A social media post citing a case of H-1B visa revocation has been shared on NRI channels, where the reason for the visa revocation is no “serious” violation of laws, but the non-payment of a $600 traffic fine by the deadline. The post urged NRIs living in the US on H-1B visas not to treat traffic challans as a “non-serious” matter, as it can lead to visa revocation. The post said that the man was aware of the traffic violation and attended his first court hearing when the judge imposed the $600 fine.“Unfortunately, he later moved to a new apartment, missed the notice, and failed to pay by the deadline. The case information was shared with the DHS, and his visa was eventually revoked. He said he deeply regrets not paying the $600 fine on time,” the post said.Social media users said that it was completely the man’s fault as he even appeared at the court and was aware of the fine and simply ‘forgot’ to pay the fine. Many noted that his visa should have been revoked as a $600 traffic fine is a huge amount and could have been a result of many traffic violations.
Is it possible to get an H-1B visa revoked because of a traffic challan? What to do in such cases?
There has been an increase in the number of prudential visa revocations recently. The Department of State has the authority to implement a “prudential visa revocation” that happens automatically for certain offenses, like driving under the influence. If a bench warrant is issued because a fine went unpaid, that warrant enters national databases.Revoking a visa stamp, however, does not mean revoking H-1B status. If your visa stamp is revoked prudentially while you are inside the US, you generally remain in valid status as long as you are still working for your sponsoring employer. However, the next time you leave the US, you will not be allowed to re-enter without attending a new consular interview to sort out the legal issue.According to experts, H-1B visa holders should always update their address with the USCIS.
