I-94 and I-94W Forms

What is an I-94 or I-94W?

Foreign visitors to the United States complete an I-94 (white in color), if they hold a valid visa, or an I-94W (green in color), if traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program. The card is obtained from the transportation carrier and must be surrendered to an inspector of the Department of Homeland Security, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at the port of entry in the United States when applying for admission. The inspector separates the bottom part of the card and attaches it to the passport. The part attached to the passport notes the date of entry to the United States and authorized period the visitor may remain in the country. When a visitor departs the United States, the transportation carrier representative, usually at the check-in counter, should remove the I-94 or I-94W from the passport. Sometimes due to an oversight the card is not removed. If this occurs, the passenger's departure from the United States may not be registered with the CBP.

If this happens, the next time you apply to enter the United States you may experience delays or you may be denied entry. In particular, visitors who remain beyond their permitted stay in the United States under the Visa Waiver Program cannot reenter the U.S. in the future without obtaining a visa. If this occurs and you arrive at a U.S. port of entry seeking admission under the Visa Waiver Program without a visa, United States immigration officials may deny you entry into the U.S. Therefore, visitors must ensure that they surrender the I-94 or I-94W stub to the transport carrier before they depart the United States.

I still have the I-94 or I-94W in my possession; what should I do?

If you departed by a commercial air or sea carrier (airlines or cruise ships), your departure from the United States can be independently verified, and it is not necessary to take any further action, although it is advisable to carry a copy of your outbound boarding pass (if you have it) and your I-94 with you when you next travel to the United States.

If you departed by land, private vessel or private plane, and your I-94 was not removed prior to arrival in Australia, you will need to take steps to correct the record. 

It is very important that you complete the back of the card listing the port of departure and date of departure from the United States. The I-94 or I-94W together with a letter of explanation and evidence of your departure from the U.S. should be sent to:

DHS-CBP SBU,
1084 South Laurel Road
London, Kentucky 40744
USA

Do not mail the I-94/I-94W to the Consulate. Doing so will only delay the update of the departure information. The CBP office in Kentucky cannot update the arrival and departure system.

What evidence of my departure from the United States do you require?

The evidence can come from a variety of sources, including but not limited to:

• Entry or departure stamps in your passport to indicate you entered another country after you departed the United States (please copy all passport pages that are not completely blank and include the biographic page containing your photograph);
• Dated pay slips or vouchers from your employer to indicate that you worked in another country after you departed the United States;
• Dated bank records showing transactions in your home country to indicate that you were in another country after your left the United States;
• School records showing your attendance at a school outside the United States to indicate you were in another country after you left the United States;
• Dated credit card receipts with the credit card number deleted for purchases you made after you departed the United States to indicate you were in another country after you left the United States.

Please send legible copies or the original material where possible. If you send original materials please retain a copy for your records; the originals will not be returned to you. It will assist the CBP if you include an explanation letter.

I no longer have the card!

If you left the United States with the I-94 or I-94W in your possession but no longer have the card, you should write to: DHS-CBP SBU, 1084 South Laurel Road, London, Kentucky 40744, USA U.S.A. with the following information:

• Name;
• date and place of birth;
• country of citizenship;
• date of arrival in the U.S.;
• date of departure from the United States;

If departure was via a land border port please enter where you departed from and to.

You must also include evidence of your departure as noted above.