Recording Departure from the U.S.

Occasionally, a foreign national departs the United States and discovers that her I-94 card (Arrival/Departure record) is still in her passport.  This means that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) does not have a record of that departure and the record remains open.  The practical and very important implication is that in the future, CBP may conclude that the foreign national overstayed her prior period of admission, which could led to visa cancellation or immediate return to a foreign point of origin.  It could also mean that the individual could become subject to the three- or ten-year bars.  For Visa Waiver Program visitors, this could mean that a visa will be required for future visits.

If a foreign national did not turn in her I-94, CBP advises that it should be sent to ACS - CBP SBU, 1084 South Laurel Road, London, KY  40744, along with any documentation proving the departure from the U.S.  Such documentation includes original boarding passes, copies of subsequent entry and departure passport stamps, pay vouchers indicating employment after the departure, school records indicating attendance after the departure, and credit card receipts for purchases in another country after the departure.   CBP also advises that an explanation letter in English should accompany this documentation.