What is Form I-94? How to find yours and fix mistakes
Many visitors, students and workers think their visa shows how long they can stay in the U.S. It does not. That is the job of the I-94 Arrival/Departure Record, which U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) creates when you enter.
General information only, not legal advice. If your I-94 date is wrong or close to passing, act quickly and get advice from an immigration attorney or DOJ-accredited representative.
Visa vs. I-94
- Visa: lets you travel to the U.S. and ask to enter. It can expire while you are inside the U.S. without ending your stay.
- I-94: shows your status and the “admit until” date, the last day you are allowed to stay.
Getting your I-94
- Most I-94s are electronic. Download yours at i94.cbp.dhs.gov with your name, date of birth and passport details.
- The same site shows your travel history of entries and exits for the past years, useful for citizenship applications.
- If USCIS extends or changes your status, your new I-94 is usually attached to the approval notice, and the CBP site may not show it.
What “D/S” means
Students (F) and exchange visitors (J) often see D/S, “duration of status”, instead of a date. It means you may stay as long as you keep your status, for example by following your program and I-20 or DS-2019.
Check it after every entry
Mistakes happen: a wrong class, name or date. Download your I-94 a few days after each arrival and check every field.
Fixing a mistake
- CBP made the error at entry: contact a CBP port of entry or deferred inspection office. Some accept requests by email.
- Error on an I-94 issued by USCIS (for example with an extension approval): follow the USCIS instructions for correcting documents.
- Lost and not on the CBP site: you can ask USCIS for a replacement on Form I-102.
Need help organizing your documents?
One Path Finder can help you gather and organize documents where permitted by law. We are not a law firm and can’t tell you what applies to your case. Contact us to start a conversation. For legal advice, ask us for a referral to our partner law firm.