Arrival day in the US check your I-94 and passport stamp before leaving the airport
On the day you arrive in the US, after you clear the CBP counter and before you leave the airport, check two things: the entry stamp in your passport, and the name, class of admission and admit-until date on your I-94 record. If something is wrong, ask CBP to fix it while you are still at the airport; once you have left, contact a CBP Deferred Inspection Site to correct it.
If you enter on an immigrant visa, the immigrant visa in your passport plus the CBP entry stamp proves your green card status for 1 year from the date of entry. If an F-1 or M-1 student is missing documents, CBP issues Form I-515A, and the documents must be mailed to SEVP within 30 days of entry. Cash totaling more than $10,000 and prescription medication need to be handled before you reach the counter.
Documents to have ready at the inspection counter
| Status | What to carry | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Immigrant visa (becoming a green card holder) | Passport and immigrant visa; the sealed immigrant visa packet the embassy or consulate gave you | USCIS Immigrant Fee page |
| F-1 and M-1 students | Valid passport; a valid visa if one is required; a signed I-20; proof of financial support (what you gave the consulate at your interview) | Study in the States |
| Other nonimmigrant visas | Passport and visa; other documents as the consulate and your employer instruct | This article found no separate official list |
F-1 students can also bring the school’s acceptance letter or tuition receipts, and contact details for the school’s designated school official (DSO), including a 24-hour emergency number.
Immigrant visa packet carry it and hand it to CBP
The USCIS Immigrant Fee page lists what the embassy or consulate gives you: your A-Number, your Department of State Case ID, instructions for paying the Immigrant Fee, the Immigrant Data Summary, and the sealed immigrant visa packet. The next step is to arrive at a port of entry with the packet and be admitted as a lawful permanent resident.
- Can you open the packet: this USCIS page only says it is sealed. The State Department’s instruction page returns 403 to automated access, so we could not read it, and this article does not fill in rules for the State Department. Follow the instructions the consulate gave you when you picked up the visa.
- Tell CBP if your address changed: if your US address changed after the interview, or will change right after you arrive, give the CBP officer your new address at entry. USCIS mails the green card to the address you gave the State Department at the interview, or to the new address you gave CBP at entry.
- Immigrant Fee: USCIS strongly encourages paying after you pick up the immigrant visa and before you travel. You can also pay after arrival, and USCIS will mail you a notice; until you pay, no green card is mailed. The amount is whatever the USCIS online payment page shows.
I-551 stamp open your passport before leaving the airport
A machine-readable immigrant visa (MRIV) usually reads “UPON ENDORSEMENT SERVES AS TEMPORARY I-551 EVIDENCING PERMANENT RESIDENCE FOR 1 YEAR.” On your first entry, CBP stamps your passport with an admission stamp showing permanent resident status and the date of entry (USCIS).
- What to look for: an entry stamp is there and it shows today’s date. If the stamp is next to the immigrant visa rather than on it, USCIS says it is still valid.
- How long it works: your passport with the stamped MRIV proves permanent resident status for 1 year from the date of entry. For Form I-9 at work it is a List A document, so you do not have to wait for the green card.
For what to do before and after the green card arrives, see Green card holders the first 90 days after entry.
I-94 look it up online there is no paper copy
At airports and seaports, CBP no longer hands out a paper I-94; your arrival record is built from airline data. When you need to show your status to an employer, school or government agency, go to i94.cbp.dhs.gov or use the CBP Link mobile app, choose “Get Most Recent I-94” and print it (CBP).
- Check three things: the spelling of your name, your class of admission (for example H-1B or F-1), and the Admit Until Date.
- If you want paper: you can ask for a paper I-94 during inspection, but CBP will handle it in secondary inspection.
- Land border: land ports also issue electronic I-94s now. CBP suggests applying in advance through the app or the I-94 website.
- Number format: since May 2019, I-94 numbers have 11 characters: 9 digits, a letter in the 10th position and a digit in the 11th.
For tracking the expiration dates of your I-94 and other immigration documents, see how to check immigration document expiration dates.
I-94 wrong correct it at a Deferred Inspection Site
CBP has more than 70 Deferred Inspection Sites across the US and its territories. If a document issued at entry shows the wrong class of admission, wrong personal details or the wrong period of admission, staff there can review it and issue a corrected one (CBP).
- Where to go: any Deferred Inspection Site, or any CBP office inside an international airport, can help; you do not have to return to the airport where you entered.
- Email first: on CBP’s list of sites, many give an email address for I-94 corrections, and several say they cannot take walk-ins right now; you email first and they contact you if an in-person visit is needed. Check what your site says before you go. For sites outside an airport, CBP suggests making an appointment.
- No mail-in: CBP says mail-in corrections are generally not available.
- Entry errors only: to extend your stay or change status, go to USCIS; Deferred Inspection Sites do not handle that.
If CBP cannot decide your case at the port of entry, it may issue Form I-546 (Order to Appear-Deferred Inspection), which lists the documents you must bring and when and where to report.
F-1 missing documents Form I-515A
If an F-1 or M-1 student arrives without all the required documents, the CBP officer issues Form I-515A (Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor), which lists what is missing and what to do next. Within 30 days of entry, you must mail the correct original documents to the SEVP I-515A processing team (Study in the States). If you miss the deadline, you fall out of student status and may not be able to keep studying in the US. Contact your school’s DSO the same day you get an I-515A.
Cash and prescription medication handle them before the counter
- Cash: if the cash and negotiable instruments you bring in total more than $10,000, report them to CBP on FinCEN Form 105. For a family traveling together, the amounts are added up. CBP recommends filing online on the FinCEN 105 website ; if you enter with Mobile Passport Control, you can submit it in the app. Failing to report, or reporting falsely, can lead to seizure and forfeiture of the money, and to fines or criminal penalties (CBP).
- Prescription medication: CBP’s guidance for non-US citizens: keep medication in its original container with the doctor’s instructions on the bottle, carry an English prescription or doctor’s letter, and as a rule bring no more than a 90-day supply (CBP). CBP wrote this for non-citizens visiting temporarily; there is no separate version for immigrants. For how to prepare before you leave, see documents to prepare before moving to the US.
Frequently asked questions
How soon after entry can I find my I-94?
CBP’s page does not say how many hours or days it takes. You can check “Get Most Recent I-94” on the I-94 website at any time; if it is missing or wrong, contact a Deferred Inspection Site.
I entered on an immigrant visa. What should I check before leaving the airport?
That there is a CBP entry stamp next to the immigrant visa in your passport and that it shows the day you arrived. That passport page proves green card status for 1 year from the date of entry.
My I-94 admit-until date is different from my visa expiration date. Which one counts?
The Admit Until Date on the I-94: that is the date CBP admitted you until. If it looks wrong, contact a Deferred Inspection Site.
Can I correct my I-94 by mail?
CBP says mail-in is generally not available. Check the email or appointment details for that site on the Deferred Inspection Site list.
Will I lose money if I bring in more than $10,000?
CBP’s page describes a reporting duty: a total over $10,000 must be reported on FinCEN Form 105. Failing to report, or reporting falsely, is what can lead to seizure or penalties.
After you leave the airport
“Check your I-94 and entry stamp” is a free item in the My USA Plan checklist : the first 30 items are free, and the full 91 items cost US$9.90 once, not a subscription. For the order of SSN, bank, proof of address and driver’s license, see the order of 5 things after arriving in the US.
Sources and dates checked
All checked on 2026-10-27. This article is not legal or immigration advice.
- USCIS Immigrant Fee: https://www.uscis.gov/forms/filing-fees/uscis-immigrant-fee
- USCIS temporary I-551 stamps and MRIVs:https://www.uscis.gov/i-9-central/temporary-i-551-stamps-and-mrivs
- CBP I-94 (Jul 22, 2026): https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/i-94
- CBP Deferred Inspection Sites (Sep 24, 2026):https://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports/deferred-inspection-sites
- Study in the States I-515A (Aug 31, 2026): https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/515a
- Study in the States documents for entry:https://studyinthestates.dhs.gov/2013/08/back-school-entry-united-states
- CBP money and monetary instruments (Nov 24, 2025):https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/kbyg/money
- CBP prohibited and restricted items (Mar 14, 2025):https://www.cbp.gov/travel/us-citizens/know-before-you-go/prohibited-and-restricted-items