form i-94 or i-95?

[Ryan76 46]

My fiance just arrived today and i was under the impression someone on the plane was going to give her one of this forms to take with her and send in with the AOS packet. She said they did have her fill out a form but they took it at customs. Is this normal? How are we supposed to send this in if they took it? Or am i just misunderstanding something?

[Que Saudade 284]

Yeah, that is strange. Where did you POE? After the officer went over my (now) wife's forms, he wrote the date of expiration on the back of the I-94 and stuck it in her passport to keep up with. How far away from your POE are you?

Edited August 25, 2012 by Que Saudade

[Que Saudade 284]

You can always file for replacement. See here Form I-102..

[EminTX 131]

I think the document that you are referring to is a small card. (square and about the size of a note card)

It should have probably been tucked in to her passport.

[Que Saudade 284]

I think the document that you are referring to is a small card. (square and about the size of a note card)

It should have probably been tucked in to her passport.

Yep, pretty much what I said.. They stuck it in my wife's passport.

OP, check her passport and make sure it is not in there. White card not a permanent part of the passport... I-94.. I hope it is there for you

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

My fiance just arrived today and i was under the impression someone on the plane was going to give her one of this forms to take with her and send in with the AOS packet. She said they did have her fill out a form but they took it at customs. Is this normal? How are we supposed to send this in if they took it? Or am i just misunderstanding something?

It is a long white form. Her personal info should have been filled out in 2 places. They would have kept most of it and torn off a small section from the bottom and attached that in her passport. If she did not receive that portion of the I-94, then go back to her POE, the nearest airport or deferred inspection site, and let them know she did not receive her I-94 upon entry.

Images of I-94: http://www.visajourney.com/gallery/thumbnails.php?album=5

Deferred inspection sites: http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/toolbox/contacts/deferred_inspection/

[Ryan76 46]

Ha that's great...it was the little white card and she didnt even know it had been slipped into her passport! Thanks for the tip, it may have been days or weeks befor i ever saw that. I was expecting an actual long form / documment. One less thing to worry about. Now if only this pesky hurricane doesnt ruin our entire week in south florida

[Pitaya 2,577]

Ha that's great...it was the little white card and she didnt even know it had been slipped into her passport! Thanks for the tip, it may have been days or weeks befor i ever saw that. I was expecting an actual long form / documment. One less thing to worry about. Now if only this pesky hurricane doesnt ruin our entire week in south florida

Yes, do not lose that "little white card" (Form I-94), it is important. It seems a bit incredible to me that such an important document is just stapled (or should be stapled) into your fiancee's passport. IMO, a little too flimsy of attachment. If you follow the link that Que Saudade previously gave you, you will see that to obtain a replacement of that "little white card" will cost you $330.

A few days after my wife and step-son arrived in Seattle, I made a photocopy of their entire passports, including the front and back of that "little white card." Those photocopies will come in handy for the next step in our immigration journey, the AOS process.

Congratulations on her successful entry into the US.

Wishing you continued good fortune on your immigration journey.

[EminTX 131]

Yes, do not lose that "little white card" (Form I-94), it is important. It seems a bit incredible to me that such an important document is just stapled (or should be stapled) into your fiancee's passport.

Stapling is destructive and I can't imagine stapling anything into your passport unless you never plan to use it again. Especially since it is a document that must be copied and shown to various entities (we had to show both the passport and this document, for example, to get a state ID for my husband), and it also is taken in the airport when flying out. A new one is issued each time you enter the country.(My husband freaked out when they took it from him when he was flying out--they assured him that he will have a new one when he comes back.)

To keep it secure, my husband has a passport cover (like any book cover) where he can tuck it into the side "pocket".

Edited August 25, 2012 by EminTX

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Stapling is destructive and I can't imagine stapling anything into your passport unless you never plan to use it again. Especially since it is a document that must be copied and shown to various entities (we had to show both the passport and this document, for example, to get a state ID for my husband), and it also is taken in the airport when flying out. A new one is issued each time you enter the country.(My husband freaked out when they took it from him when he was flying out--they assured him that he will have a new one when he comes back.)

To keep it secure, my husband has a passport cover (like any book cover) where he can tuck it into the side "pocket".

Most CBP officers staple it into the passport themselves. My husband's was stapled into his passport by them. It is so the small piece of paper does not fall out and get easily lost. No destructive damage of any kind. It is actually still attached in the back of his passport and in good condition after nearly 2 years, since they did not take it at our AOS interview.

[Que Saudade 284]

Ha that's great...it was the little white card and she didnt even know it had been slipped into her passport! Thanks for the tip, it may have been days or weeks befor i ever saw that. I was expecting an actual long form / documment. One less thing to worry about. Now if only this pesky hurricane doesnt ruin our entire week in south florida

Glad you found it...!!!!

Good luck and enjoy the wedding.....

[EminTX 131]

Most CBP officers staple it into the passport themselves. My husband's was stapled into his passport by them. It is so the small piece of paper does not fall out and get easily lost. No destructive damage of any kind. It is actually still attached in the back of his passport and in good condition after nearly 2 years, since they did not take it at our AOS interview.

Does this mean that you have not used it to cross an international border since then? We do. My husband's profession is in his home country. Stapling one in when he enters then tearing it out (because this document is to be returned) when he leaves then stapling a new one and tearing that out and on and on every 2-6 months is certainly destructive.

If this was meant to stay in the passport forever, I could understand the staples, but this is not a permanent part of the passport.

I would expect that having multiple staple punctures/tears might raise a question with customs officials/police in certain other countries.

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

Does this mean that you have not used it to cross an international border since then? We do. My husband's profession is in his home country. Stapling one in when he enters then tearing it out (because this document is to be returned) when he leaves then stapling a new one and tearing that out and on and on every 2-6 months is certainly destructive.

If this was meant to stay in the passport forever, I could understand the staples, but this is not a permanent part of the passport.

I would expect that having multiple staple punctures/tears might raise a question with customs officials/police in certain other countries.

No, he never used it to travel, and they did not take it at his AOS interview. So, he has a keepsake now.

I suppose it could get messy when needing to remove one several times, but the CBP officers are the ones that staple them in to begin with. I have seen many people mention theirs was stapled into their passport by the CBP officer at their POE. I would not suggest stapling it in yourself if the CBP officer did not do it though.

[JS&PL 3]

I'm a bit confused, the I-94 serves no purpose when green card is issued after approval of the AOS right?

[didopage 337]

I'm a bit confused, the I-94 serves no purpose when green card is issued after approval of the AOS right?

Yes, no need for it after AOS approval and green card in hand. It's an arrival/departure document that proves you entered the US legally with a visa. With another kind of visa than the K-1, like for example a J-1, you are required to give it to the airline company when you leave the US. It shows that you left the country.

With the K-1, the intent is to immigrate to the country so once your permanent residency is approved (green card), there's no need for the I-94 anymore.

To do short, the I-94 is used for visa procedures. With the green card, there's no need anymore to use a US visa as you are now a resident of the country. No need to show at the airport that you left the country once using the K-1, as you are now free to travel in and out of the US with your green card.