USCIS Form I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record) is generally issued when you enter the US. This immigration form is very important, as it outlines you immigration status and also shows when you entered the US and how long you can remain. Form I-94 is not negotiable and is not a visa. In addition to Form I-94, you may also need a visa to enter the US. However, Form I-94 is instead a document that declares how long your current trip to the US can be.
USCIS Form I-94 is very important, especially these days, when all entries and departures into the US are carefully monitored. When entering the US, you will need to fill out a USCIS Form I-94 and then have the form reviewed and stamped by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) official. It is only when the form is stamped that you can enter the US. When you leave the US again, you will need to present the same USCIS Form I-94 at the border so that your departure can be recorded. Failure to use the form correctly and failure to leave by the time indicated on your Arrival-Departure Record can jeopardize your ability to travel easily to the US in the future. It is especially important to ensure that your form is correctly stamped when you leave the US, as failure to do this can incorrectly suggest to officials that you overstayed your allotted time in the US.
Since it is so important to have your Arrival/Departure Record when you leave the US, if your Arrival/Departure Record is lost or damaged during your stay in the US, it is important to replace it before leaving. You can use USCIS Form I-102 (Application to Replace Arrival/Departure Record) to replace your Arrival-Departure Record. Usually, it takes about two to five months for your Form I-102 to be processed. The form has a $330 filing fee and consists of two pages. To fill out Form I-102, you will need to provide your personal information, your reason for filing Form I-102, your signature, and details about any other applications you are filing at the same time.
In addition to filing Form I-102 to replace a lost or damaged Arrival/Departure record, you can also submit Form I-102 in some cases where you want to change your status or extend your stay in the US. However, if you need a new Arrival/Departure record because your Form I-94 contains errors or inaccuracies, you will need to visit the closest CBP deferred inspection office (DIO) or CBP port of entry (POE) in order to have the information corrected in person. In general, you will want to check the information on your Arrival/Departure record at the border, to ensure that there are no errors. However, if you do not notice errors until later, it is important to get them corrected in person as soon as possible. There is no charge for getting this done if the information is incorrect through no fault of your own.
