Business Immigration Insights

On April 30, US Customs & Border Protection began a phased elimination of the paper I-94 Admission/Departure Record that visitors to the United States have become so familiar with.

By May 5, CBP will no longer issue paper I-94s at airports in Charlotte, Orlando, Las Vegas, Chicago (O’Hare), Miami, and Houston (IAH).  By May 21, I-94s at all other air and sea ports will be systematically phased out, per the schedule in CBP’s Travel Advisory.  Paper I-94s will continue to be issued at all land ports of entry.

Under the new procedures, CBP officers are instructed to stamp travelers’ passports with admission/expiration date and class of admission and provide travelers with an I-94 Automation Fact Sheet, explaining how to obtain their I-94 numbers.  The admission record and number will be immediately available for viewing and printing at www.cbp.gov/I94.  CBP intends to make these records available only for two years from date of admission and only while the traveler remains in the United States.

Travelers are strongly encouraged to access, print and save their I-94 data from this website immediately upon each arrival.  Many government agencies – including state motor vehicle bureaus and US Citizenship & Immigration Services – will continue to require print-outs as evidence of lawful status and expiration date for applications requesting various types of benefits.  The Social Security Administration has expanded its definition of I-94 to include the new endorsed admission stamp.

Employment-authorized travelers must also have their I-94 print-outs.  Under current I-9 verification rules, US employers may accept only the print-out, not the new passport admission stamp, as evidence of employment eligibility.