New I-94 Arrival/Departure Record Process
From April 30 to May 21, 2013, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will be rolling out a new automated I-94 arrival/departure record process for all air and sea ports of entry. Once a port of entry has transitioned to the automated system, CBP will no longer require non-immigrant travelers to fill out a paper Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record upon arrival to the U.S. at that port. The agency will gather travelers' arrival and departure information automatically from their electronic travel records. See the table below for the rollout timetable for each port of entry.
Note: CBP will still issue a paper form I-94 at land border ports of entry.
Following automation, if travelers need the information from their form I-94 admission record to verify immigration status or employment authorization, the record number and other admission information will be available at cbp.gov/I94. International students and scholars arriving in the U.S. via an air or sea port that has been automated will be able to access their arrival and departure record information online.
Please note: cbp.gov/I94 will not be live until the end of April 2013.
With the new CBP process, a CBP officer will stamp the travel document of each arriving non-immigrant traveler. The admission stamp will show the date of admission, class of admission, and the date through which the traveler's stay is valid.
Travelers will not need to do anything differently upon exiting the U.S. Travelers previously issued a paper form I-94 would surrender it to the commercial carrier or to CBP upon departure. If travelers did not receive a paper form I-94, CBP will record the departure electronically via manifest information provided by the carrier or by CBP.
For more information and for answers to frequently asked questions, review the CBP's I-94 automation fact sheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this mean for me? Do I still get an I-94 card in my passport?
Not if you enter the U.S. through a sea or air port. Instead, your passport/travel document will be stamped with the same information. You will be able to access the I-94 information online rather than having it on the little white card. If you enter the country through a land port (i.e. drive across the border), you will still get a paper I-94.
Please note: For most of the month of May, the process will depend on which port of entry you come through to enter the United States. See the list below for the schedule of when each port will transition. After that, all sea and air ports will use the automated process.
What if I need a printed copy of my I-94? And why would I need one?
Some employers, government agencies, etc. may still require a printout of the I-94 information. You will be able to print out your information from cbp.gov/I94.
Is there any time that I would still get a paper I-94?
Yes. You may receive a paper I-94 if you enter the United States and receive an I-515A. You will be given instructions on how to proceed with correcting your record. You will also receive a paper I-94 if you enter the U.S. through a land port of entry.
I’m a Canadian citizen and I never got an I-94 in the past. Will I have an automated one now?
All Canadian citizens who come to the U.S. in F, J, H, O, TN statuses should have completed a paper form I-94 and received back the I-94 departure record card. Only those coming to the U.S. as a visitor for pleasure or business would not have received an I-94 departure record card. For those driving through a landed port of entry, you will still receive a paper version of the I-94. Those arriving via air will have an automated I-94.
I still have questions. Who should I ask?
First, check the CBP's I-94 automation fact sheet. If the answer to your question isn't there, you can contact the ISSS office for further assistance.
Implementation Schedule
Implementation will begin on April 30 at five pilot ports of entry and will continue to the remaining ports of entry over a total of four weeks.|
Week 1 |
April 30 - May 5, 2013 |
Charlotte Douglas International Airport |
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Week 2 |
May 7, 2013 |
Major Air and Sea Ports within the following field offices: |
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Week 3 |
May 14, 2013 |
Major Air and Sea ports within the following field offices: |
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Week 4 |
May 21, 2013 |
All remaining airports and seaports |