Guide to U.S. Immigration

20. Traveling in the United States

It is generally advisable for an alien to carry his passport and I-94 while in the US. Short of that, many aliens carry their original I-94 or a copy (sometimes certified by an attorney). Generally the police in California are not concerned with the visa status of aliens unless they have committed a serious crime. Usually all that they are seeking is some form of valid identification such as a driver's license. However when traveling in other states in the US this may not be the case and the prudent alien should carry his original I-94.

Many Japanese nationals worry about drunk driving convictions and their effects upon their visa status. Drunk driving will not affect the alien's visa status unless as a result of the drunk driving someone is seriously hurt or killed. The general rule is that the alien must commit a crime involving moral turpitude (robbery, murder, assault, etc.) to affect his visa status. Note that the alien will be imprisoned if convicted of a serious crime.