Roberta Aguirre
Form I-94 is an arrival/departure record issued by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to non-US citizens entering the country. It records the arrival and departure dates of people visiting the US. While a CBP officer attaches Form I-94 to the passport of a nonimmigrant visitor upon entry to the US, the form must be handed back to an airline or CBP officer when departing the country. This is particularly important for those who received their I-94 electronically and plan to depart by land to Canada or Mexico, as their exit may not be recorded properly.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who needs a Form I-94? | All persons except U.S. citizens, returning resident aliens, aliens with immigrant visas, and most Canadian citizens visiting or in transit. |
| Who issues Form I-94? | Customs and Border Protection (CBP) |
| When is Form I-94 issued? | During the admission process at the port of entry for air and sea travelers. For land travelers, it can be issued at the point of entry or within 7 days before entering the U.S. |
| How is Form I-94 issued? | Form I-94 is typically issued electronically, but can also be issued on paper. |
| What happens when you depart the U.S.? | If issued on paper, Form I-94 must be given to the airline or a CBP officer upon departure. If issued electronically, the departure will be recorded automatically in most cases. |
| What if you depart the U.S. by land to Canada or Mexico? | If Form I-94 was issued electronically, the exit may not be recorded properly, especially if the traveler is not a Canadian or Mexican citizen and re-enters the U.S. after the passport expiration date. |
| How can travelers access their arrival/departure records? | Travelers can access their CBP arrival/departure records online, through the CBP One app, or the official I-94 website. |
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What You'll Learn
- Form I-94 is an arrival/departure record for non-immigrant visitors to the US
- Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers issue Form I-94 electronically or attach it to the visitor's passport
- All persons except US citizens, returning resident aliens, aliens with immigrant visas, and most Canadian citizens need Form I-94
- Visitors must surrender their Form I-94 to the airline or a CBP officer when departing the US
- CBP sends email reminders about the remaining time in the US and departure notifications
Form I-94 is an arrival/departure record for non-immigrant visitors to the US
Form I-94 is an arrival and departure record issued by the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to non-immigrant visitors to the US. It records the dates of a person's visit to the US and is required for all visitors except US citizens, returning resident aliens, aliens with immigrant visas, and most Canadian citizens visiting or in transit.
The form is typically issued electronically by a CBP officer during the admission process at the port of entry for those travelling by air, land, or sea. The officer attaches the form to the visitor's passport upon entry. For those travelling by land, it is possible to apply for an I-94 in person at the point of entry or within 7 days before entering the US.
If a visitor received a paper I-94 upon entry, they must surrender it to the airline or a CBP officer when departing the US. However, if they received an electronic I-94 and are departing by land to Canada or Mexico, their exit may not be recorded properly. In such cases, it is advisable to carry evidence of their land departure, especially if they plan to re-enter the US after their passport's expiration date.
The CBP sends visitors email reminders about their remaining time in the US and notifications if they have exceeded their admission period. Visitors can also access their arrival and departure records online through the CBP One app or the official I-94 website. This digital version can be useful for proving legal-visitor status to employers, schools, or government agencies.
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Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers issue Form I-94 electronically or attach it to the visitor's passport
Foreign visitors to the US no longer need to complete a paper Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record. Instead, CBP now gathers travellers' arrival and departure information automatically from their electronic travel records. At land borders, travellers will be issued electronic I-94s and will no longer receive a paper I-94 stub.
Upon entry to the US, a CBP officer attaches Form I-94 to the non-immigrant visitor's passport. All persons need a Form I-94 except for US citizens, returning resident aliens, aliens with immigrant visas, and most Canadian citizens visiting or in transit. Air and sea travellers will be issued I-94s during the admission process at the port of entry.
If travellers need the information from their Form I-94 admission record to verify their immigration status or employment authorisation, they are encouraged to get their I-94 Number from the I-94 website or by using the CBP GO mobile app. Upon exiting the US, travellers issued a paper Form I-94 should surrender it to the commercial carrier, Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), or to CBP upon departure.
If you received an electronic I-94 upon arrival by air, sea or land and then depart via land, your departure may not be recorded accurately. A departure will be recorded if you depart via land and re-enter the US before the expiration date stamped in your passport. If you are not a resident of Canada or Mexico and you receive an electronic I-94 and depart via land but do not re-enter the US before the expiration date stamped on your passport, you may want to travel with evidence of your departure into Canada or Mexico. Evidence of departure can include, but is not limited to, entry stamps in a passport, transportation tickets, pay stubs and/or other receipts.
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All persons except US citizens, returning resident aliens, aliens with immigrant visas, and most Canadian citizens need Form I-94
Form I-94 is an arrival/departure record issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to aliens who are extending their stay in the US. It records the arrival and departure dates of people visiting the country.
All persons need a Form I-94 except US citizens, returning resident aliens, aliens with immigrant visas, and most Canadian citizens visiting or in transit. If you are travelling by air or sea, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will issue you an electronic I-94 during the admission process at the port of entry. The CBP officer attaches Form I-94 to the nonimmigrant visitor's passport upon entry to the US.
If you are travelling by land, you can apply for an I-94 in person at your point of entry or within 7 days before entering the US. You can apply through the official I-94 website or the CBP One app. When you do so, you will pay a $6 fee. This is a provisional I-94 and does not guarantee entry into the US.
Upon exiting the US, travellers issued a paper Form I-94 must surrender it to the commercial carrier, Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), or to CBP. If you received an electronic I-94 upon arrival by air, land, or sea and depart by land, your exit may not be recorded properly. In this case, you may want to travel with evidence of your land departure.
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Visitors must surrender their Form I-94 to the airline or a CBP officer when departing the US
All visitors to the US, except for US citizens, returning resident aliens, aliens with immigrant visas, and most Canadian citizens visiting or in transit, need a Form I-94. This form is issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and attached to the visitor's passport by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer upon entry to the US.
When departing the US, visitors must surrender their Form I-94 to the commercial carrier or a CBP officer. If a visitor received their Form I-94 electronically and departs the US by land, their departure may not be recorded accurately. To ensure their departure is recorded, they should depart the US by air or sea, or re-enter the US before the expiration date stamped on their passport. Alternatively, they can provide evidence of their departure into Canada or Mexico, such as entry stamps, transportation tickets, or receipts.
For those who wish to obtain a paper Form I-94, they can print one from the I-94 website or use the CBP GO mobile application. They can also request a paper form during the inspection process, but this will be accommodated in a secondary setting. It is important to note that foreign visitors to the US no longer need to complete a paper CBP Form I-94 or I-94W Nonimmigrant Visa Waiver Arrival/Departure Record upon arrival. Instead, CBP gathers travelers' arrival and departure information automatically from their electronic travel records.
Upon exiting the US, travelers with a paper Form I-94 should surrender it to the commercial carrier or a CBP officer. This is a crucial step to ensure that their departure from the US is recorded accurately. For Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers, it is mandatory to have an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before arriving at the US land border. These travelers can use the I-94 website or the CBP GO mobile app to apply for an I-94 in advance.
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CBP sends email reminders about the remaining time in the US and departure notifications
Form I-94 is an arrival/departure record issued by the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to non-immigrant visitors entering the United States. The form records the arrival and departure dates of people visiting the US. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) typically issues Form I-94 electronically, and a CBP officer attaches the form to the visitor's passport upon entry to the US.
CBP has introduced email notifications to remind travellers about the remaining time in their US visit and their departure dates. These emails are sent to travellers who may have exceeded their admission period. The emails are sent 10 days prior to the expiration of their lawful admission period. The email notifications are sent from [email protected]. CBP has also launched a new feature on the I-94 website under the "View Compliance" tab, which allows travellers to check the status of their admission to the US. This includes the number of days remaining on their lawful admission or the number of days they have overstayed.
It is important to note that if a Form I-94 was issued on paper, travellers must surrender it to the airline or a CBP officer when departing the US. However, if the form was received electronically, and the traveller plans to depart by land to Canada or Mexico, their exit may not be recorded properly. In such cases, it is recommended to carry evidence of the land departure.
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Frequently asked questions
Everyone entering the US needs a Form I-94 except for US citizens, returning resident aliens, aliens with immigrant visas, and most Canadian citizens visiting or in transit.
Form I-94 is an arrival/departure record issued by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) to record the arrival and departure dates of people visiting the US.
Yes, if your Form I-94 was issued to you on paper, you must give it to a CBP officer when you depart the US.
