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I-94 Arrival/Departure Record

Understanding The I-94 Arrival/Departure Record: What It Is, Why You Should Review Each Time You Travel, and How to Correct Errors.

After each international trip, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issues travelers an electronic I-94 Arrival/Departure Record. This document confirms your lawful admission to the United States, controls what activities are permitted during your stay, and sets the date by which you must depart.

It is essential to review your I-94 after each entry. CBP may sometimes shorten your period of stay, the time you are lawfully permitted to be in the United States, based on factors you may not expect, increasing the risk of an accidental overstay. In addition, I-94s frequently contain errors. If these issues with your I-94 record are not promptly identified and corrected, they can cause significant immigration problems in the future.

What Is the I-94?

Most I-94s are issued electronically when a nonimmigrant traveler is admitted to a U.S. Port of Entry (POE), which includes international airports and designated border crossings along the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders. Both nonimmigrant visa holders and Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) travelers receive an I-94.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) also issues I-94s when it approves a nonimmigrant’s application to extend or change status from within the United States. In these cases, the updated I-94 appears at the bottom of the hardcopy Form I-797 approval notice. This is a common scenario for individuals holding employment-based visas.

Whether issued by CBP or USCIS, an I-94 contains important information, including:

I-94 Record Number
Arrival Date (for CBP-issued I-94s) or Validity Start Date (for USCIS-issued I-94s)
Class of Admission (B-1/B-2, F-1, H-1B, etc.)
Admit Until Date – the last day you are authorized to remain in the United States
Biographic Details such as name, date of birth, passport number, and country of citizenship

Once issued, the I-94 serves several critical purposes:

Proof that you were lawfully admitted to the U.S. in a specific visa category
Confirmation of your authorized period of stay
Proof of work authorization for most employment-based visas
Evidence of eligibility to apply for a Social Security number or a driver’s license (for certain visa categories)

How to Access Your I-94 Online

CBP makes most I-94 records available online within a few hours of admission to the United States. To view or download your I-94:

Go to the official I-94 website: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov
Select “Get Most Recent I-94” and accept the terms of use.
Enter your biographic details exactly as they appear in your passport, including your full name, date of birth, passport number, and country of citizenship.
Save a copy of your I-94 for your personal records and for future travel or immigration filings. It can be helpful to save both an electronic copy and a paper copy.

Travelers can also download the CBP One™ mobile app and follow the instructions to retrieve their I-94 record. If your I-94 does not appear in the system, it may be due to a data entry mismatch or a system delay. In that case, follow the CBP contact instructions below to request assistance.

It’s Important to Check Your I-94 After Every Admission to the U.S.

Because CBP issues a new I-94 for every entry into the United States, travelers should promptly access and review their I-94 record after each trip abroad to make sure it is accurate. This includes checking the I-94s for any accompanying spouse or minor children.

Given how critical it is to maintain lawful status while in the United States, perhaps the most important detail on the I-94 is the traveler’s Admit Until Date – the date by which you must depart the United States unless you extend, change, or adjust status. For most travelers, this date follows predictable patterns:

B-1/B-2 visitors are typically admitted for six months.
F-1 students are admitted for duration of status (“D/S”), which is tied to their academic program.
Employment-based visa holders (H-1B, L-1, TN, etc.) are usually admitted until the expiration date on their USCIS-issued Form I-797 approval notice.

However, CBP officers may shorten a traveler’s authorized period of admission for various reasons, and data-entry errors are not uncommon. Even small discrepancies can lead to serious problems if they are not identified and corrected quickly. If someone remains in the United States beyond the Admit Until Date, they immediately fall out of status and begin to accrue unlawful presence. Even short periods of unlawful presence can result in significant immigration consequences, including:

Initiation of removal (deportation) proceedings.
Future visa complications, including the obligation to disclose any past unlawful presence, which may lead to discretionary denials.
Bars to reentry, including a 3-year bar for more than 180 days of unlawful presence and a 10-year bar for more than one year.

Expiring Passports and “Shortened” I-94s

Your school’s Designated School Official (DSO) should be your most important contact for immigration matters while studying in the U.S. The DSO is central to your F-1 student visa experience because they:

Common examples include:

B-1/B-2 visitors whose passports expire within six months of entry
E-1/E-2 visa holders whose passport expire within two years of entry
Employment-based nonimmigrants whose passports expire before the end date listed on their USCIS Form I-797 approval notice.

In these situations, CBP must limit the I-94’s Admit Until Date to match the passport’s expiration date – even if the traveler has a valid visa or USCIS approval notice that authorizes a longer stay.

How to Fix a Shortened I-94 Based On an Expiring Passport

If you discover a shortened I-94 before the Admit Until Date has passed, you generally have three options. All require first obtaining a new, unexpired passport.

Depart the U.S. and reenter with your renewed passport. If your visa stamp is still valid, you may depart, and present both your renewed passport and valid visa when returning. Employment-based travelers must also present a valid Form I-797 approval notice. ESTA/VWP travelers do not need a visa.
Use automatic visa revalidation (if eligible). If your visa stamp has expired, you may travel to Canada or Mexico for fewer than 30 days and reenter under automatic visa revalidation, provided you do not need a visa to enter Canada or Mexico. Upon return, CBP should issue a new I-94 based on your renewed passport. Employment-based travelers must also present a valid Form I-797 approval notice.
File an extension or change of status with USCIS. You may timely file a petition requesting an extension or change of status from within the United States. While it is best to have already renewed your passport before filing, USCIS will typically accept evidence that the renewal process has been initiated. This option is not available to ESTA travelers.

If You Cannot Renew Your Passport in Time

If you are unable to obtain a new passport before your I-94 expires, you must depart the United States on or before the Admit Until Date and return once you receive your new passport.

Remaining in the U.S. past the date authorized on your I-94 can carry significant consequences. If this occurs, consult a qualified U.S. immigration attorney immediately to evaluate next steps and potential mitigation options.

Common I-94 Errors

Although technology and automation now support many aspects of the U.S. immigration system, CBP’s issuance of I-94s still depends heavily on manual data entry. As a result, mistakes are more common than most travelers expect. Fortunately, these errors can usually be corrected quickly once identified.

Common examples include:

Incorrect Admit Until Date. This error can lead to an authorized period of stay that is either too short or too long. For employment-based travelers, this often happens when a CBP officer mistakenly matches the Admit-Until Date to the visa stamp expiration rather than the I-797 approval notice validity dates.
Wrong Visa Classification. If CBP issues your I-94 under the wrong visa category, you may have difficulty demonstrating authorization to work or study. This mistake can occur when a traveler holds multiple visas in their passport (for example, both a tourist visa and an employment visa) or previously entered the U.S. under the Visa Waiver Program but is now seeking entry in a student or employment status. For L and E visa dependents, CBP may also omit the required spouse or child suffix (e.g., L-2S/ L-2Y, E-2S/E-2Y), which is important for proving work authorization for spouses in those visa categories. Clear communication with the CBP officer at the port of entry can prevent these errors.
Incorrect Biographic Information. Even small errors, such as a misspelled name or an incorrect date of birth, can result in data mismatches at USCIS, the Social Security Administration, or state DMVs. These discrepancies may delay employment eligibility verification, Social Security number issuance, and driver’s license renewals. As government agencies increasingly rely on automated technology, it is especially important that biographic information match exactly across all records.

I encourage clients to review their I-94 after every admission and to send me a copy so I can independently confirm that the record is accurate.

How to Request an I-94 Correction

If you discover an error on your I-94, you should take action as soon as possible. In many cases, CBP can correct the mistake quickly once it is brought to their attention.

Requests for I-94 correction can be submitted to a CBP Deferred Inspection Site. Whenever possible, contact either the site that issued your I-94 or the location closest to your current U.S. residence. CBP maintains a list of Deferred Inspection Sites here: https://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports/deferred-inspection-sites

Deferred Inspection Sites generally accept correction requests in person, by phone, or by email. Be prepared to provide supporting documents such as your passport, visa, and any relevant I-797 approval notice.

Key Takeaway for I-94s

Your I-94 record, not your visa stamp, controls how long you may lawfully remain in the United States. Always review your I-94 after each entry, print and save a copy for your records, and address any errors as soon as possible.

If you believe there is a discrepancy on your I-94 or need assistance requesting a correction, Harling Immigration Law Firm is here to provide clear, experienced guidance.

To learn more about how Nick can help, please contact him by phone at 704-936-7617, by email at nick.harling@harling-law.com

The information in this article is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal advice. Always consult with a qualified immigration attorney for advice specific to your situation.

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