How to Check Your I-94 Online: Step-by-Step Guide (2026)

Your I-94 is the single most important number in your US immigration life — and most visa holders have never actually looked at it. It is not your visa stamp. It is not your I-797 approval notice. It is the official record of how long you are legally permitted to stay in the United States, and it is available online for free in about two minutes.

This guide walks you through exactly how to find your I-94, how to read every field on it, and what to do if something is wrong.

Quick Answer

To check your I-94, go to the official CBP website at i94.cbp.dhs.gov, click "Get Most Recent I-94," and enter your name, date of birth, and passport details exactly as they appear in your passport. Your most recent I-94 record will display your admission date, class of admission (visa category), and "Admit Until" date — the date by which you must leave or extend your status. This "Admit Until" date, not your visa stamp expiration, controls how long you can legally stay. The service is free; never pay a third-party site for it.

What Is an I-94, Exactly?

The Form I-94 is the Arrival/Departure Record issued by US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) every time you enter the United States. It records:

• ·The date you were admitted
• ·The immigration status (class of admission) you were granted
• ·The date until which you are authorized to stay (the "Admit Until" date)

Since 2013, CBP has automated the I-94 for most travelers arriving by air and sea — you no longer get the small white paper card stapled into your passport. Instead, your I-94 is created electronically and is available to retrieve online.

I-94 vs Visa Stamp vs I-797: Which Date Matters?

This is the confusion that gets people in trouble. These are three different documents with three different dates:

Your visa stamp can be expired while you are still perfectly legal in the US, because the I-94 governs your stay — not the stamp. Conversely, you can have a valid multi-year visa stamp but an I-94 that expires much sooner. Always trust the I-94 date.

Step-by-Step: How to Retrieve Your I-94

Step 1: Go to the official CBP website

Open your browser and go to i94.cbp.dhs.gov. This is the only official, free source. Be wary of look-alike sites that charge a fee — the government service costs nothing.

Step 2: Click "Get Most Recent I-94"

On the homepage, select the option to retrieve your most recent I-94. You will be asked to consent to the terms of use.

Step 3: Enter your details exactly as in your passport

You will need to provide:

• ·First (given) name
• ·Last (family/surname) name
• ·Date of birth
• ·Passport number
• ·Country of issuance of the passport

Critical Enter your name exactly as it appears in the passport you used to enter the US, including the order of names. Name mismatches are the number one reason the system says "not found."

Step 4: Review your I-94 record

Once submitted, your most recent I-94 displays on screen with your admission record. You can print it or save it as a PDF for your records.

Step 5: (Optional) Check your travel history

The same website offers a "View Travel History" option, which shows your arrivals and departures over the past several years. This is useful for counting days present for tax residency, naturalization, or visa applications — though CBP notes the travel history may not be 100% complete.

How to Read Your I-94: Every Field Explained

When your record displays, you will see several fields. Here is what each one means:

• ·**Admission (I-94) Record Number** — an 11-digit number unique to this admission. You may need this for applications.
• ·**Most Recent Date of Entry** — the date you last entered the US.
• ·**Class of Admission** — your visa category as admitted (e.g., H-1B, F-1, B-2, L-1). Confirm this matches the status you expect.
• ·**Admit Until Date** — the most important field. This is the last date you are authorized to remain in the US in this status. If it says "D/S," see below.

What Does "D/S" Mean on an I-94?

If your "Admit Until" date says D/S, it stands for Duration of Status. This is common for F-1 students, J-1 exchange visitors, and some other categories. It means you are authorized to stay for as long as you maintain valid status (e.g., enrolled full-time and following program rules) rather than until a fixed calendar date.

D/S does not mean "stay forever." If you fall out of status — for example, by dropping below full-time enrollment — you can begin accruing unlawful presence even though no fixed date appears on your I-94.

Common I-94 Errors and How to Fix Them

CBP officers occasionally make data-entry mistakes. The most common errors:

• ·**Wrong "Admit Until" date** — for example, an H-1B holder admitted only until their visa stamp date instead of their I-797 petition validity date
• ·**Wrong class of admission** — admitted in the wrong category
• ·**Misspelled name or wrong passport number**

If you find an error:

1. 1.**For errors at an airport/seaport (air or sea arrival)**: Contact a CBP Deferred Inspection site or visit i94.cbp.dhs.gov for correction guidance.
2. 2.**For errors at a land border**: Visit a CBP port of entry or Deferred Inspection office.
3. 3.Bring your passport, visa, I-797 (if applicable), and any supporting documents.

Fix errors immediately. An incorrect I-94 date can cause you to unknowingly overstay, which has serious consequences.

Why You Should Check Your I-94 After Every Entry

Make it a habit: every single time you re-enter the US, check your I-94 within a few days. Here's why:

• ·CBP may admit you to a date earlier than you expect (commonly tied to passport expiry)
• ·An error caught in week one is easy to fix; an error discovered after you've overstayed is not
• ·Your "Admit Until" date — not your I-797 or visa — is what an immigration officer, employer, or DMV will rely on

The "Passport Rule" That Catches People Off Guard

CBP generally cannot admit you past the expiration date of your passport. So if your passport expires before your visa petition does, your I-94 may be cut short to your passport's expiry date — even if your H-1B petition is valid for two more years.

The fix: renew your passport well before it expires, and after each entry, verify your I-94 "Admit Until" date reflects your full authorized period. If it was shortened due to passport expiry, you may need to renew your passport and then correct or extend your I-94.

Track Your I-94 Date with DueVisa

Once you know your "Admit Until" date, the next step is making sure you never forget it. DueVisa lets you enter your I-94 expiration once and sends you reminders at 180, 90, 60, 30, and 7 days before your authorized stay ends — so a missed date never turns into an overstay.

Add your I-94 at duevisa.com. Free for your first 3 documents.