U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) Update – The End of the Paper Form I-94

In a move towards the digital age, U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) will no longer issue a paper Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record (Form I-94) to individuals arriving to the United States at a land border. 

The Form I-94 serves as documentation of admission to the United States and includes the traveler’s name, date of birth, country of citizenship, immigration status (visa type), date of arrival and date the immigration status expires. After processing a paper Form I-94, CBP would physically mail the admission record to a centralized data processing center for actioning into a data system. 

Since April 2013, CBP has been electronically processing Forms I-94 for travelers arriving at airports or seaports. Now all foreign travelers to the United States will have their admission record processed electronically and will be able to access their Form I-94 at the CBP I94 - Official Website or via the CBP OneTM Mobile Application. 

Even though the Form I-94 is no longer processed in a paper format, foreign travelers arriving to the United States at a land border will continue to pay the Form I-94 processing fee and payment may be made upon arrival as part of the immigration processing, or up to 7 days in advance of arrival via the CBP website or mobile app. 

Once arriving in the United States, foreign travelers are encouraged to access their Form I-94 to confirm the information is accurate. Additionally, the Form I-94 may be needed for employment verification, for school attendance, or when applying for a U.S. Social Security Number or Driver’s License.

If you have questions regarding immigration processing in the United States, please contact our firm.