Domestic travel within the United States does not require a valid visa stamp in their passport, but green card holders and visa holders should still review their identification and immigration documents before leaving home. This is especially important for travelers whose driver’s license or Form I-94 and/or Form I-797 approval notice has expired.
Below are the key points foreign national travelers should consider before a domestic flight within the U.S.
What Identification Can You Use?
TSA accepts several forms of identification for domestic air travel, including REAL ID-compliant driver’s licenses, Permanent Resident Cards, valid foreign passports, Employment Authorization Documents, and certain other federal or DHS-issued documents.
A standard driver’s license marked “Federal Limits Apply” is not accepted as primary identification at airport checkpoints. TSA currently accepts an otherwise acceptable form of identification for up to two (2) years after its expiration date. An expired REAL ID-compliant license may therefore still be accepted within that period, although travelers should carry another accepted form of identification when available.
What Green Card Should Carry?
Carry the Permanent Resident “Green” Card. It is accepted by TSA, so a separate REAL ID-compliant driver’s license is not required for domestic flight. A secondary photo ID may also be helpful.
What Visa Holders Should Carry?
Carry a valid foreign passport, a printed copy of the most recent Form I-94, the latest Form I-797 approval notice, and any receipt notice for a pending USCIS filing. F-1 and J-1 travelers should also carry Form I-20 or Form DS-2019, as applicable. The Form I-94, rather than the visa stamp, generally controls the authorized period of admission.
What if You have an Expired I-94 with a Pending Petition?
An expired Form I-94 does not always mean that a person is unlawfully present in the U.S. A foreign national may be in a period of authorized stay when a qualifying extension-of-stay petition was timely filed and remains pending. Certain H-1B workers may also be authorized to work for a new employer while a properly filed change-of-employer petition is pending.
However, a period of authorized stay is not necessarily the same as maintaining valid nonimmigrant status, and a pending petition does not provide employment authorization in every visa category. As a general rule, to avoid any hassle of being taken to secondary inspection, we recommend refraining from traveling until your extension-of-stay petition is approved.
If you must still travel, foreign travelers in this situation should carry:
· A passport and the expired Form I-94
· The most recent Form I-797 approval notice
· The Form I-797 receipt notice for the pending extension or change-of-employer petition
· Relevant employer documentation, when applicable
· Their immigration attorney’s contact information
Because the effect of a pending filing depends on the visa category and the person’s immigration history, travelers with an expired Form I-94 should have their documents reviewed by an immigration attorney before flying, even when they believe they are in a period of authorized stay.
What if You have a Criminal Record?
Again, under the current anti-immigration climate, for anyone with a criminal record, we do not recommend any travel, international or domestic. Even if the record is “minor”, or an arrest that never resulted in any conviction, or a conviction that was later “expunged” after a probationary period, it can be risky to travel now that ICE agents seem to present at many airports. This is especially true for “higher-risk” airports like Alabama, Florida, Texas or Toronto.
Before You Travel, You Should…
Confirm that you have an acceptable TSA identification document, review the information and expiration date on your Form I-94, and carry copies of all relevant USCIS notices. Green card or visa holders with a criminal history, removal order, pending petition, or uncertainty about their immigration status should seek individualized legal advice before traveling.
This article is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Immigration status, authorized stay, and employment authorization depend on the facts and filing history of each case.
References
American Immigration Lawyers Association. (2026, August 4). Client Flyers: Domestic Travel Information for Green Card Holders, Visa Holders, and Undocumented Immigrants. AILA Doc. No. 26080403. https://www.aila.org/legal-resources/client-flyers/client-flyers-domestic-travel-information-for-green-card-holders-visa-holders-and-undocumented-immigrants
Transportation Security Administration. (n.d.). Acceptable Identification at the TSA Checkpoint. https://www.tsa.gov/travel/security-screening/identification
Transportation Security Administration. (n.d.). REAL ID Frequently Asked Questions. https://www.tsa.gov/realid/realid-faqs
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. (2026, July 28). H-1B Specialty Occupations. https://www.uscis.gov/working-in-the-united-states/h-1b-specialty-occupations
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. (n.d.). Policy Manual, Volume 2, Part A, Chapter 4: Extension of Stay, Change of Status, and Extension of Petition Validity. https://www.uscis.gov/policy-manual/volume-2-part-a-chapter-4
