Douglas Olsen
International students arriving in the United States by air or sea will be given a passport admission stamp, and an electronic I-94 record. Those crossing a land border may receive a paper I-94 card. The I-94 records the arrival and departure dates of people visiting the US, and everyone entering the country needs one, except for most Canadian citizens and non-US citizens with immigrant visas. Students can access their I-94 record online, via the CBP GO mobile app, or on the I-94 website.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who needs an I-94 card? | Everyone entering the U.S. except non-U.S. citizens with immigrant visas, most Canadian citizens who are visiting or in transit, and Visa Waiver Program (VWP) travelers. |
| How to get an I-94 card | If traveling by air or sea, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will issue an electronic I-94 at the point of entry. If traveling by land, you can apply for an I-94 in person at the point of entry, or online up to 7 days before entering the U.S. through the official I-94 website or the CBP One/CBP GO mobile app. |
| Fee | There is a $6 fee for applying for an I-94 when traveling by land. |
| Format | I-94 numbers are 11 characters long, comprising 9 digits, a letter in the 10th position, and a digit in the 11th position. |
| Paper form | You can print a paper form from the I-94 website or CBP app. Paper forms can also be requested during the inspection process. |
| Surrendering the form | Paper I-94 forms must be surrendered to the commercial carrier, Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), or CBP when departing the U.S. |
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What You'll Learn
How to access your I-94 record online
Foreign visitors to the U.S. no longer need to complete a paper Customs and Border Protection Form I-94 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.
To access your I-94 record online, you can use the CBP One app or the official I-94 website. The CBP One app allows you to have a digital version of your I-94 on your phone, as well as access to your travel history from the last 10 years of arrivals and departures from the U.S. You can also use the CBP GO mobile app to access your I-94 record.
If you need the information from your Form I-94 admission record to verify your immigration status or employment authorization, you can get your I-94 Number from the I-94 website or the CBP GO mobile app. Your I-94 Number is 11 characters long and contains only numbers. Beginning in May 2019, I-94 numbers will be alphanumeric, following the format of 9 digits, a letter in the 10th position, and a digit in the 11th position.
If you prefer a paper copy of your I-94 Form, you can print it from the I-94 website or the CBP GO mobile app. Alternatively, you can request a paper form during the inspection process, but this will be accommodated in a secondary setting. If you received a paper I-94 Form upon entry, you must surrender it upon exiting the U.S. to the commercial carrier, Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), or to CBP.
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How to get a paper I-94 card
International students arriving in the United States by air or sea are typically issued an electronic I-94 form by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer during the admission process. However, if you would like a paper Form I-94, there are a few ways to obtain one.
If you are travelling by land, you can apply for an I-94 in person at your point of entry. Alternatively, you can apply in advance, within 7 days before entering the US, through the official I-94 website or the CBP One app (also known as the CBP GO mobile app). When applying in advance, there is a $6 fee, and this will be a provisional I-94 that does not guarantee entry into the US.
Once you have entered the US, you can access your electronic I-94 record through the I-94 website or the CBP One/CBP GO mobile app. From there, you can print your I-94 form to obtain a paper version. It is recommended that you do this immediately after arrival.
It is important to note that if you are issued a paper Form I-94 upon entry, you must surrender it upon exiting the US. This can be done by giving the form to the commercial carrier, the Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), or to CBP. If you received an electronic I-94, your departure may not be recorded accurately, especially if you depart by land.
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What to do if you're travelling by land
If you are travelling to the U.S. by land, you can apply for an I-94 in person at your point of entry. Alternatively, you can apply and pay the $6 fee in advance, within 7 days before entering the U.S. through the official I-94 website or the CBP One/CBP GO mobile app. This is a provisional I-94 and does not guarantee entry into the U.S.
When you apply in advance, you will need to appear at a port of entry within 7 days of completing the online application. At the port of entry, you will need to submit your biometrics (if required) and complete an interview. You should bring the documents you entered into the application with you to the port of entry and be prepared to show evidence of your residence, employment and/or travel plans if asked by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer.
If you are issued an electronic I-94 upon arrival by land, your departure may not be recorded accurately. In this case, if you are not a resident of Canada or Mexico, you may want to travel with evidence of your departure into Canada or Mexico. Evidence of departure can include entry stamps in a passport, transportation tickets, pay stubs and/or other receipts. A traveller can request an entry stamp from CBSA when entering Canada or from the Instituto Nacional de Migracion (INM) when entering Mexico.
If you are issued a paper I-94 card, keep the card stapled in your passport at all times. You will need to surrender the paper form to the commercial carrier, Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), or to CBP upon departure.
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The difference between I-94 and I-94W
Foreign visitors to the U.S. are no longer required to fill out a paper Customs and Border Protection Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record or Form I-94W Nonimmigrant Visa Waiver Arrival/Departure Record. Instead, CBP gathers travellers' arrival and departure information automatically from their electronic travel records. Those who need to prove their legal-visitor status can access their CBP arrival/departure record information online.
The I-94 form records the arrival and departure dates of people visiting the U.S. It is issued electronically by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer during the admission process for those entering the U.S. by air or sea. For those entering by land, a provisional I-94 can be applied for in person at the point of entry, or up to 7 days in advance through the official I-94 website or the CBP One app. A paper form can be requested during the inspection process, printed from the I-94 website, or obtained from the CBP GO mobile application. Upon exiting the U.S., travellers issued a paper Form I-94 should surrender it to the commercial carrier, Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), or to CBP upon departure.
The I-94W form was used by travellers from Visa Waiver Program (VWP) countries. However, the use of Form I-94W was discontinued after CBP began processing travellers using the Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA). Now, VWP travellers are encouraged to apply for Form I-94 instead, through the official I-94 website or the CBP One app.
To summarise, the key difference between the I-94 and I-94W is that the former is a general arrival/departure record for all foreign visitors to the U.S., while the latter was specifically for nonimmigrant visa waiver arrivals and departures, used by travellers from VWP countries.
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How to get a digital I-94 on your phone
Foreign visitors to the US no longer need to complete a paper Customs and Border Protection Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record. Instead, they can access their CBP arrival/departure record information online. CBP now gathers travellers' arrival and departure information automatically from their electronic travel records. Travellers will be issued I-94s electronically and will no longer receive a paper I-94 stub.
To get a digital I-94 on your phone, you can use the CBP One app. This app allows you to access a digital version of your I-94 on your phone. You can also use the app to apply for your I-94. Alternatively, you can use the CBP GO mobile app or the CBP I-94 website to apply for your I-94.
If you would like a paper Form I-94, you can print your own I-94 Form from the I-94 website using "Get Most Recent I-94" or by using the same option on the CBP GO mobile application. A paper form can also be requested during the inspection process but all such requests will be accommodated in a secondary setting.
Upon exiting the US, travellers issued a paper Form I-94 should surrender it to the commercial carrier, Canadian Border Services Agency (CBSA), or to CBP upon departure. If you received an electronic I-94 upon arrival by air, land, or sea and depart by land, your departure may not be recorded accurately.
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Frequently asked questions
International students who enter the US by air or sea will be given an electronic I-94 card by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at their point of entry.
International students who enter the US by land can apply for an I-94 card in person at their point of entry. Alternatively, they can apply up to 7 days before entering the US through the official I-94 website or the CBP One app. There is a $6 fee for this method.
International students can access their I-94 card online through the CBP One app or the official I-94 website. They can also use the CBP GO mobile app to access their I-94 card.
