On April 30, 2013, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) began implementing a plan to automate the Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, for all air and sea arrivals. CBP intends to complete the automation nationwide by the end of May 2013. The Form I-94 is the form CBP provides to nonimmigrant foreign nationals to document their proper admission and to indicate their period of admission in the U.S. Under the automated system, CBP will scan a traveler’s passport and generate in the system an electronic arrival record that will include the same information previously included on the paper Form I-94. The following is an example of the Form I-94 that CBP previously issued to air and sea arrivals and which CBP will continue to provide to land arrivals:
CBP will continue to provide admission stamps in each arriving foreign national’s passport and will handwrite the status of admission and the period of admission on the stamp, as was previously done on the Form I-94 card (see Form I-94 example above). Additionally, individuals can print a copy of their electronic Form I-94 record after entry by logging on to www.cbp.gov/I94. We recommend that each individual review this record immediately upon entry to the U.S. to ensure that CBP correctly entered the data into its system.
Please keep in mind that many other local and federal government agencies will continue to request copies of the Form I-94. For example, many departments of motor vehicles require a Form I-94 to issue a driver’s license to temporary workers, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) requests the Form I-94 number on many of its forms. Also, the Form I-94 may be necessary in some situations to demonstrate work authorization and/or status in the U.S. Therefore, the best practice is to print the form upon arrival and keep it in your passport.
If you have any questions about the new electronic Form I-94 or if you need advice on correcting erroneous Form I-94 data, please contact Minsky, McCormick & Hallagan, P.C., to discuss your concerns.
The material contained in this alert does not constitute direct legal advice and is for informational purposes only. An attorney-client relationship is not presumed or intended by receipt or review of this presentation. The information provided should never replace informed counsel when specific immigration-related guidance is needed.
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