When does I-94 or the admission stamp become invalid?
Under the automatic revalidation provision of immigration law, certain temporary visitors holding expired nonimmigrant visas who seek to return to the U.S. may be admitted at a U.S. port-of-entry by CBP, if they meet certain requirements, including, but not limited to the following:
Nonimmigrants who departed the United States for brief travel to Canada, Mexico, or an adjacent island (for F and J nonimmigrants) for thirty days or less;
Nonimmigrants with a valid (unexpired) admission stamp or paper Form I-94, Arrival/Departure Record, endorsed by DHS.
What confuses me is that according to my understanding, when I leave the US, Form I-94 and the latest admission stamp are no longer valid. (And if so, then how can one have a valid Form I-94 if they left the US?) Is it not the case? When does Form I-94 and admission stamp become invalid then?
Also, nowadays forms I-94 are electronic (at least if you enter the US by air), so does one still need to have a paper copy of I-94, or would a previous admission stamp be enough?
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Does an I-94 have an expiration date?
Just like other immigration-related documents, Form I-94 expires. Among the information printed on the I-94, there will be a date listed, which is not your date of entry. This is your departure date and is the last date you are allowed to stay in the U.S., irrespective of whatever is mentioned in your visa.What is I-94 valid stamp?
The I-94: Proof of Legal Entry into the United States This indicates how long a student or scholar is allowed to stay in the United States and proves that they arrived in the country legally. Nonimmigrants who arrive in the United States by air or sea should be issued the passport admission stamp.How do I check if my I-94 is valid?
Upon entering the US following international travel: US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will create an electronic I-94 record which you can download from https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov, indicating your class of admission (which should be H-1B / H-4) and "admit until" date, which is your status expiration date.What happens when I-94 expires?
Once you reach the I-94 expiration date, your status ends, even if the other documents remain valid. There is no grace period beyond your I-94 expiration date while in H-1B status. Once your status ends or your employment ends, you need to make arrangements to depart the United States as soon as possible.How Do You Fix an Incorrect Admission Stamp or I-94 Record?
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