Many US airports have stopped stamping foreigners’ passports upon entering the country. Today, with the evolution of the immigration control system, the stamp has been replaced by the electronic I-94 record, as the only official record of entry.

Anyone who has traveled extensively lately may have noticed that US Customs and Border Protection officers at ports of entry are not stamping passports and are increasingly relying on so-called I-94 records (online form with information about who is entering the country).

The measure aims to speed up the entry process. When passing through immigration, at any US airport, the agent can control your entry and exit without having to check any stamps. Digital recordings are more reliable and can be stored in international security databases, allowing instant cross-checking of information between airports.

“Those who need to prove their legal visitor status – to employers, schools/universities, or government agencies – can access their CBP arrival/departure record information online. CBP now automatically collects visitor information. arrival/departure of travelers from their electronic travel records”, explains the agency.

However, the loss of a passport stamp is a major handicap for immigrants seeking to demonstrate the legality of their presence in the United States, analyzes Forbes. “The elimination now means that aliens can only inspect their Form I-94 immigration records after they enter,” the magazine said.

An entry stamp in a passport was the primary form of entry record for an alien to the United States in the past. The stamp contained the place of entry, the date, the class of entry, as in the case of TN or F-1 status, for example, and the length of the authorized period of stay of the alien. This same information that was on the passport entry stamp is now recorded on an alien’s official admission record, Form I-94, which is not issued to the alien upon entry but is preserved and available online.

“CBP encourages travelers who need an I-94 to use the CBP One mobile app or the CBP I-94 website (https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov/I94/#/home) to apply for your I-94,” the website reads.

Once completed on the plane before arriving in the country, the I-94 form is now fully online and is used to record the entry and exit of all persons visiting the United States who have a passport with a valid and valid visa, whether for a tourist trip, study trip or temporary work.

Click on here to view your US travel history.

land entrances

CBP has also changed its policy regarding land crossings. All Visa Waiver Program travelers intending to enter the United States by land must now obtain an approved Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) before applying for admission at border ports of entry terrestrial.

Canadians are exempt from this requirement. Foreigners who come from countries that are not part of the Visa Waiver Program are also not affected by this change as they must apply for a visitor’s visa at US consulates before coming to America.

The Visa Waiver Program allows eligible citizens of 40 countries to travel to the United States for business or tourism for up to 90 days without a visa. However, these travelers are generally not eligible to extend their stay or change their status upon arrival in the United States. If they stay longer, they will lose their eligibility for the Visa Waiver Program and may also be subject to additional penalties under US immigration law.