Yes, I took my daughter. I guess it is required that the person should be there and enter into USA to get I-94 updated.
Most stories here are about extending I-94 due to passport renewal.
Can somebody confirm if it is possible to renew I-94 because it will expire in a few months (after 2 years)?
We are on a E1 visa and both Visa and passport are valid till 2023. I-94 expires in November 2020 (because we havenāt left the country for almost 2 years). Would it be possible to get a new I-94 for 2 years at he Mexico border?
Our case was not passport one ā¦ we got a new petition approved and wanted to get a new I-94 ā¦ if you enter again , petition and visa are valid then they will give New I-94 ā¦ Should not be any issue
Thank you for responding! Planning to go this Sunday 
Went to the border yesterday (Sunday August 23rd) to get I-94 renewed (our current one was about to expire in a few months and we donāt want to get on an airplane during these times). E1 visa was still valid for years, passport too.
Explained officer at the blue building our situation and he said that our type of visa would still be allowed in but we needed to cross border. Entered Mexico and passport was checked on entry. We did not get a Mexico stamp. Walked outside and made the U-turn to stand in line for entry (we probably could have passed the line because there was a sign with āreadyā something and from previous posts it sounded like thereās no need to stand in line in our situation). Took about 20 minutes (they allow people in in groups). We were just not included in the group before us but then the officer saw us holding our visa and he motioned to come forward and let us in. He said to go to the yellow building.
In the yellow building it was very quiet. Only 2 persons before us. We pre-paid the I-94 online. It still took about 25 minutes before they could start on our paperwork. We told we crossed the border to renew I-94. It doesnāt seem that common to do but they understood. Took 20 minutes of talking among the officers and looking at papers while they were also handling another similar situation (person before us had E2). We overheard them ask about not having a Mexico stamp (we think) because there was no proof we had left the country I guess, but it was resolved eventually (if we ever have to do this again, weāll ask Mexico to stamp our passport). We had a backpack full of identity proof, marriage proof, residence proof, company proof, work proof, trade proof, employee proof, etc. The only thing we had to present was our passport + Visa and we also gave a printed I-94 and I-94 travel history which really helped because some stamps in our passport from previous entries were not that clear. After a total of 45 minutes, we got a new I-94 for 2 years.
Walked outside to pass immigration, officer checked our passport, Visa and new I-94 asked why we were entering the US (to go home). He also wondered if we just went into Mexico to renew I-94 and we said we didnāt want to get on an airplane and he agreed.
So, a little scary, but we knew our documents were in order and everything went smoothly. All officers were very friendly. Many thanks to everybody for sharing the experiences, really helped.
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Gaurav,
By new petition did you mean i797b?
Hello. Thanks for your input. I have to go for my i94 update and I am planning to do this Coming Sunday.
I saw the news that the I94 update is not being done at San Ysidro border and Otay Mesa it will be done. Is it true ?
Hi,
I got visa stamping and I-797 till Sep/2021. When I enter last year, from my vacation, as my passport was valid till July/2020, they gave I-94 only till Jul/2020.
This the case for my wife too. I am in H1B and my wife is in H4.
Both of us didnāt notice that we were out of status (for ~2 months), due to expired I-94.
Is it safe to go to san-diego-ysidro-us-mexico-border and get the I-94 updated? Will there be any issues?
Both myself and my wife has valid VISA (H1B and H4) and valid I-797 till Sep/2021.
But our I-94 got expired in July/2020.
Will there be any issues, if we go to san-diego-ysidro-us-mexico-border for I-94 renewal. Can someone pls share their experience.
Pls let me know, so that I can plane my trip to san-diego-ysidro-us-mexico-border, this weekend.
Other option is to apply for renewal via my company immgiration layer for forgiveness for not renwing on time.
If there will be no issue getting I-94 renewed in san-diego-ysidro-us-mexico-border, then I prefer that, as its going to done in a day.
Thanks
Hi Prasad,
In our case too, both myself and my wife I-94 got expired 2 months back (but we have valid visa till next year).
Did they ask, about the out-of-status question, when trying to correct the I-94 (which got expired previously)?
Any other information would be really helpful.
I read in some-site, that the CBP offier gave some form like I-539 and asked lawyer to fill out the same and send it back?
Thanks
You canāt work when you are out of status. Ask for a letter from your company that you are no longer working since i-94 expiry. CBP office might ask this.
Yes ā¦ we have got new petition after h4 Approval
My i94 valid until Oct 2020 and h4 stamping on the passport until Sept 30 2020. I was not able to apply for h4 extention on time. My husband h1b approved until Sept 2023 . can I go to the Mexico border and get my i94 extended with my husbandās i7979 approval. So I can come in to just apply for my h4 ead extention alone.
Note: h4 +h4 ead extention is taking more than 8months for processing.
H4 ead alone is taking 2 months.
So wanted to see if I can try to use this option. Planning to travel to border this week.
Please advice.
Nopes ā¦ You can not get new I-94 on basis of your husband I-797 at Mexico Border
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Hello @Raj2, Iām exactly stuck in a similar situation as yours. My I-94 expired in July 2020 based on my old passport expiry but my I797 is valid until Sept 2021. I learnt about this only three days ago and trying to figure out the best option here. Please share your experience if you got your I-94 updated yet. Looking forward to hearing from you 
My friend had same experienceā¦ he just travelled to Mexico and got a new I-94ā¦they donāt care for Out of Status thingā¦ they will just issue a new I-94
Thanks Gaurav for your information.
Hearty thanks to this great group i was able to go and extend my i94 just with the help of my husband i797 and FYI did not even cross the border just finished stamping and biometrics done in the permit room it self.
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Hello @vsavnit sorry for late reply.
I have applied for H1B/H4 extension via my company. I got my H1B extension approved, this should have valid new I-94 (still waiting for my online I-94 to reflect in system).
But for my wife, still no response, so will wait for 2-3 months, if no response, then we need to go out of country and come back. I read, it take 14-18 months for H4 to get renewed.
We can not stay more than 6 months from the date of expiry of I-94. So, have to go out of country and come back before 6 months.
I hear going to Canada and Mexico would be best bet. For Canada, we need to get Visa, but for Mexico, if you have valid H1b, it should be enough (no need to take Mexico visa).
I hear ppl, saying they waited for 3-7hrs in the queue in Mexico SanDiego or San Ysidro border, so only trying to take a chance by applying renewal (even though H4 is going to take more time).
Hi Deepika,
To which border cbp office you went to. Is it San ysidro or Otay mesaā¦
Plz advice
I went to Otay Mesa, it was quicker and easier
Oh thank you Deepika for the quick reply. So, did u directly crossed the border or did u check with any officer at blue or yellow building everyone is talking about. Little bit confused between west, east and all these color buildings. Where to go first since west is closed.Is there any guide signs where is the border