I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.
See all posts Frank GogolComplete Guide to Form I-94W
Updated on April 10, 2024
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I-94W is the nonimmigrant visa waiver arrival or departure record form that must be completed by every nonimmigrant visitor who does not have a visitor’s visa. This applies to people who are citizens of the countries referred to in 8 CRF 217. If you are not sure if your country belongs to this group, you can access this information from the airline.
What Is Form I-94W?
The form has two parts. The arrival and departure parts should both be completed, signed, and dated. If any children under the age of 14 are filling out this form, their form must be signed by a guardian or parent.
Difference Between Forms I-94W and I-94
Foreign visitors who travel to the United States must fill out either of these two forms depending on their visa. If they have a valid visa, they need to complete Form I-94. If they do not have a valid visa and are traveling under the Visa Waiver Program, they need to complete Form I-94W.
Both forms are available with the transportation airline and have to be submitted to the Department of Homeland Security and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) when they are entering any port in the United States on admission.
The bottom of the form is separated by the inspector upon submission and attached to the passport. The part that is attached to the passport will have crucial details like the date of entry to the United States, and the authorization period — the duration the individual will remain in the country.
When the individual leaves the United States, the airline or port representative will remove the form that was attached to the passport on arrival.
If this card is not removed, the departure date will not be validated or registered with the CBP. This is important because the next time this person flies to the United States, their visa will get canceled, and they might be denied entry.
People who try to stay in the U.S. beyond their permitted duration under the Visa Waiver Program (accessed through the I-94W form), can never enter the United States again using the same program. They must apply for a regular visa and then try entry.
In that case, they will have to complete Form I-94 instead of I-94W. Visitors are in charge of ensuring that they are carrying their valid I-94 or I-94W form. These stubs must be surrendered to the transport carrier or, when they arrive, United States port authorities have every right to reject admission for these individuals.
How to Complete Form I-94W
Now that we understand the importance of the I-94W form for individuals obtaining a visa waiver, based on their eligibility, let’s ensure that the form submitted is correct. Any wrong information in the form might lead to the cancellation of their stay, and further I-94W waiver approval.
The form has two sides, arrival, and departure, and both must be filled before submission.
Arrival Record
There are 8 sections in the Arrival Record.
Applicant Information
This section is pretty straight forward. You fill out personal details like first and last name, or if you have an alternate name.
Next comes your parents’ names. Fill out the names of both parents in the two sequential rows.
Fill out the birthdate, city of birth (according to your birth certificate registered in your home country), country of birth (must be on the list of eligible countries), and gender.
Passport Information
Even though you don’t have a visa, the passport details are mandatory. You will need to include your passport number, the issuing country (which must be your home country, and the issue and expiration dates according to the passport. Ensure that the passport expiration date is not very near to the departure date, or there might be an issue with customs. If you have any questions regarding this, seek help from the carrier.
The national identification number must be a legitimate government-issued ID in your country of residence.
Citizenship Information
If you have citizenship in any other country than the one that has issued your passport, you must declare it in this section. Or if you had citizenship in the past, declare it here. Ensure that you have the valid NIN or passport details for these countries available.
There is extra space at the bottom of this section, in case the space above is not sufficient.
Contact Information
Other than the social media identifier, all the fields are mandatory, and you must complete them accurately as you will be contracted through these declared channels.
Emergency Contact Information
Include the name, phone number, and email address of your emergency contact. Your emergency contact doesn’t need to be from the United States. If they are from your home country or any other country, ensure that you declare the country code for the phone number.
Travel Information
Pay attention to this part if you are only arriving in the United States in transit to any other country. You must declare a valid address for your stay in the States.
The CBP global entry member ID number must be provided if you have selected ‘Yes’ in the option.
U.S. Point of Contact Information
A valid point of contact must be included in this section. You can contact your travel advisory or your embassy for reference.
Employment Information
Employment details need to be declared for reference. If you have selected ‘Yes’ on the previous employer, provide the complete name and address of the company’s headquarters in this section.
Departure Section
The departure section is simpler and smaller than the arrival record. You have to fill out the same personal details, like the admission number, first and last name (use the first name that you have used in the arrival form if you have multiple names), birth date, and country of citizenship. Also include the port, carrier details, and, most importantly, the date of departure from the country.
Additional Details
If you answer ‘yes’ to any of these questions, you must contact the American Embassy before you travel, or your entry to the States will be denied.
There are some medical and personal history questions that need to be declared in the form. If you have had any illnesses, mental health issues, or a history of drug abuse, declare them in this form.
If you have a criminal record in your home or any other country, declare the nature of the crime.
If you have ever held a job in the United States without the permission of the government, or are currently in the country to seek employment, declare it in the form.
Other details include if you ever had a visa request denied at any port, if you traveled to mentioned countries, and if you overstayed in the United States.
Conclusion
This is how you can fill out Form I-94W. Make sure to provide accurate information to avoid any problems.
Frank Gogol
I’m a firm believer that information is the key to financial freedom. On the Stilt Blog, I write about the complex topics — like finance, immigration, and technology — to help immigrants make the most of their lives in the U.S. Our content and brand have been featured in Forbes, TechCrunch, VentureBeat, and more.