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
Foreign visitors to the U.S. no longer need to complete paper Customs and Border Protection Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record or Form I-94W Nonimmigrant Visa Waiver Arrival/Departure Record. Those who need to prove their legal-visitor status—to employers, schools/universities or government agencies—can access their CBP arrival/departure record information online. CBP now gathers travelers’ arrival/departure information automatically from their electronic travel records.
Now at the land border, travelers will be issued I-94s electronically and will no longer receive a paper I-94 stub. CBP encourages travelers requiring an I-94 to use the CBP One™ mobile app or the CBP I-94 website to apply for their I-94. For Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers, an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) is now required for entry and must be obtained prior to arriving at the U.S. land border. VWP travelers are encouraged to use the I-94 website or CBP One™ mobile app to apply for an I-94 in advance.
How do I find my I-94?
Check the passport you used the last time you entered the United States or check the I-94 website.
What does an I-94 number look like?
A Form I-94 is needed by all visitors except: U.S. Citizens, returning resident aliens, aliens with immigrant visas, and most Canadian citizens visiting or in transit. Travelers will be issued an I-94 during the admission process at the port of entry.
Beginning in May 2019, I-94 numbers will be alphanumeric. Currently, I-94 numbers are 11 digits long and only contain numbers.
I-94 Website
The I-94 website has four sections: 1.) applying for a new (provisional) Form I-94; 2.) providing you with your most recent I-94 admission record from 1983 forward for most classes of admission (or parole), and indefinitely for certain classes, such as diplomats and those admitted under the Compacts of Free Association; 3.) displaying your most recent 10 years of travel history; and 4.) querying your compliance with your current period of admission for some nonimmigrant classes.
What to do if your I-94 is “Not Found” online
If you tried to retrieve your I-94 from the Official online system and you receive a response that your I-94 is “Not Found”, read the following questions to help you check for mistakes and try to enter the information again:
1. Did you enter your first and last name the same way it appears on your passport?
2. Did you enter the passport number that appears on the upper right hand side of your passport?
3. Did you enter your country of citizenship (country that issued the passport, not where you currently live)?
4. If you entered your first and middle name and it is not found, try one name or the other. Also try entering your first and middle name in the first name box.
*Do not use dashes or hyphens when filling out the form on the I-94 website.
If you’re still not able to locate your I-94, please contact the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Traveler Communications Center (TCC) by clicking on the “Ask Us A Question” tab below. Select the correct topic for your issue as well as any related issues. We will attempt to respond to you within 72 hours.
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) will issue an updated Entry/Departure Record Form I-94 on a Notice of Action Form I-797, to those who applied for and received an extension of stay, change of status, or requested replacement of the original I-94 issued by CBP. USCIS issued I-94 documents are not entered into the CBP online I-94 database, which is why your USCIS issued I-94 cannot be found and viewed.
You can use the USCIS issued Entry/Departure Record Form I-94 on the Notice of Action Form I-797 as evidence of your current legal status in the United States.
Asylees
Most asylum seekers should have received a handwritten or stamped I-94 upon entering the U.S., and may not be able to retrieve I-94 information online.
