Immigration checks are a routine part of international travel. It is usually a review of passports, visas, and supporting paperwork. But in a recent social media post, an H-1B visa holder described an unusual experience while passing through US immigration at Abu Dhabi.
Expecting the standard document scrutiny, the traveller was caught off guard when the officer barely looked at anything beyond the passport. Instead, the official requested something unexpected: proof that the traveller could access their work email.
How was the verification?
“I had to open Outlook on my phone, go into Settings → Accounts → Microsoft 365, and once my name appeared, they were satisfied,” the traveller recounted. Moments later, the officer waved them through. It was the traveler’s first time experiencing US pre-clearance outside American soil, a process that felt unusual but ultimately smooth.
‘It is unusual’
Netizens posted their opinion on the post. A user stated, “it is unusual, i had seen them asking for the course registration for F1 students but this is a new fear unlocked. what if one isn’t carrying their phones or official laptop with them. some corporations have strict connectivity requirements too.”
Another added, “In all my years of traveling (over 15 years), I was never asked to show anything but the passport & visa. I never had to show the I-797 or anything. I guess it all depends on the luck and the officer who you deal with. I have done pre-clearance a couple of times in Canada before.”
“More details on your profile would help! If your employer did a mass layoff, there are chances of further investigations, also I assume you already had a visa stamp before traveling outside the country. Hence, the only way to check your employment could be this way or your paystubs,” noted a netizen.
“Its very common at abu dhabi – if you are on F-1 they will also ask you to show your bank accounts, loan paper work funds for education etc… If you are on work visa they might also ask to show your pay stubs, work email etc… If they find anything wrong you will sent to secondary to further verification,” stated another.
(This story is based on a post shared by a social media user. The details, opinions, and statements quoted herein belong solely to the original poster and do not reflect the views of Financialexpress.com. We have not independently verified the claims.)
