I-94
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When arriving in the United States and going through Customs and Border Protection (CBP), you will show the CBP officer your I-20 form and passport. The Study in the States website contains general information regarding Getting to the United States. If you are given permission to enter the United States, the inspector will stamp your passport. An arrival/departure record (referred to as an I-94 record) will also be automatically created for you.
Watch the CBP's You've Arrived video for a general overview of the arrival process.
I-94 Printout
F-1 and J-1 students and scholars should printout their I-94 record after every re-entry into the US. Even though you have been granted an F-1/J-1 visa in your passport, the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer has the authority to deny or grant you entry into the US. Your I-94 printout serves as proof of the status you were granted admission on and the length of time you are permitted to stay in the U.S.
Print and review your I-94 information after every re-entry to make sure your were admitted in F-1/J-1 status and for "D/S" which stands for "Duration of Status." This means that you are allowed to stay in the U.S. as long as you continue to maintain your status. If any information is incorrect on your I-94, please contact ISSS immediately.
CBP's I-94 site only provides travel records for the past five years. If you believe you will need to reference your form I-94 for a period longer than 5 years from the date of admission, you will need to print a copy of the document prior to this deadline. ISSS highly recommends the form I-94 be printed after every arrival as it can be used as evidence of a lawful admission.
I-94 Not Found
If you attempt to retrieve your I-94 record online and it is "Not Found", you can try altering the data you are entering to see if it will pull up your record. See the tips below.
- Enter your name as it appears on your passport
- Enter your name as it appears on your visa
- Enter your name as it appears on your airline ticket/boarding pass
- Enter both your first name and middle name in the First Name field
- If you have a hyphen in your name, try entering the name with and without the hyphen
- Switch the order of your names (put first name in the last name field and vice versa)
- Switch the order of your birth day and birth month
- Remove spaces in between multiple names
- Enter your visa number instead of your passport number
- If you have an old/expired passport, try entering your old passport number
- Do not enter the year if it is included in your passport number
How to Retrieve a "Not Found" I-94 or Correct I-94 Errors
If you tried all the tips above, but still can't retrieve your I-94 or if you find an error on your I-94, you have the following options.
Option 1: Email i94chi@cbp.dhs.gov. Include the following information in your email:
- Port of entry (ex. Chicago ORD)
- US address
- Date of flight
- Airline name
- Flight number
- Attach a copy of the biographic page of your passport, F-1/J-1 visa, entry stamp, page 1 of I-20/DS-2019, and the incorrect I-94
Option 2: Submit your question/issue using the CBP Traveler Communications Center online form. Select "I-94/Traveler Compliance" for the topic and "Issue with my I-94/Travel History" for the applicable issue. You can also upload files that may help them find your record, including:
- an image of the biographic page of your passport
- an image of your visa
- an image of your CBP admission stamp
Option 3: Contact the nearest CBP Deferred Inspection Site to have it corrected. Practices and hours vary from location to location, so make sure to contact the site before arriving.
Travel History Errors
According to the FAQ section of the I-94 website, the Travel History information on your I-94 comes from a variety of sources, and so may not always appear accurate. CBP's I-94 site only provides travel records for the past five years. Travel History records are based upon flight manifests, so if you find an error, you should start by contacting the airline.
Secondary Inspection
If you are missing any of the required documentation for entry into the U.S. or the border officer cannot verify your information, you may be brought to an interview area known as "secondary inspection." It is important that you have the phone numbers for ISSS in case an International Advisor at ISU needs to be contacted in order to verify your valid F-1/J-1 status.
If you are continuously sent to secondary inspection or are experiencing other problems at US ports of entry, you can submit an inquiry through DHS TRIP.
Form I-515A
If an F-1/J-1 student or scholar has most but not all of the documentation required at the border, the officer may choose to issue a Form I-515A. This form gives the student temporary admission into the U.S. for 30 days. During that time, the student/scholar must submit the missing documentation to SEVP in order for their admission to be extended.
If you receive a Form I-515A, please come to Express Advising to meet with your ISSS Advisor as soon as possible to determine the correct documentation you will need to submit to SEVP.