I-94 Automation has been implemented by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP), starting April 30^th  2013 and is expected to complete implementing the automation by May 21^st 2013. The I-94 Form can now be accessible electronically. The I-94 Automation is being implemented at all the port of entry’s, including air and sea ports of entry.

Why Form I-94?

I-94 Form is the Arrival/Departure Record issued by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at the port of entry for international non-immigrant visitors entering into the United States. The visitor must exit the United States on or before the date stamped on the form. If the visitor does not leave before the date specified in the I-94 form, he/she will be considered an “overstay” and may be denied entry when attempt to reenter the United States in the future.

I-94 Automation

The International non-immigrant visa holders would no longer have to fill out paper Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record upon arrival to the U.S. by air or sea. Paper I-94 Form is still issued at the Land Border ports of entry. The visitor will be provided with an annotated stamp in the foreign passport.

Admission Stamp Provided by CBP at POE

CBP will provide each traveler with an admission stamp that is annotated with date of admission, class of admission and admitted until date at the port of entry. This would provide the traveler evidence of his entry, showing status and time allowed in the United States.

I-94 Record Request

Your I-94 Record can be retrieved from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Website at: www.cbp.gov/i94

You may need to fill in certain details so that you can access your I-94 Record. The Admission (I-94) Number Retrieval Page looks like below:

Retrieve I-94 Record

Once you fill in all the details and press submit, you would receive a summary information comprising of the Admit Until Date, which is the date on or before which you may have to exit United States. The I-94 Record is printable and this is how it looks like:

If you have any further questions on I-94 Automation, you may look at  the fact sheet provided by the CBP: http://www.cbp.gov/linkhandler/cgov/newsroom/fact_sheets/travel/i94_factsheet.ctt/i94_factsheet.pdf