Also known as: I-94
Definition
How long you're allowed to stay in the U.S. under your visa or status — check your I-94 to see your specific date.
Your period of authorized stay is exactly what it sounds like — it's how long the U.S. government says you're allowed to be here. When you enter the country, a CBP officer stamps your passport or creates an electronic I-94 record with either a specific date or a notation like "D/S" (duration of status).
If you get a specific date, that's your deadline. If you get D/S (common for students and some work visas), your authorized stay lasts as long as you maintain your status — like staying enrolled in school or employed by your sponsor.
Overstaying your authorized period is one of the fastest ways to wreck your immigration options. Stay past your date by even one day and you start accumulating "unlawful presence" — which can trigger 3-year and 10-year bars from re-entering the U.S.
Your visa expiration date and your authorized stay are not the same thing. Your visa lets you show up at the border. Your I-94 tells you how long you can stay. People confuse these all the time, and it causes real problems.
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related terms
Your arrival/departure record — it tracks when you entered the U.S. and how long you're allowed to stay. Now mostly electronic.
Staying in the U.S. past your authorized time — even by one day — which can trigger serious penalties like bars on coming back.
The airport, border crossing, or seaport where you're inspected and officially admitted into the U.S. by a CBP officer.
A visa that lets you stay in the U.S. for a limited time for a specific reason — like tourism, work, or school. It doesn't lead to a green card on its own.
Time spent in the U.S. without legal status — rack up 180+ days and you could face a 3-year bar; over a year triggers a 10-year bar on coming back.
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