USCIS vs CBP I-94 Deep Dive — Admit Until Date, Visa Expiry, Errors & Fixes

📄 USCIS vs CBP I-94 Deep Dive — Admit Until Date, Visa Expiry, Errors & Fixes (2025 Practical Guide)

Every time you enter the United States, a new I-94 Arrival/Departure Record is created. It’s not just a travel log — it’s the document that actually decides how long you are allowed to stay in the U.S. (your Admit Until Date).
As of 2025, most travelers receive only an electronic I-94, which must be checked and downloaded through the CBP I-94 website or the CBP One mobile app.

1️⃣ What Is Form I-94? — CBP vs USCIS explained

The Form I-94 is the official Arrival/Departure Record created for most nonimmigrant visitors entering the United States.
It tracks your date of entry, port of entry, nonimmigrant class of admission, and your authorized length of stay (Admit Until Date or D/S).

• Issued by: Primarily U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) at entry.
• Format: Mostly electronic I-94s (paper I-94s still possible for some land entries).
• Common uses:
  • New or replacement Social Security Number (SSN) applications
  • REAL ID driver’s license or state ID applications
  • School registration (verifying status with I-20 / DS-2019) and HR onboarding
  • OPT / STEM OPT / H-1B and other immigration processes, and tax residency analysis

Inside the U.S., when you apply for a change of status or extension of stay and your case is approved, USCIS may also issue a new I-94 at the bottom of your I-797A approval notice.
In practice, this means: CBP controls the I-94 at the border; USCIS can issue an updated I-94 when your status is changed or extended inside the U.S.

2️⃣ Why the I-94 matters more than your visa stamp

Many people assume, “My B-2, F-1 or H-1B visa is still valid, so I’m fine to stay.”
In reality, your legal stay inside the U.S. is controlled by the I-94 Admit Until Date, not by the visa expiration date in your passport.

• Visa expiration date: The last day you can use that visa to request entry to the U.S.
• I-94 Admit Until Date: The last day you are authorized to stay inside the U.S. for that specific entry.

For students and exchange visitors (e.g., F-1, J-1), the I-94 often does not show a specific calendar date.
Instead, it shows D/S (Duration of Status), which means your stay is tied to the validity of your I-20 or DS-2019 and your SEVIS status rather than a fixed date.

3️⃣ How to look up and download your I-94 (CBP site & mobile app)

As of 2025, nearly all electronic I-94s can be accessed through the CBP I-94 website or the CBP One mobile app.
A laptop/desktop is usually easier for PDF printing, while the app is convenient if you travel frequently.

1. Go to the website: Open https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov and click “Get Most Recent I-94”.
2. Accept the terms: Read the notice and select “I Acknowledge”.
3. Enter your details:
   • Family Name (surname) and Given Name (first name)
   • Date of Birth
   • Passport Number
   • Country of Issuance
4. Review the result:
   • Admission Date and Port of Entry
   • Class of Admission (e.g., F-1, B-2, H-1B)
   • Admit Until Date or D/S
5. Save a copy: Use your browser’s print function to save as PDF or print a paper copy.
   Keep it handy for SSN, REAL ID, school/employer forms, and immigration applications.

Under “View Travel History,” you can also see your last several years of entries and departures, which is very useful for visa, tax, and residency analysis.

If you prefer to use your phone, the CBP One app offers similar I-94 and travel history access.
This is especially practical for frequent border crossers or anyone who needs to pull up their I-94 quickly while on the go.

4️⃣ 2025 I-94 fees & land vs air/sea entries

For air and sea entries, CBP generally creates the electronic I-94 automatically and does not charge a separate fee.
For many land border entries, you can (and often should) apply for a provisional I-94 online or via the CBP One app shortly before you arrive.

• Air / Sea:
  • Electronic I-94 is auto-generated when you’re admitted.
  • No additional I-94 fee in most cases.
• Land:
  • You can apply for an I-94 within seven days before arrival via the website or CBP One.
  • A processing fee (currently $30) applies for land entries.

Keeping your I-94 PDF or a printed copy makes later processes like REAL ID, SSN, school or job paperwork, and tax residency documentation much smoother, because you do not have to scramble for proof of lawful admission every time.

5️⃣ Visa Expiration vs I-94 Admit Until Date — what really controls your stay

One of the most common and dangerous misunderstandings is confusing the visa expiration date with the I-94 expiration (Admit Until Date).

For example, imagine you hold a B-2 visa valid until 2027, but your most recent I-94 shows an Admit Until Date of June 30, 2026.
In that case, June 30, 2026 — not the visa’s 2027 date — is the last day of authorized stay for this trip.
On the other hand, your visa could already be expired while you are still lawfully in the U.S., as long as your current I-94 is valid and you are complying with the terms of your status.

6️⃣ When your I-94 is wrong or “No Records Found” — what to do

Sometimes, when you try to pull up your I-94, you may notice typos in your name or date of birth, an incorrect class of admission, a suspicious Admit Until Date, or you may see a “No Records Found” message. This is not uncommon, especially for names with spaces, hyphens or multiple given names.

Typical causes include:

• Data entry mistakes at the port of entry (spacing, hyphenation, middle name handling)
• System delays when checking too soon after arrival
• Using a different name order than in your passport (e.g., family name / given name swapped)

A simple lookup issue does not automatically mean you are out of status.
However, if the Admit Until Date itself is incorrect or too short, it can affect future immigration and even some tax issues, so it’s best to get the record corrected by CBP as soon as possible.

7️⃣ When USCIS issues a new I-94 (I-797A, I-539 approvals)

If you are already in the U.S. and file a change of status or extension of stay — for example, through Form I-129 (for many work visas) or Form I-539 (for extensions/changes of nonimmigrant status) — and your case is approved without leaving the country, USCIS will often issue a new I-94 at the bottom of the I-797A approval notice.

• This new I-94 generally replaces the prior I-94 and shows your updated class of admission and new Admit Until Date.
• If you later depart and re-enter the U.S., CBP will again issue a brand-new I-94 at the border, which becomes the controlling record.
• For F-1, J-1 and other D/S statuses, your I-94 may still show D/S, and your I-20 / DS-2019 plus SEVIS record are what effectively extend your stay.

Because of this, it’s extremely important to review every new I-797A you receive.
Do not just file it away — check the I-94 portion at the bottom for your class of admission and Admit Until Date to avoid an accidental lapse of status.

8️⃣ EA-style examples: planning around your I-94 safely

9️⃣ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

🔟 Official resources & related EA Tax Guide posts

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