and paid the appointment fees and I mentioned in the DS160 form that currently I hold only one passport and that I don't have any old passports. Can anyone suggest if I'm getting scared unnecessarily or if I have to renew my passport? Please advise.

P.S. This is my first time H1B stamping. So I'm kinda nervous.

[raghvi]

Hi,

My H1B visa was approved last year and I started working on H1B from Oct 1, 2014. The H1B has been approved for 3 years, so it's valid until Sept, 2017.

My question is - My passport is valid only until January, 2017 and my visa has been approved until Sept 2017. I'm planning to go to India for my stamping next month and I have already paid the appointment fees (but I'm yet to book an appointment date yet). Somebody told me that I have to renew my passport before I go for the stamping since the passport end date is before the visa end date. Is this true? I'm scared because I have already completed the DS160 form and paid the appointment fees and I mentioned in the DS160 form that currently I hold only one passport and that I don't have any old passports. Can anyone suggest if I'm getting scared unnecessarily or if I have to renew my passport? Please advise.

P.S. This is my first time H1B stamping. So I'm kinda nervous.

I think you will be fine. You cannot request for a new passport before Jan 2016 anyhow.
What will most probably end up happening is you would get a visa(if all paperwork is fine) till Sep 2017, in your current passport. As and when you enter US you would get I-94 only till Jan 2017 as thats when your passport is expiring. Before Jan 2017, you would have to renew your passport. If renewed in US, after passport renewal go to nearest CBP port to get a I-94 till Sep 2017.

This is my opinion not legal advice.