May 3, 2013 –
New automated I-94 arrival/departure record process

On April 30, 2013, the United States Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”) commenced its rollout of a new automated I-94 Arrival/Departure Record Process. CBP will phase-in the new automated I-94 process at air and sea ports of entry through April and May. With this new automated process, CBP will no longer require non-immigrants to fill out a paper Form I-94 upon arrival to the U.S. by air or sea. Instead, CBP will gather travelers’ arrival/departure information automatically from their electronic records. As a result of the new CBP process, a CBP officer will stamp the foreign passport of each arriving non-immigrant traveler. The admission stamp will show the date of admission, class of admission, and the date that the authorized admission ends. An electronic record for arriving non-immigrants will be created upon admission. The electronic record of admission may be viewed and printed from a new website located at www.cbp.gov/I94. Non-immigrants may need to demonstrate their classification and term of admission for ancillary purposes such as for Form I-9, “Employment Eligibility Verification” purposes, driver’s license application/renewal, etc. Further guidance is anticipated from CBP as well as the various U.S. government agencies that have heretofore relied on the current paper Form I-94 documentation relating to the use of the new electronic version of the I-94.

Per CBP, on April 30, 2013, the implementation process began at the following airports: Charlotte Douglas International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Las Vegas Airport, Chicago O’Hare, Miami International Airport and Houston Bush Intercontinental Airport. CBP plans to continue to implement the new automated I-94 process at the remaining ports of entry over a total of four weeks. Please note that since automation only affects air and sea arrivals, a paper Form I-94 is still issued by CBP at land border ports of entry. Additionally, CBP intends to continue to provide a paper Form I-94 to certain classes of foreign nationals, such as refugees, certain asylees and parolees, and whenever CBP determines the issuance of a paper I-94 form is appropriate.

When departing the United States, non-immigrant travelers issued a paper Form I-94 should continue to submit the paper I-94 Form to the commercial carrier or CBP. The departure will be recorded electronically with information provided by the carrier or by CBP. If travelers did not receive a paper Form I-94 and the record was created electronically, CBP will record their departure using the information obtained from the carrier.

For further information, please go to the following links:

• U.S. Customs and Border Protection – News Release (4/26/13)
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection Q&A
• U.S. Customs and Border Protection – Instructional Video on I-94 Web Application