The I-94 is extremely important, because it is your proof that you were allowed to enter the U.S. in lawful immigration status (or that you were successfully changed from one status to another status through a change of status procedure).

The following are examples of when the I-94 may be needed:

• You are asked by an immigration officer while in the U.S. that you were admitted into the U.S. in your visa classification
• Your period of admission, as indicated on your I-94, has not yet expired
• You are applying for immigration benefits, such as F-1 Optional Practical Training or a change or extension of your current immigration status
• You are starting a job in the U.S., and need to show lawful status to your employer as a part of the employment verification process
• You need to apply for a Social Security Number or other related benefits such as a driver's license

Finding Your I-94

• Your can retrieve your I-94 by going to US Customs and Border Protection's I-94 lookup site. The I-94 will update with new information after each arrival in the U.S.
• If you changed your status without leaving the U.S., you will receive a new I-94 attached tot he bottom of your I-797A approval notice. The I-94 attached to the approval notice becomes effective at the same time your change of status becomes effective. If you later leave the U.S., you will get a new I-94 upon your return, which you can retrieve by going to CBP's I-94 lookup site.

If you cannot find your I-94, contact ISSS. PLEASE NOTE: Your I-94 is NOT the same as your travel history, and your travel history is not a substitute for your I-94.

Checking Your I-94 For Accuracy

It is extremely important to check your I-94 for accuracy EACH TIME you arrive in the U.S. Mistakes do happen, and errors can have serious consequences for your ability to study, teach, research, or even remain in the U.S.

The I-94 includes several information items, including your name and date of most recent entry to the U.S. (or the date a change of status becomes effective). The critical items to check are your “CLASS OF ADMISSION” and “ADMIT UNTIL” date, which should always be correct. (If you changed your status inside the U.S., your I-94 would indicate a “VALID UNTIL” date instead of an “ADMIT UNTIL” date.)

In almost all cases, persons arriving in the U.S. by air or sea will have I-94s that are generated electronically. These records are accessible over U.S. Customs and Border Protection's I-94 lookup site.

For those crossing into the U.S. over a land border crossing at the Canadian or Mexican border, it has been customary to issue paper I-94 cards instead of electronic records. However, according to CBP, paper forms are now being replaced by electronic I-94s. 

• CBP assesses an I-94 fee for land border crossings only, paid at the time of arrival (the current fee is $30)
• It is important to tell the admitting border officer that you are coming to the U.S. in a particular classification, such as F-1, J-1, etc., so that the electronic I-94 contains the correct information.

Students and scholars often confuse their Form I-94 with their Travel History, because they are both accessible from the same web site.

• Form I-94 is your proof of legal status in the U.S. and must be accurate at all times while in the U.S.
• The Travel History is based on airline and other travel records. While useful, the travel history does not impact your legal status in any way. Even if your travel history is incomplete, the travel history has no legal purpose and there is no need to correct or update it.

Example: Electronic Form I-94 Arrival Record 

Example: Form I-94 attached to Form I-797A approval with Change of Status