From CBP.gov, 04/02/2013
Foreign visitors arriving in the U.S.—only via
air or sea—who need to prove their legal-visitor status—to employers,
schools/universities or government agencies—will be able to access their U.S.
Customs and Border Protection arrival/departure record information online when
the agency starts its records automation on April 30, 2013.
When the electronic rollout
begins April 30, CBP will no longer require international non-immigrant
visitors to fill out a paper Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record upon arrival to
the U.S. by air or sea. The agency will gather travelers’ arrival/departure information
automatically from their electronic travel records. This automation will
streamline the entry process for travelers, facilitate security and reduce
federal costs. CBP anticipates that the automated process will save the agency
an estimated $15.5 million a year.
Because advance information
is only transmitted for air and sea travelers, CBP will still issue a paper
form I-94 at land border ports of entry.
CBP will phase-in the Form
I-94 automation at air and sea ports of entry through April and May. Foreign
visitors will continue to receive the paper Form I-94 until the automated
process arrives at their port of entry. Following automation, if travelers need
the information from their Form I-94 admission record to verify immigration
status or employment authorization, the record number and other admission
information will be available at CBP.gov/I94.
With the new CBP process, a CBP officer will stamp the
travel document of each arriving non-immigrant traveler. The admission stamp
will show the date of admission, class of admission, and the date that the
traveler is admitted until. Travelers will also receive on arrival a flier
alerting them to go to CBP.gov/I94 for their admission record information.
Travelers will not need to do anything differently upon
exiting the U.S. Travelers previously issued a paper Form I-94 would surrender
it to the commercial carrier or to CBP upon departure. If travelers did not
receive a paper Form I-94, CBP will record the departure electronically via
manifest information provided by the carrier or by CBP.
PLEASE NOTE: CBP.gov/I94 will
not be live until the end of April, 2013.
Implementation Schedule
Implementation will begin on April 30 at five pilot ports of
entry and will continue to the remaining ports of entry over a total of four
weeks.
|
Week 1
|
04/30/2013
|
Charlotte
Douglas International Airport, Orlando International Airport, Las
Vegas Airport, Chicago O’Hare and Miami International Airport
|
|
Week 2
|
05/07/2013
|
Major Air
and Sea Ports within the following field offices:
New York, Boston, Buffalo, Baltimore,
Detroit, Atlanta, Tampa, Puerto Rico, Miami,
Chicago, New Orleans and Houston |
|
Week 3
|
05/14/2013
|
Major Air
and Sea ports within the following field offices:
Pre-Clearance, San Francisco (includes Hawaii and
Guam), Tucson, El Paso,
Seattle, Portland (includes Alaska), Los Angeles, San
Diego and Laredo |
|
Week 4
|
05/21/2013
|
All
remaining airports and seaports
|
