I-94 Arrival/Departure Record

Your travel in and out of the U.S. is recorded by Customs and Border Protection through the I-94 Arrival/Departure Record. Your I-94 record documents legal status in the U.S., including length of stay and departure and serves as evidence of your term of admission. Your I-94 record may be required as proof of status for F-1 or J-1 benefits applications, employment verification, and other official purposes.  

Students who come through a land border crossing will receive a paper I-94 stapled into the passport. Keep the card at all times. Students who travel through an air or seaport will have their admission information record electronically.  

After you arrive in the U.S. you should print a paper copy of your electronic I-94 card record from the CPB website. Check that your travel record is accurate and accessible. Keep a copy of your I-94 record with your other immigration documents. If you notice an error on your I-94 record, contact your immigration advisor immediately.  

If you have a paper I-94 in your passport, that card will be removed when you exit the country unless you are visiting Canada, Mexico, or most Caribbean islands. A new I-94 record will be issued when you reenter the U.S. If you have an electronic I-94 record, your departure information will be collected by the U.S. government.