An Indian professional holding a valid H-1B visa recently shared a distressing and unexpected 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 in order.
The individual, who had undergone complete document verification at Hyderabad airport without any issues, recounted that the situation changed drastically once they reached the Abu Dhabi preclearance area.
While departing India, all paperwork; including passport, visa stamp, and supporting documents; had been checked and cleared.
However, at Abu Dhabi, officials called the H-1B holder to a secondary counter and began an in-depth review.
They examined the traveller’s passport and Form I-797 approval notice and asked detailed questions about the nature of their employment, including whether the work was onsite at a client location or performed remotely or in a hybrid mode.
The official also inquired whether the person was on vacation or actively working and requested recent pay stubs as proof of ongoing employment.
Although the traveller presented pay records and explained that their role was remote/hybrid, further complications arose because they had recently changed employers.
While the new I-797 approval notice was shown, the actual visa stamp in the passport still reflected the previous employer’s name and was valid until late March 2026.
The Abu Dhabi officers informed the visa holder that they should have obtained updated stamping to reflect the new employer before attempting travel.
Officials also commented that the visa was “close to expiry” and cautioned against international travel without ensuring the visa and its associated documents fully matched the current employment status.
Despite the traveller’s explanation that appointment slots for visa stamping were unavailable at the time, the officials remained firm in their decision.
Ultimately, the H-1B holder was not allowed to proceed to the United States. Their valid visa was not cancelled nor annotated, but they were directed to collect their luggage and return to India on the next available flight.
The experience, which the individual described as “stressful and shocking,” has sparked discussions among the Indian diaspora and visa-holder communities about the unpredictability of preclearance procedures even for travellers with otherwise proper documentation.
This incident highlights the complexity and discretionary nature of preclearance inspections at international transit points like Abu Dhabi, where U.S. authorities may apply additional scrutiny beyond standard visa checks to assess eligibility before allowing entry into the United States.
