Visa vs Status

People often use the terms “visa” and “status” to mean the same thing; they refer to different things. The term “visa” refers only to the sticker you receive in your passport, whereas “status” refers to your formal immigration classification in the U.S. as indicated on one’s I-94 record. It is possible to have multiple visas in one’s passport, but an individual can only have one immigration status while in the U.S.

One’s visa may expire while in the country, but one’s status should not.