Ever landed in the US and thought, "Am I missing some paperwork?" Or worried if you've overstayed because no one stamped anything obvious? You're not alone. The I-94 arrival/departure record trips up tons of visitors, students, and even folks here on work visas.
Back in the day, you would receive a small piece of paper with your arrival information at the border crossing; nowadays, it is mostly (if not entirely) digital. Thus, often folks don't even know they received one.
Worst part: a border agent made a mistake while issuing you one? You might have problems if you try to change your immigration status or apply for an EAD.
Let's break it down in plain English so you know exactly what it is, why you should care, and how to keep your stay stress-free.
Think of the I-94 as your official check-in and check-out record for the US It shows when you arrived, how long you're allowed to stay, and when you need to leave.
Many people mistakenly believe that the visa stamp in their passport determines how long they can stay. Nope. The visa is like a key to get you in the door. The I-94 is what tells you how long you're allowed to stay in the US and under which visa category you were admitted.
For example, your tourist visa might be valid for 10 years, but your I-94 might only give you 6 months to stay each time you enter.Overstay that date, and you're officially out of status, meaning big headaches if you ever want to come back.
This is why checking your I-94 is essential every time you enter the US.
Easy! It's all online.
It's surprisingly common for the system to have errors—wrong dates, misspelled names—so catch it early and you can get it fixed at a CBP office.
Maybe the officer typed in the wrong date, or your name's missing a letter. It happens. It happened to me, it happened to a number of my classmates. If it does, you can visit a local CBP deferred inspection site (usually at a big airport), and they'll fix it. Don't wait—once that date passes, it's a whole lot harder to sort out.
If you're loving life in the US and want to stay longer—say, to switch from tourist to student, or extend your current status—you'll generally need to file paperwork with USCIS before your I-94 expires.
That's key: you must be in status (meaning, your I-94 hasn't expired) to change or extend.
The I-94 might feel like a boring piece of bureaucracy, but it's the most important document you've probably never thought about.
Checking your I-94 after every entry, making sure the info is correct, and leaving or filing the right paperwork before it expires can save you a ton of stress (and money) down the road.
If you're uncertain or things seem incorrect, it's a good idea to consult an immigration professional or use a service like ours at Immiva, which helps keep your paperwork on track. You don't want your American adventure to be interrupted by a small mistake.
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