How can I find my Form I-94?

as a foreigner, upon entering the United States you will receive the Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record. This documentation, provided by a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer, provides vital information about your visit, including your arrival date, visa status, and the required departure date from the U.S.

As of April 30, 2013, most Arrival/Departure Records are created electronically, offering two formats for receiving Form I-94: paper and electronic. If your record is electronic, you’ll receive an annotated stamp in your passport instead of a paper form. However, if you’re given a paper Form I-94, a CBP officer will attach it to your passport and stamp your departure date on the form.

While an electronic version reduces paper usage and significantly lowers the risk of losing your document, accessing it may be slightly more complex, particularly if it’s your first time locating your record. But don’t worry—here’s a guide on accessing your electronic Form I-94, along with some helpful tips and tricks.

Accessing Your Form I-94: A Step-by-Step Guide

To access your I-94 record, visit the CBP website. Click on the “Get Most Recent I-94” button. A page will appear asking you to agree to certain terms before proceeding:

“By accessing this website, you understand and acknowledge that: You are declaring under penalty of perjury pursuant to 28 U.S. Code § 1746 that you: (1) are only seeking records about yourself, (2) are seeking records about someone for whom you are the legal guardian, or (3) you have the consent of the person whose records you are seeking. You are not authorized to access this website to retrieve records of another person unless you are the person’s legal guardian or you have the person’s consent.”

After agreeing, you’ll see a page similar to the screenshot below. Enter the necessary information.

I-94 Website Travel Records for U.S. Visitors – U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Entering the information correctly in the required fields will enable you to access your electronic Form I-94. However, it’s essential to ensure that all details are accurately entered; even a minor misspelling or formatting error can prevent you from accessing your record. If you encounter difficulties accessing your record, try the following troubleshooting tips.

Type your name precisely as it is stated on your passport. If this fails, try entering your name in an alternate format.

• Check your visa, airline ticket, boarding pass, or your submitted Form DS-160, Online Nonimmigrant Visa Application (if available) for any variations in the spelling of your name. If there are differences, try entering each one as they appear on these documents.
• In some countries, the first name may be written as the last name on the passport. If this is the case, try switching the order of your names.
• Your passport may include both your first and middle name, but your electronic Form I-94 may list these both as your first name. It’s also possible that your middle name is not included in the electronic record. Pay attention to these details.
• If your name is hyphenated, and you cannot gain access to your electronic I-94 by entering your name as it appears, remove the hyphen and try again. Likewise, if you have two first or last names with a space between them, such as “Mary Anne,” try entering them without a space as “Maryanne.”
• Each name field has a 25-character limit. If your name exceeds 25 characters, try entering it without any spaces as far as it will allow you. 

Check Your Passport

Consider multiple entry options for your passport number.

• If your passport number contains both letters and numbers, try inserting a space after the letter(s). For example, if your passport number is LR573892, attempt entering it as LR 573892.
• If the issuance date of your passport is embedded within the passport number, consider excluding these digits when entering it.
• For Mexican passports, endeavor to input the passport number without the initial two digits. Alternatively, you can try removing the final two digits.
• If the valid visa corresponds to an expired passport, input the old passport number instead of the new one utilized for entry.
• Occasionally, the passport booklet number may deviate from the number indicated on your bio page. Experiment with both versions.

If you are still unable to retrieve your Form I-94

If you still cannot retrieve your electronic Form I-94 after trying the above suggestions, the next step is to reach out to or visit your local CBP deferred inspection office. While some offices can address most issues over the phone, others may require an in-person visit.