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The I-94 form (Arrival / Departure Record) is used to record the entry and exit of foreign persons (e.g., holders of US visas or ESTA authorizations) to or from the United States as well as their legal residency status within the United States.
The so-called I-94 form documents the entry into and exit from the United States of holders of a US nonimmigrant visa and an ESTA approval – hence the name Arrival / Departure Record.
In the I-94 entry form, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), stores simple data identifying the traveler – such as name, passport number, flight information, etc.The I-94 form thus serves as proof of the lawful entry or departure of foreign individuals.
At the same time, the document serves as proof of legal residence within the United States (= residence status), in addition to important documents such as the US visa or passport including the entry stamp.
Last but not least, US travelers can check their travel data online. The I-94 data record contains the details of all entries and exits to the US territory within the last 10 years (= Travel History).
Since May 2013, the I-94 entry form has been available electronically and entries into and exits from the United States are registered online in an automated manner with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
Form I-94 is the proof of entry into the country and can be obtained from the official I-94 website of the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). To view approved residency status after entering the US, travelers can access the I-94 form online in the "Get most recent I-94" section.
Therefore, non-US citizens entering the United States by air or sea no longer need to fill out a paper I-94 form at the border, i.e. in advance on an airplane or ship. Upon entry, only the passport including the US visa and, if applicable, other documents depending on the visa category must be presented to the border officers. The data entry is then done by scanning the passport and is electronically recorded in the system of the US authorities.
Persons entering the country with a US visa or under the Visa Waiver Program with an ESTA authorization can usually access the electronic entry form on the official I-94 website immediately after crossing the border. Once you have entered the Uniteds States, you can view and check the current I-94 on the Internet using your passport details.
If you are entering the US via a land border or ferry from selected ports, you can "Apply for a new I-94" in advance to save time later at the port of entry.
We recommend that travelers to the USA check the information on the official I-94 website immediately after entering the United States. Generally, the data can be checked no later than one day after entry.
Errors in the I-94 can be corrected at CBP's more than 70 Deferred Inspection Sites, where in-person or e-mail inquiries are possible. The passport and the copy of the visa should be kept ready.
It is also advisable to save or print out the I-94 form.
The USCIS and CBP store all relevant information on residence status in the electronic I-94:
Travelers to the USA are receiving fewer and fewer physical stamps in their passports at border control, causing uncertainty about possible consequences. This change is the result of advancing digitalization, which is making paper-based processes obsolete. The entry stamp, which once provided information about the date and status of entry, is gradually being replaced by the digital I-94 form.
The advantages of digital forms lie in faster processing and a national security system. Departure information will continue to be provided by transportation companies (e.g. airliines) to the US authorities.
Travelers can check their residency status online using the I-94 form, with airline tickets serving as additional proof in the event of queries from the US authorities. For land travelers, the exit stamp can alternatively serve as proof.
Before the introduction of the electronic I-94 form or I-94 automation, all holders of a US visa had to fill out the I-94 form by hand when entering the USA. US travelers who wanted to enter the USA with ESTA as part of visa-free entry had to fill out the I-94W form by hand. The respective paper form then had to be completed in full and presented to the US border officers at the counter together with the passport (and US visa, if applicable). A section of the I-94 or I-94W form was then stapled into the traveler's passport and had to be handed in upon departure. This was the only way to document timely departure. Nowadays, departure is automatically recorded electronically.
We advise you on the choice of the appropriate visa category and take over the complete processing for you or your company.
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