Upon departing the U.S., what if an exchange visitor or his/her dependent forgot to return his/her I-94 at the port of exit?
[top] A10: Unless the exchange visitor is traveling to Canada, Mexico, or an adjacent Caribbean island under the special travel procedures, he/she should always turn in the I-94 card upon leaving the U.S. If he/she has forgotten to turn in the I-94, his/her departure may not have been recorded properly, which could make it appear that he/she overstayed the visa. Therefore, the person should immediately mail his/her I-94 card along with a short letter explaining the circumstances and any documentation of departure (e.g. copy of air ticket/itinerary, entry stamp into another country, etc.) to the Department of Homeland Security at the following address: DHS – CBP SBU 1084 South Laurel Road London, KY 40744 For more information, see the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website explaining how to record departure from the U.S. after the fact.
Related Questions
- If there is an emergency and an exchange visitor has to return to his/her home country right away, but his/her DS-2019 is not validated for travel, what should he/she do?
- Who signs the form DS-2019 issued for a dependent of the exchange visitor?
- How long may the J-1 Exchange Visitor Remain at Texas State?
