Form I-94

#What this actually means

Every time you enter the United States, Customs and Border Protection (CBP) creates a record of your arrival. That record is your I-94. It logs when you arrived, what status you were admitted in (tourist, student, worker, etc.), and — critically — the date your authorized stay expires.

This one trips people up because the date on your I-94 is often different from the expiration date on your visa stamp. Your visa is permission to travel to the U.S. and request entry. Your I-94 is how long you can actually stay once you're here. The I-94 date is the one that matters for status purposes.

#Where to find yours

Since 2013, I-94s are almost entirely electronic. You can look yours up at i94.cbp.dhs.gov using your name, date of birth, and passport information. If you entered at a land border, you may still have a paper I-94 card stapled into your passport — those are still issued in some cases.

#Why it matters

Your I-94 is one of the most important documents in your immigration file. It proves your lawful entry, establishes your status, and determines your authorized period of stay. You'll need it for:

• Green card applications (to prove lawful entry into the U.S.)
• Status extensions or changes (to show your current status is valid)
• Employment verification (your employer may need it for I-9 purposes)
• Naturalization (to document your travel history)

#Key things to know

• Always check your I-94 after every entry to the U.S. Errors happen — wrong dates, wrong status codes — and catching them early is much easier than fixing them later.
• "D/S" on your I-94 means "duration of status" — common for students (F-1) and exchange visitors (J-1). It means you're authorized to stay as long as you maintain your status, rather than until a specific date.