What if the United States only gives 20 days to stay?

Immigration lawyers explained that different immigration officials have the right to decide the legal stay time of immigrants according to the interview at that time and the difference in entry time, passport validity period or remaining time of visa validity period. Immigration officials can fill in the valid stay shorter than the last entry.

Lawyers say people need to abide by the legal stay time given by immigration officials at their last entry. If a person still has no legal status at the expiration of the legal stay time, such as green card, work visa, student visa, etc., he should leave the country before the expiration of the legal stay time, otherwise it will be regarded as illegal stay.

Some people encounter that the validity period of the visa given by the American embassy is different from the valid stay period issued by the immigration officer at the time of entry. Sometimes the visa is only for three months, but it is given for half a year when entering the country. The lawyer explained that the validity period of the last seal of the customs may prevail. Even if the visa time has passed, the holder can still legally stay in the United States with the valid time on I-94, which will not affect the next entry.

For example, the visa issued by the US Embassy in China is valid for one year, as long as you can enter the United States within the validity period. In some cases, the embassy will issue a short-term visa for your first visit to the United States, but it is the US Customs that really determines the effective time of your stay in the United States.

Generally, the maximum stay for sightseeing or visiting relatives is 6 months, business visa 1-3 months, and student visa is D/S (identity period). As long as you have a valid I-20, you can always stay in the United States legally, and people can stay in the United States legally, regardless of the validity of the visa.