Official I-94 Fact Sheet

I-94 Automation

FACT SHEET

Overview

sion, class of admission and admitted until date. The

electronic arrival/departure record can be obtained at

www.cbp.gov/I94.

Will travelers need to do anything

differently when exiting the U.S.? How can they

be sure their departure will be recorded properly

with this new the I-94 automation process?

Travelers will not need to do anything

differently

upon exiting the U.S. Travelers issued a

paper Form I-94 should surrender it to the commer-

cial carrier or CBP upon departure. The departure

will be recorded electronically with manifest infor-

mation provided by the carrier or by CBP. If travel-

ers did not receive a paper Form I-94 and the record

was created electronically, CBP will record their de-

parture using manifest information obtained from the

carrier.

In order to increase efficiency, reduce operating

costs and streamline the admissions process, U.S.

Customs and Border Protection has automated

Form I-94 at air and sea ports of entry. The paper

form will no longer be provided to a traveler upon

arrival, except in limited circumstances. The trav-

eler will be provided with a CBP admission stamp

on their travel document. If a traveler needs a copy

of their I-94 (record of admission) for verification

of alien registration, immigration status or employ-

ment authorization, it can be obtained from.

www.cbp.gov/I94.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a Form I-94?

Form I-94 is the DHS Arrival/Departure Record

issued to aliens who are admitted to the U.S., who

are adjusting status while in the U.S. or extending

their stay, among other things. A CBP officer gen-

erally attaches the I-94 to the non-immigrant visi-

tor’s passport upon U.S. entry. The visitor must

exit the U.S. on or before the departure date

stamped on the I-94.

How will the new I-94 automation impact inter-

national travelers’ entry to the U.S.?

I-94 autom

ation will not impact a traveler’s ability

How does a traveler revalidate a visa without

their I-94?

The I-94 admission record is created electronically

and maintained in CBP systems. CBP will verify th

I-94 electronically to re-validate an expired visa if

the traveler meets the conditions of automatic revali

dation. If entry occurred prior to automation, a pape

form

must be presented in order to comply with vali

dation requirements. For more information about

automatic revalidation go to

http://www.cbp.gov/

linkhandler/cgov/travel/id_visa/revalidation.ctt/

revalidation.pdf.

to enter the U.S. CBP will continue to create an I-

94 record for all travelers who require one, but the

paper form will be created in an electronic format

and not provided to the traveler. If a traveler re-

quires a paper version of Form I-94, it will be

available at www.cbp.gov/I94

Will CBP provide a traveler with any documen

tation or evidence showing status and time al-

lowed in the U.S.?

Yes. CBP will provide each traveler with an ad-

mission stamp that is annotated with date of admis-

For more information on I-94 automation or any CBP related

3/2013

questions, visit www.CBP.gov .

FACT SHEET

Will CBP still issue a paper Form I-94 once the

automation begins?

No. Rather than distributing a paper Form I-94,

CBP will scan a traveler’s passport, generating an

electronic arrival record with data elements found

on the current paper Form I-94. CBP will make

the electronic I-94 available at www.cbp.gov/I94.

Travelers may visit this website to print their elec-

tronic I-94 number before applying for immigra-

tion or public benefits, such as a driver’s license or

a Social Security number.

Since automation only affects air and sea arrivals,

a paper Form I-94 is still issued at the

land border ports of entry. Also, CBP intends

to continue to provide a paper Form I-94 to

certain classes of aliens, such as refugees,

certain asylees and parolees, and whenever

CBP determines the issuance of a paper form is

appropriate.

What if a traveler does not have a foreign pass-

port for CBP to stamp?

Individuals without a foreign passport will be sent

to CBP’s secondary inspection upon arrival into

the U.S., where they will receive their electronic I-

94 number. These individuals will be issued a pa-

per I-94 with the pre-printed number crossed out,

and the actual electronic I-94 number handwritten

upon it.

Employers and agencies can expect refugees,

asylees, parolees and others who do not have any

other travel document to have these I-94s.

What should a traveler do if he or she was ad-

mitted incorrectly to the U.S.?

If an applicant was admitted incorrectly to the

U.S., the applicant should visit a local CBP De-

ferred Inspection Site or port of entry to have his

or her admission corrected. A list of Deferred In-

spection Sites and ports of entry can be found at

www.cbp.gov, under the “Ports” link at the bottom

of the page.

If an applicant received an incorrect I-94 from U.S.

Citizenship and Immigration Services, the applicant

should refer to Form I-102 available at www.uscis.gov/

forms.

Will the process help expedite passenger processing

time?

The I-94 automation will expedite passenger processing.

CBP automated the I-94W process in 2010, which inde-

pendent studies show has resulted in an approximate 20-

second time savings per passenger. CBP estimates that I-

94 automation will result in similar time savings.

What is the I-94 website (www.cbp.gov/I94)?

Travelers may visit www.cbp.gov/I94 to retrieve their

electronic I-94 number. Upon entering the U.S., travelers

will receive a paper with instructions on how to access

the website.

Individuals can visit www.cbp.gov/I94 to retrieve a copy of

their electronic Form I-94.

For more information on I-94 automation or any CBP related

questions, visit www.CBP.gov.