An Indian professional holding a valid H-1B visa recently shared a troubling travel experience after being stopped at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) preclearance facility in Abu Dhabi and sent back to India, despite having all required documentation. The individual had cleared complete document verification at Hyderabad airport without issues, but the situation changed drastically upon arrival at the Abu Dhabi preclearance area.
At the secondary inspection counter, officials reviewed the traveller’s passport and Form I-797 approval notice, asking detailed questions about the nature of their employment, including whether work was onsite, remote, or hybrid. They also inquired if the traveller was on vacation or actively working and requested recent pay stubs as proof of employment. Complications arose because the individual had recently changed employers: while the new I-797 was presented, the visa stamp still reflected the previous employer, valid until March 2026.
CBP officials cited that the visa was “close to expiry” and cautioned against international travel without ensuring all documentation fully matched current employment. Despite explaining that visa stamping appointments were unavailable, the officials remained firm. The traveller was not allowed to proceed to the U.S., though the visa was neither cancelled nor annotated, and was directed to collect their luggage and return to India.
The experience, described as “stressful and shocking,” has sparked discussions among the Indian diaspora about the unpredictability of preclearance procedures. It underscores the discretionary nature of inspections at transit points like Abu Dhabi, where U.S. authorities may apply additional scrutiny even for travellers with otherwise valid documentation.
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