US visa resources

The I-94 & entry to the US

Your I-94 is the official record of your US admission — how long you're allowed to stay comes from it, not from your visa.

Official guidance Regularly updated

Important

This information is for general guidance only. Meeting the requirements does not guarantee your application will be approved.

When you arrive in the United States, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer inspects you at the port of entry and decides whether to admit you, in what status, and for how long. The result of that decision is recorded on Form I-94, the arrival/departure record. For most air and sea arrivals this record is now created electronically rather than as a paper card, so you may not receive anything physical to keep — you retrieve it yourself online afterwards.

The single most important thing to understand is that your visa and your I-94 are not the same thing. A visa is only permission to travel to a US port of entry and ask to be let in; the I-94 is the record of what you were actually granted once you got there. The 'Admit Until' date on your I-94 — not the expiry date printed on your visa — is what controls how long you may lawfully remain. Always check your I-94 after each entry and rely on it, not the visa foil, when working out your authorised stay.

What the I-94 actually is

Form I-94, the Arrival/Departure Record, is issued by CBP and shows that you were inspected and admitted to the United States. It records your most recent date of entry, the class of admission (the status you were granted, such as B-2, F-1 or H-1B), and the 'Admit Until' date on which that status expires. Employers, universities, the DMV, the Social Security Administration and USCIS all use it as proof of your lawful status and, where relevant, your work or study authorisation.

Created electronically for most travellers arriving by air or sea — usually no paper card is handed out.
Land border crossings may still involve a paper I-94, which now typically requires a small fee and can often be requested in advance online.
It is distinct from Form I-94W, historically used for Visa Waiver Program entries, and from ESTA authorisation.

Retrieving your I-94 online

Because the record is usually electronic, you obtain your I-94 yourself from the official CBP website at i94.cbp.dhs.gov. It is free. You enter your name, date of birth and passport details to view and print your most recent admission record, and you can also view up to five years of arrival and departure history. Use only the official CBP site — third-party sites that charge a fee for this are unnecessary.

Official site only: i94.cbp.dhs.gov (free to view and print).
Shows your most recent I-94 with the class of admission and Admit Until date.
Provides travel history going back five years from the date of your request.
Check it soon after each entry so you can catch any error while you can still act on it.

The port-of-entry inspection

Having a valid visa or ESTA does not guarantee entry — the CBP officer at the port of entry makes the final admission decision. Expect to state the purpose and length of your trip and to show supporting documents. The officer may ask about your plans, funds, ties to your home country and where you will stay. Answer honestly and consistently; officers are assessing whether your intended activities match the status you are seeking, particularly for visitor and other temporary categories.

Carry your passport, visa (if applicable), and any documents supporting your trip (invitation, itinerary, proof of funds, school or job documents).
The officer sets the class of admission and the length of stay, which then appear on your I-94.
Admission can be refused at the border even with a valid visa; nonimmigrant visitors must be able to show a genuine temporary purpose.
Students and exchange visitors are often admitted for 'duration of status' (shown as D/S) rather than a fixed date.

Reading the 'Admit Until' date and staying in status

Your authorised stay ends on the Admit Until date shown on the I-94 (or, for D/S admissions, when you complete your programme plus any grace period). Overstaying beyond that date can lead to unlawful presence, cancellation of your visa, and future bars on re-entry, so treat the I-94 date as the deadline. If you need longer, you must apply to USCIS to extend or change your status before the date passes — for many nonimmigrant categories this is Form I-539 — rather than simply staying on.

Rely on the I-94 Admit Until date, not the visa expiry date, for your permitted stay.
'D/S' means duration of status — check your programme end date and grace period instead of a calendar date.
To stay longer or switch category, file with USCIS before your I-94 expires (often Form I-539 for extensions or changes of status).
USCIS fees change periodically — confirm the current Form I-539, I-765 or related fees on uscis.gov before filing.

Fixing errors on your I-94

Check your record carefully — mistakes in the class of admission, the Admit Until date, or your biographical details can cause problems with work, study, banking or later immigration filings. If CBP made the error at entry, you generally correct it through CBP, not USCIS: visit the nearest CBP port of entry or a CBP deferred inspection office in person to have it fixed. If a paper I-94 is lost or you need a replacement issued by USCIS in certain situations, Form I-102 may apply. Deal with any error promptly while you can still evidence the correct information.

CBP-issued errors (wrong status, dates or personal details): correct in person at a CBP port of entry or deferred inspection office.
Deferred inspection sites can review and reissue admission documents to remedy such errors.
Form I-102 covers replacement or initial issuance of certain nonimmigrant arrival/departure records through USCIS.
If your I-94 shows as 'Not Found' online, CBP's help pages explain next steps, which may include a FOIA request.

Next steps

Official sources

For the most accurate and up-to-date information, always refer to the official government sources.

Verified against official sources · last reviewed 2026-08-20. Information only — not legal advice.