Understanding I-94: Entry Airport Information And Your Arrival

Form I-94, also known as the 'Arrival/Departure Record', is a crucial document issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to visitors entering the United States. It is an essential part of the entry process, proving that the visitor has entered the country legally. The form is issued by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer, who will stamp the visitor's passport with an entry stamp. This stamp shows the date of admission to the U.S. and the visitor's immigration status.

How to get an I-94 form

When entering the United States as a nonimmigrant, a Customs Border Protection (CBP) officer will examine your passport and visa and, in most cases, issue an electronic Arrival/Departure document called the Form I-94. The I-94 outlines how long a student or scholar is allowed to stay in the United States, proves that they arrived in the country legally, and confirms their current immigration status.

If you are travelling by air or sea, a CBP officer will issue you an electronic I-94 at your point of entry during the admission process. If you are travelling by land, you can apply for an I-94 in person at your point of entry.

If you would like a paper Form I-94, you can print your own I-94 Form from the I-94 website using the 'Get Most Recent I-94' option, or by using the same option on the CBP GO mobile application. A paper form can also be requested during the inspection process, but all such requests will be accommodated in a secondary setting.

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.

What an I-94 form proves

The I-94 form, officially called the “Arrival/Departure Record”, is issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and is an essential part of the entry process for visitors to the United States. It proves that you entered the country legally and shows the date you must leave. It also states how long you can legally stay in the country.

The I-94 form is issued by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer when you go through customs at the airport or seaport. The officer will stamp your passport, showing the date of your admission to the U.S. and your immigration status. They will also write or stamp the date until which you can stay in the U.S. This is usually noted as “D/S” (Duration of Status) for students and exchange visitors, or a specific date for other travellers.

The I-94 form is issued electronically and no longer as a paper stub. However, you can request an entry stamp when entering Canada or Mexico. If you are travelling by land, you can apply for an I-94 in person at your point of entry, or within seven days before entering the U.S. through the official I-94 website or the CBP One app.

Each I-94 form is assigned a unique code that is linked to a specific entrance and reason for visiting the United States. This means that you will receive a different I-94 number each time you arrive in the country.

The I-94 form's 'Admit Until Date'

The I-94 form, officially called the 'Arrival/Departure Record', is issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and is a crucial document for visitors to the United States. It proves that you entered the country legally and shows the date you must leave. It also states how long you can legally stay in the country.

When you go through customs at the airport or seaport, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will stamp your passport. This stamp shows the date of your admission to the U.S. and your immigration status. The officer will also write or stamp the date until which you can stay in the U.S. This is usually noted as 'D/S' (Duration of Status) for students and exchange visitors, or a specific date for other travellers.

The I-94 form will show your 'Admit Until Date', which indicates how long you are allowed to remain in the U.S. The CBP agent who stamps your passport may simply write 'Duration of Status' or 'D/S', indicating that you can remain in the U.S. as long as your current visa remains valid.

If you are travelling by air or sea, a CBP officer will issue you an electronic I-94 at your point of entry during the admission process. If you are travelling by land, you can apply for an I-94 in person at your point of entry, or you can apply within seven days before entering the U.S. through the official I-94 website or the CBP One app.

The I-94 form's unique code

The I-94 form is issued by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and is an essential part of the entry process for visitors to the United States. It proves that you entered the country legally, shows the date you must leave, and states how long you can legally stay.

When you go through customs at the airport or seaport, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will stamp your passport. This stamp shows the date of your admission to the U.S. and your immigration status. The officer will also write or stamp the date until which you can stay in the U.S. This is usually noted as “D/S” (Duration of Status) for students and exchange visitors, or a specific date for other travellers.

Once CBP approves your lawful entry and issues the I-94 form, a unique code will be assigned to your record. This number is linked to a specific entrance and reason for visiting the United States, so you’ll receive a different I-94 number each time you arrive in the country. The I-94 numbers are currently 11 digits long and only contain numbers, but beginning in May 2019, I-94 numbers will be alphanumeric.

If you are travelling by air or sea, a CBP officer will issue you an electronic I-94 at your point of entry during the admission process. If you are travelling by land, you can apply for an I-94 in person at your point of entry, or you can apply within seven days before entering the U.S. through the official I-94 website or the CBP One app.

How to request an entry stamp

When entering the US, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will stamp your passport. This stamp shows the date of your admission to the country and your immigration status. The officer will also write or stamp the date until which you can stay in the US. This is usually noted as “D/S” (Duration of Status) for students and exchange visitors, or a specific date for other travellers.

If you are travelling by air or sea, a CBP officer will issue you an electronic I-94 at your point of entry during the admission process. If you are travelling by land, you can apply for an I-94 in person at your point of entry, or you can apply within seven days before entering the US through the official I-94 website or the CBP One app.

A traveller can request an entry stamp from CBSA when entering Canada or from the Instituto Nacional de Migracion (INM) when entering Mexico.

Once CBP approves your lawful entry and issues the I-94 form, a unique code will be assigned to your record. This number is linked to a specific entrance and reason for visiting the US, so you’ll receive a different I-94 number each time you arrive in the country.

Frequently asked questions