Don't panic if you have any incorrect information in your I-94! It is very easy, fast and free process to fix your I-94.
If there is any kind of incorrect information in your I-94 form occurred when you entered the United States, you should immediately visit a local CBP Deferred Inspection Site, a Port of Entry, or a Port of Admission to have it corrected.
I have made an effort to share a real experience of what steps I took to correct my I-94. I entered USA through Montreal with F2 visa. At the port of entry, my passport was stamped with the correct information but my I-94 was not updated. It still contained old admission information which was B2 because I was in USA with B2 Visa before. I discovered these mistakes when I got home. So, I moved forward with this matter at once.
Steps I followed to correct my I-94 information:
CPB now offers email addresses for “I-94 Correction Requests” at Some Deferred Inspection Sites so I e-mailed them explaining my situation. But unfortunately, they didn’t get my point. So, I decided to visit CBP Deferred Inspection Site, Chicago that was convenient for me.
The following documents I took with me during the visit--
- Copy of incorrect I-94
- Original I-20
- Original Passport with visa stamp
- A request form for the correction provided by the site (you will be given the form when you check-in at their office)
At the office, the officer only took my passport, I-20(F-2) and the correction form. After 5 minutes, the officer returned my passport and gave me a printed copy of corrected I-94. It was unbelievable that the process was so fast. There was no fee for the correction.
Important Advice:
- There are several CBP Deferred Inspection Sites throughout the USA. So, find the best location that is convenient for you to visit. www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/deferred-inspection-sites
- To get email address and office hours or holidays of CBP Deferred Inspection Sites to correct I-94, download the updated pdf file from www.cbp.gov/document/guidance/deferred-inspection-sites
