I-94 taken out of passport when travelled on AP, bad thing?

[brit_la 1]

I just travelled back to the UK after receiving my AP last week and I just noticed that the people at check in, took out my I-94, eek! Is this going to cause me problems or not?

The AOS has been sent off and is in processing, Im just worried if im going to need it again for any reason. I mean, I know I cant do much about it now, I just panicked when I realised it was no longer attached to my passport!

Has anyone else travelled on the AP and got any more info about what happens when you come back into the US etc?

[Harpa Timsah 13,258]

Don't panic!

I don't know all of the K-1 AOS rules, but my husband did travel on AP, so I will share his experience. We called CPB and they advised us to keep our original I-94 and not give it back, and we presented the airline with a letter stating such. (The airline didn't care about our letter or the I-94 much ) On reentry, he got another I-94 with a "Paroled" stamp on it.

At our interview, the IO took out the "Paroled" I-94 but I thought I saw him double-take, which reminded me that I had the original as well, which I handed over to him. He took both of them, but I didn't think he was going to penalize us anyway.

Your case has been transferred to CSC so it's looking like you won't have an interview anyway, right?

Worst case scenario: You can replace your I-94 (costs a few hundred dollars though). I'll let someone else chime in on what would happen if you went to the interview and they absolutely required the original I-94 (you did give them a copy in your packet I assume). I imagine they'd issue an RFE. Anyway, I know I didn't exactly answer your question, but I just wanted to say don't panic! you can replace it if needed, and maybe you won't need to anyway. Hopefully someone else can really determine if you need it and how you can find out. Good luck!

[Krikit 1,165]

Not to worry.... they're supposed to do that. They'll give you a new one when you return. Your old one would have expired and you aren't going to need it, anyway. When you re-enter the US at the POE they'll send you to Secondary so they can process you through. They'll keep one copy of the AP and return the other one stamped and dated. Then they'll put a new I-94 in your passport with a date which corresponds with the end date on your AP. The same happened during my travels. It's all good.

Edited September 13, 2010 by Krikit

[brit_la 1]

Don't panic!

I don't know all of the K-1 AOS rules, but my husband did travel on AP, so I will share his experience. We called CPB and they advised us to keep our original I-94 and not give it back, and we presented the airline with a letter stating such. (The airline didn't care about our letter or the I-94 much ) On reentry, he got another I-94 with a "Paroled" stamp on it.

At our interview, the IO took out the "Paroled" I-94 but I thought I saw him double-take, which reminded me that I had the original as well, which I handed over to him. He took both of them, but I didn't think he was going to penalize us anyway.

Your case has been transferred to CSC so it's looking like you won't have an interview anyway, right?

Worst case scenario: You can replace your I-94 (costs a few hundred dollars though). I'll let someone else chime in on what would happen if you went to the interview and they absolutely required the original I-94 (you did give them a copy in your packet I assume). I imagine they'd issue an RFE. Anyway, I know I didn't exactly answer your question, but I just wanted to say don't panic! you can replace it if needed, and maybe you won't need to anyway. Hopefully someone else can really determine if you need it and how you can find out. Good luck!

Thank you! Yes, our case has been transferred, so I probably wont need it and I did already send them a copy of it. So, it probably wont be a big deal. To be honest, I didnt even think about the I-94 at all when I was leaving. I only noticed it when I arrived here and looked in my passport!

But thank you for sharing your experience, it was very helpful

[brit_la 1]

Not to worry.... they're supposed to do that. They'll give you a new one when you return. Your old one would have expired and you aren't going to need it, anyway. When you re-enter the US at the POE they'll send you to Secondary so they can process you through. They'll keep one copy of the AP and return the other one stamped and dated. Then they'll put a new I-94 in your passport with a date which corresponds with the end date on your AP. The same happened during my travels. It's all good.

Thanks! This has put my mind at ease. I did want to know if I would need it again and you answered that for me. And thank you for letting me know that I will go to secondary, I wouldnt have even thought about having to go through that and would have panicked when I returned! You say that they keep a copy, I was wondering about this. Mine is approved for multiple entries(not that I think I will be using it again), do they still retain one if thats the case? No biggie if you dont know.

Thanks so much for your help

[mathranik 2]

Don't worry at all - that's how its suppose to happen!

Good luck with the rest of the process.

[Sebas&Lily 3]

When you re-enter the US at the POE they'll send you to Secondary so they can process you through. They'll keep one copy of the AP and return the other one stamped and dated. Then they'll put a new I-94 in your passport with a date which corresponds with the end date on your AP.

Well since you get mailed 2 original copies of this AP and you get one taken away each time when you enter the country, how are you supposed to use it more than once (or twice if you want to not have one left at all)? Can't you just take one copy with you, they stamp it and give it back to you? That way you have the 2nd original at home just in case you lose this one..

Or do you get a stamp each time you enter the country on the AP therefore needing a blank one each time?

[Krikit 1,165]

Thanks! This has put my mind at ease. I did want to know if I would need it again and you answered that for me. And thank you for letting me know that I will go to secondary, I wouldnt have even thought about having to go through that and would have panicked when I returned! You say that they keep a copy, I was wondering about this. Mine is approved for multiple entries(not that I think I will be using it again), do they still retain one if thats the case? No biggie if you dont know.

Thanks so much for your help

The copy you keep will be used each time you reenter the country. They just keep stamping it.

Well since you get mailed 2 original copies of this AP and you get one taken away each time when you enter the country, how are you supposed to use it more than once (or twice if you want to not have one left at all)? Can't you just take one copy with you, they stamp it and give it back to you? That way you have the 2nd original at home just in case you lose this one..

Or do you get a stamp each time you enter the country on the AP therefore needing a blank one each time?

They retain an original copy at the first re-entry. You then use your copy for future re-entries. You have to take both copies because they keep one and you keep one.

[Sebas&Lily 3]

oh I see now thanks for clearing that up