Quote:
Orginally posted by ashish30
also u need to surrender your I-94 no matter what
Funny you make a mention of this today, I had been under the same impression.
However, while flying out of Toronto earlier this week the DHS officer told me that I should retain my I-94 if I expect to re-enter the US within a period of 30 days (I'm a business traveller on a B1/B2).....
Been doing some checking before I do anything of the sort though.....
Location: Western Hemisphere
Posted on: 28-06-05 16:12:00
US citizens, US resident aliens (friendly term for green card holders...) and Canadian citizens DO NOT have to fill out any immigration forms (I-94 that is) when they enter US from, say, Japan. They just need to fill out the customs form.
Just as a FYI, there are two types of I-94s (there used to be three) - white and the green. White is for those who have a visa in the passport (and thus Cdn citizens don't have to do this one) and the green for those from visa waiver countries (Canada is not one of them and hence no need to fill that one either). Canada's visa exemption stems from other treaty immigration laws.
Anyway, having said that, if you are on H1, I am not sure if there is a way to record the validity of legal stay in the US besides the date shown on the H1 itself (I-797).
Who knows, they might make you fill one, after all, but the color is unknown. I am assuming the I-94 you have one is part of the original I-797 stub and not the white one.
If a I-94 is required, it is free at the airports and at the land borders, they usually charge $6 since it costs them 2 minutes to type your I-94 
Between US and Canada air travel, I have experienced been given a new I-94 (30 days or not, didn't matter) and another time was given another I-94 which they stapled it to the current one and sent me on my merry way.
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Dimple2001
Quote:What the officer told you is correct.
Orginally posted by crenshaw
Funny you make a mention of this today, I had been under the same impression.
However, while flying out of Toronto earlier this week the DHS officer told me that I should retain my I-94 if I expect to re-enter the US within a period of 30 days (I'm a business traveller on a B1/B2).....
Been doing some checking before I do anything of the sort though.....
If you are leaving the US to go to either Mexico or Canada for a period of less than 30 days, you can retain your I-94.
Although, it is optional to retain the I-94, it provides a benefit to both you and the US system (less paperwork, less tracking, less potential for confusion).
*However*, if you plan to travel anywhere else during your 30 day absence, then you MUST surrender the I-94.
The I-94 cannot be carried outside the US/Canadian/Mexican border under any circumstances.
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