In the past, any foreigner entering the US was asked to fill out a physical arrival & departure form called Form I-94. After April 30th, 2013, this process was made fully automated, and now, there is no need to fill out an I-94 form at airports and seaports, except in a few cases. This article talks about the details related to the I-94 form.
What is the I-94 Form in the US? Arrival/Departure Record
The Form I-94 was a physical form that foreigners entering the US used to fill out. It was mainly used to track arrivals and departures of foreigners entering the USA who arrived or departed from a US Port of Entry(PoE).
Usually, when you as a foreigner enter the US, you will need to provide your arrival information such as Flight number/ Vessel number, date of arrival, passport number, full name, date of birth, your citizenship, city where you boarded, where your US visa was issued and your address that you will stay in US. In the past, until April 2013, you were asked to fill out a physical I-94 form. But, after 2013, all of the I-94 form process was automated with electronic records created automatically in DHS systems at airports, seaports and passengers do not need to fill out physical I-94 form.
There are a few scenarios where a physical I-94 form is filled. Especially when there is a service disruption with software systems or any specific issues with your case in the system, etc. If you fill a physical I-94 form, the CBP officer would usually tear a part of it and give you a stub of I-94 card with a stamp on it. Check Sample I-94 Physical Form and read How to Fill an I-94 Form
What information does the I-94 Form or Card Have? Number, Expiration Date, Status?
An I-94 card issued at port of entry or printed electronically from DHS system has the below information. It defines your visa status that you have used to enter America at port of entry.
- Admission (I-94) Record Number: It is a long number that is like on a physical I-94 card that is used to track your entry/ exit in the US.
- Arrival/ Issued Date: The date when the traveler entered the USA or when the I-94 was issued.
- Class of Admission: Your class of Visa that you used to enter the US. E.g.: B1, H1B, L1
- Admit Until Date: The date until which you can legally stay in the US without violating your visa status.
- Last Name / Surname: Your family name or last name
- First / Given Name: Your full name as in your passport.
- Birth Date: Date of Birth of the traveler.
- Document Number: Passport number as it appears in your passport used at PoE or the Travel Document number.
- Country of Citizenship: Your passport issued country or Citizenship country.
Below is an actual electronic I-94 card issued at Port of entry with all the above information. Check out more Samples of I-94 Electronic Form printed online.
What is I-94 Arrival Departure Record Number? My I-94 form Number?
The I-94 Arrival-Departure Record Number is the Admission Record Number on the I-94 card that is used for tracking your arrival departure information by CBP, DHS, or USCIS. It is printed on the electronic I-94 record that you print online, as in the above screenshot. If you have a physical I-94 form, it is the big number on the I-94 Card. See the below sample screenshot of the same.
Why do you need I-94 form/ card? What is it used for in US ?
The I-94 form is a very important document that every foreigner needs to have handy when they are in the US for verification of their legal immigration status, employment authorization, alien registration, etc. It validates your status in the US and tells that you have legally entered the US and are staying as per CBP rules for the visa.
You will be asked to provide a copy of your current I-94 when you apply for driving license, SSN, etc.. You need to make sure the details of your I-94 reflect your passport details. If you were to be given a physical I-94 card, then you need to keep it safe, and it has your visa information and when you should depart America. You can also print out the I-94 arrival departure card online on the DHS website at https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/
Do I need to hand over I-94 Card, when I leave US ?
Yes, if you were to be given a paper-based I-94 card, then you would need to return to the airline or CBP officer when you depart the US. Usually, you would be given Paper I-94 when you enter using land, and you hand over the same when you depart at the airport, land, or sea. If you were not given a paper I-94 card, do not worry about it. For air travelers, it is fully automated and nothing needs to be done.
I was not given paper I-94, do I have to do anything during departure from US ?
No, there is nothing you need to do, if you were not given a paper I-94. When you depart the US using a commercial airline or a cruise ship, then your departure is automatically tracked by the DHS systems with data from the commercial airlines/ cruise ships. You may keep a copy of your boarding pass from the US to your destination as a reference if needed for verification or any issues with your I-94.
What happens if you do NOT turn in your I-94 card at the exit or departure from the US ?
If you were not to turn in your I-94 card during your departure from the US, you are considered to have overstayed in the US, and you would be subject to a bar from re-entry to the US for a certain amount of time, either 3 or 10 years, depending on a the duration of overstay.
So, it is important to hand over the card to track your exit or departure properly in the DHS systems. One way you can ensure your departure is tracked is by checking your US Travel History Online. If there are any discrepancies, you can report to the DHS team and get it corrected by providing your boarding pass.
What evidence should you hold to address any I-94 issues for NOT tracking your US Departure Properly?
If you were not given an I-94 card, sometimes your departure may not be adequately tracked. To prove your departure properly, when you try to re-enter the US, it is advisable to hold the below documents and show them to CBP to prove your departure from the US.
- Transportation Tickets that you used to enter and depart from the US
- Boarding Pass of your flight departing to your destination outside of the US
- Pay stubs of your work outside the US
- Arrival Stamps in Passport at the destination country outside the US
- CBP Entry Stamp in your Passport at the Port of Entry to prove arrival into the US.
I-94 form for US Citizens? How about Permanent Residents or Green Card Holders?
The I-94 form is applicable or given only to foreign citizens entering the US. It is not applicable to US Citizens, Lawful Permanent Resident or Green Card holders, Returning Resident (SB-1) aliens and most Canadian citizens visiting US or in transit. Neither do they need to fill it out nor will they get one electronically.
You can check out I-94 Factsheet on CBP.gov Website