Form I-94 Application Guide

I-94/I-94W records all information about visitors arriving and departing the United States.

Visitors to the United States must apply for a visa to enter the country. This is except if they are citizens of one of 35 visa-exempt countries or have a machine-readable passport. Citizens from visa waiver countries are allowed to enter the United States for up 90 days without a visa. No matter if the visitor is coming to the United States under Visa Waiver Program or if he/she holds a visa, all visitors must fill out either Form I-944 (white) or I-94W(green).

Form I-94 Application Guide

I-94/I-94W records all information about visitors arriving and departing the United States. Visitors to the United States must apply for a visa to enter the country. This is except if they are citizens of one of 35 visa-exempt countries or have a machine-readable passport. Citizens from visa waiver countries are allowed to enter the United States for up 90 days without a visa. No matter if the visitor is coming to the United States under Visa Waiver Program or if he/she holds a visa, all visitors must fill out either Form I-944 (white) or I-94W(green).

What’s Included

General information for Form I-94/I-94W
Procedures for arriving and departing from the United States
How to replace a I-94/I-94W that was lost or stolen while you are in the United States
How to return I-94W/I-94W if your passport has been lost or stolen from the United States

General information for Form I-94/I-94W
Procedures for arriving and departing from the United States
How to replace a I-94/I-94W that was lost or stolen while you are in the United States
How to return I-94W/I-94W if your passport has been lost or stolen from the United States

What’s the difference between Form I94 and Form I94W?

Form I-94 (white),: This is for visitors who have a valid U.S. Visa, such as B-1 or B-2, F-1 or F-1, H-1B etc.
Form I94W (green),:Is issued for visitors who enter the U.S.A. under the Visa Waiver Program. “Waiver” is the letter “W”. This is a waiver of your rights to appeal or review any decision regarding admissibility in America. It also prevents you from changing your immigration status or extending your stay. This is usually not a problem but it is something you should be aware of in the event that your status changes after entering the United States.

Have you lost your Form I-94 in the United States? If you forget to return your Form I-94 when leaving the United States, it can be a problem. The file will remain open, and if you exceed the legal stay time in the United States, your file will be considered an overstay. This could cause serious problems if you attempt to enter the United States, including cancellation or denial of entry.

The visitor must prove that he/she left the United States within the time allowed for stay. If you lose or misplace your Form I-94/I94W departure record while you are in the United States or forget to turn it in, there are specific procedures you should follow.

Start Form I-94 – Application Guide

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Form I-994 and I-94W are two separate parts.

An Arrival Record:

The immigration officer keeps the top portion of the form upon arrival

Leave Record:

The bottom is your departure record, which must be returned upon departure

The following scenarios (and their solutions) are described by the Form I-94/I-994W Information Guide:

While in the United States, I-94/I-94W lost their departure record
Record of the Mutilated I-94/I-94W Departure Record while in the United States
Stolen I-94/I-94W flight record while in the United States
You still have the I-94/I-94W departure records from the U.S.
Without the I-94/I-94W departure records, you can depart the U.S.