Frequently Asked Questions about traveling to the U.S.

Q  I made a trip to the U.S. recently.  I traveled without a visa.  I was given a Form I-94W to fill out when I landed in the U.S.  I was told that I should turn in the bottom portion of the I-94W Form when I departed the U.S. as proof that I departed.  However, when I left the U.S. a few weeks later, no one asked me for the I-94W Form and I still have it.  What should I do with it?  Will this cause me trouble the next time I visit the U.S.?

A  You need to return the I-94W Form to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration Services (CIS).  Return the form and a letter of explanation and evidence of your departure from the U.S. to the following address in the U.S.:

      ACS – USCIS, SBU
      P.O. Box 7125
      London, KY 40742-7125
      USA

Evidence of your departure from the United States may include:

•  Original boarding passes you used to depart the United States
•  Entry or departure stamps in your passport to indicate you entered another country after you departed the United States (please copy all passport pages that are not completely blank and include the biographic page containing your photograph)
•  Dated pay slips or vouchers from your employer to indicate that you worked in another country after you departed the United States
•  Dated bank records showing transactions in your home country to indicate that you were in another country after your left the United States
•  School records showing your attendance at a school outside the United States to indicate you were in another country after you left the United States
•  Dated credit card receipts with the credit card number deleted for purchases you made after you departed the United States to indicate you were in another country after you left the United States

Please send legible copies or the original material where possible. If you send original materials please retain a copy for your records; the originals will not be returned to you. It will assist the USCIS if you include an explanation letter in English.

BACKGROUND: Foreign visitors to the United States complete an I-94 Form (if they hold a valid visa) or an I-94W (if traveling visa free under the Visa Waiver Program). The card is obtained from the transportation carrier (airline) and must be surrendered to an inspector of the Department of Homeland Security, United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) at the port of entry into the United States when applying for admission. The inspector separates the bottom part of the card and attaches it to the passport. The part attached to the passport notes the date of entry to the United States and authorized period the visitor may remain in the country.

When a visitor departs the United States, the transportation carrier representative (airline agent), usually at the check-in counter, should remove the I-94 or I-94W from the passport. Sometimes due to an oversight the card is not removed. If this occurs, the passenger's departure from the United States will not be registered with the USCIS.  If this happens, the next time you apply to enter the United States, your visa may be subject to cancellation or you may be denied entry into the United States. In particular, visitors who remain beyond their permitted stay in the United States under the Visa Waiver Program cannot reenter the U.S. in the future without obtaining a visa. If this occurs and you arrive at a U.S. port of entry seeking admission under the Visa Waiver Program without a visa, United States immigration officials may deny you entry into the U.S.  Visitors must ensure that they surrender the I-94 or I-94W stub to the transport carrier before they depart the United States.