Automation will occur over a four-week period across U.S. ports of entry.
On March 21, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced a rule to implement a paperless Form I-94.[1] On April 2, the CBP announced that the Form I-94 automation will be introduced over a four-week period, beginning on April 30, at different U.S. ports of entry.[2]
The implementation schedule is as follows:
When the electronic rollout begins on April 30, the CBP will no longer require nonimmigrant travelers to fill out a paper Form I-94. Rather, the agency will gather travelers' arrival/departure information from their electronic travel records. A CBP officer will stamp the travel document (passport) of each traveler, showing the date of admission, class of admission, and the date on which the authorized stay will expire. Travelers will also receive a flyer indicating that their Form I-94 admission record will be available online here.[3] Because advance information is only transmitted for air and sea travelers, the CBP will still issue a paper Form I-94 at land border ports of entry.
There will be no significant changes to the U.S. departure process, and travelers who have been issued a paper Form I-94 will surrender it to the commercial carrier or to the CBP upon departure. For those who do not receive a paper Form I-94, their departure data will be captured electronically via manifest information provided by the carrier or by the CBP.
Contacts
For more information, or if you have any questions regarding the issues discussed in this Immigration Alert, please contact any of the following attorneys:
Washington, D.C.
Eleanor Pelta
Eric S. Bord
San Francisco
Malcolm K. Goeschl
Boston
Lisa Stephanian Burton
[1]. For more information on the CBP's new rule, see our March 26, 2013, Immigration Alert, "CBP Announces Rule Implementing Paperless Form I-94," available here.
[2]. View the CBP announcement regarding implementation of the new rule here: https://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/id_visa/i-94_instructions/i94_rollout.xml
[3]. The new Form I-94 website will not be accessible until the end of April 2013.