The I-94 is an official U.S. government record digitally issued to nonimmigrants at the time of entry to the United States. It also gives the expiration date of the immigration status which will be either a specific date or a ‘Duration of Status‘ annotation marked as D/S. If you receive a dated I-94, your status will expire on that date. If you receive a D/S I-94, your status will expire on the date listed on your I-20 or DS-2019, which is editable by ISSS.
Unlike the entry visa, which only gives permission for the individual to enter the United States, the I-94 represents their permission to stay until the expiration date. Each time you reenter the United States, a new I-94 will be created. You should review it for accuracy each time.
How to Access Your I-94
You will be required to provide a copy of your I-94 for the mandatory New International Student Check-in.
To access your I-94:
- After entering the United States, visit the I-94 website: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/
- Click “Get Most Recent I-94”
- Click “Consent & Continue”
- Fill in all boxes with the information from your passport, then click “Next”
- “Country of Issuance” should be the country that issued your passport.
- Once all information has been entered, your I-94 should appear. Confirm that the following information is accurate before leaving the airport:
- Recent Date of Entry: This should be the date you most recently entered the United States in F-1 or J-1 status.
- Class of Admission: This is your visa type (either F-1 or J-1).
- Admit Until Date: This should be D/S, which stands for Duration of Status. If you have a date instead of D/S, contact ISSS immediately.
Retaining Copies of Your I-94
ISSS recommends keeping a printed copy of your most recent I-94 together with your other immigration documents.
Each time you reenter the United States, a new I-94 will be created. You should review and print a copy each time.