The I-94 records the terms of admission
Most visitors can retrieve their electronic Form I-94 from CBP after arriving in the United States. The record shows the class of admission and the 'Admit Until Date' or, in some categories, duration-of-status notation. Those details can affect school records, employer verification, extensions, changes of status, and later immigration filings.
A visa in a passport is generally used to seek entry; it does not by itself determine how long a person may remain after admission. Check the I-94 as soon as possible after every entry rather than discovering an error months later.
- Compare the name, passport number, date of birth, entry date, class of admission, and admit-until information.
- Save a dated PDF and print a copy for the personal immigration file.
- Keep the related passport admission stamp, boarding pass, itinerary, visa, and status documents.
- Ask a qualified professional about any date or code you do not understand.
A CBP entry error usually goes to deferred inspection
CBP Deferred Inspection Sites can review and, when appropriate, correct errors made at admission, including an improper nonimmigrant classification, inaccurate biographical information, or an incorrect period of admission. CBP says any designated site or office at an international airport should generally be able to assist, regardless of where the document was issued.
Contact the office before visiting because hours, appointment practices, and accepted submission methods vary. CBP notes that mail-in procedures are generally unavailable. Bring the passport, visa, admission stamp, I-94, petition approval or status document, travel record, and a concise explanation of the requested correction.
- Use CBP's current Deferred Inspection Site directory.
- Do not alter the electronic record or passport stamp yourself.
- Keep notes of the office contacted, date, documents provided, and result.
- Retrieve a new I-94 after the correction and confirm every field again.
USCIS errors and lost records follow a different path
If USCIS issued an incorrect Form I-94 through an extension or change-of-status decision, the correction route is different from a CBP admission error. Form I-102 may be used in qualifying situations to request an initial or replacement arrival-departure document or to correct information USCIS issued.
For a lost electronic I-94 issued by CBP, first try the free CBP I-94 website or mobile application. USCIS says Form I-102 may be appropriate when the electronic record cannot be obtained or when a covered document was lost, stolen, or mutilated.
- Identify which agency created the error before choosing a remedy.
- Use the current Form I-102 edition, instructions, fee schedule, and filing address.
- Attach a signed explanation and records proving the correct information.
- Do not use an I-94 correction request to seek an extension or change of status.
A new statutory fee applies to Form I-102
USCIS announced that a $24 statutory fee applies to Forms I-102 postmarked on or after May 29, 2026, in addition to any other required fee. USCIS states that this $24 amount cannot be waived. Confirm the current total on the official fee schedule before filing.
If the I-94 suggests that status already expired, the wrong class was admitted, or an immigration deadline is close, obtain licensed legal advice promptly. Correcting a clerical record is not the same as curing a status violation.