Expired visa, can I still fly inside the US without risk?
I am a foreigner and my student visa expired last month. I do have an American driver's license valid until the end of next year. Can I still fly inside the US without being afraid they will check my papers and try to get me out of the country? I haven't used any of my European IDs or passport in 2 years since I got the US ID, so I haven't been showing them off. I've been feeling pretty secure with my license. What do you think?
Best Answer
To answer your question literally, you can certainly fly within the US with an expired visa. Your driver's license or your passport are both acceptable IDs according to TSA rules and if you show your license I don't think anybody will ask to see any other document. It might even be possible to fly without any of the IDs on the list, see I'm a foreigner, can I fly inside USA with my USA visa if my passport expires? and Can I fly domestically in the US using my university ID?
Now, if you're also out of status and staying illegally in the US, I don't know if you run a higher risk of being found out by taking a domestic flight. But an expired visa in itself is no big deal and it is not illegal to stay within the US without a valid visa (unlike European visas, US visas are only for entry and not about your right to stay in the country).
Pictures about "Expired visa, can I still fly inside the US without risk?"
Can I travel within US with expired I-94?
In most cases, if you stay in the U.S. after your I-94 has expired, your visa status will be considered \u201cout of status,\u201d and you will be deported immediately. Additionally, you will not be able to apply for a green card or change your status, even if you are eligible to do so.What happens if you stay in the US after visa expires?
Your Visa Becomes Void If you stay in the U.S. beyond your visa expiration date, your visa automatically becomes void. You must return to your country of nationality to get a new visa; you can't apply at a consoluate that is closer to the U.S. There are exceptions to this rule in extraordinary circumstances.Can I travel to us when my visa is about to expire?
A visa must be valid at the time a traveler seeks admission to the United States, but the expiration date of the visa (validity period/length of time the visa can be used) has no relation to the length of time a temporary visitor may be authorized by the Department of Homeland Security to remain in the United States.BEING LEGAL IN THE U.S EVEN AFTER YOUR VISA EXPIRES
More answers regarding expired visa, can I still fly inside the US without risk?
Answer 2
You should note that at some airports and roads/trains near border areas, there are occasional random stops of passengers. If your english is flawless, you may be able to get away with just showing your driver's license, but if there is suspicion of your immigration status, you may be asked to prove your status.
More information can be found by searching for "DHS interior checkpoints" or "Border patrol interior checkpoints"
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Karolina Grabowska, Helena Lopes, Charlotte May, Ricardo Esquivel