Few things I wanted to share, since I see many guys visiting this page for extending I94. I have been there 2 days back and wanted to share my experience.
Without crossing border and extending I94 is not a process, as per rule that is port of entry and you have to come from Mexico side to extend your I94.
If officer extended any one I94 before, that means they assumed you are coming from Mexico since the line where you waited to go inside that is for travellers who came from Mexico, and since you waiting in the line and they called you they assumed you came from Mexico, they will not know until they will ask you.
If they are asking you from where you coming, then tell truth then only officer can help you to do this right way.
Prepaid fee is always better and will save you lot of time to avoid standing in general waiting line.
Off-course you can try first without crossing border and see what officer is saying.
Be prepared if they asking you to cross border. if you are not well prepared and researched before you may be scared.
In Mexico side once you will come to USA there is big 2 queue it may take couple of hours in line or more, stand in General line not in “Ready for use”
You can cross border just beside the building of Sentry, you can security personnel they will guide you. there is path way through the same building, once you crossed you can not come back from same way, so be prepared.
Mexico side they will stamp in your passport for entry.
Once you reach in USA side officer will ask you some question and allow you to go into I94 lane the same where you waited initially.
So before I94 line there is one more line where they scan your passport for entry and send you in I94 lane.
You can stand in prepaid lane.
Once security call you go inside and get the token by saying you have prepaid and show receipt.
Answer true and correctly if they ask any question,
That’s all friend this is the right way, one of officer told me, if some one extended without seeing stamped entry of Mexico and done they might have done in wrong way.
The same officer asked me to go Mexico and then come back. they can not do if you do not cross the border.
Simply in I94 lane they assume you coming from Mexico so lucky if you not asked to cross border.
Iam in the same situation and planning to do the same. Did you recently did the I94 extension .
Iam planning to go this Friday July 19 2018.
Any advice sugesstions will be great
Thanis
Anand
Thanks to this post from Anil and the comments from others. I was able to get my I-94 updated for me and my wife yesterday(08/27/18) and wanted to share my experience.
Both my wife’s and my I-94 was given only till my Visa validity and not based on I797 and so wanted to get it for a longer period based on I797. My passport was also expiring and so I renewed my passport before getting it updated.
Both of us didn’t have to cross the border and got it updated. They assume that you have crossed the border. Some officers specifically ask to cross the border
Although they have kept the signs for I-94 only 25% of officers know the actual process, so it really depends on your luck if they do it correctly.
My wife’s was updated correctly in the first time since a officer who knows the process was explaining the process to the one entering the data.
My officer was a newbie and was getting assistance for each step and he messed up and I had visit 2 more time later in the day to get it corrected. Apparently he had entered my last name twice and it was not pulling the information in CBP site. Eventually they figured their mistake and corrected it. The primary reason for this is the officer did not give me the printed I-94 card and it took sometime to figure out the mistake
Always get the printed I-94 card so you can validate the information before leaving the office.
Guys, I went to San Ysidro - CA West Port (PedWest) GPS address: 415-499 Virginia Ave, San Diego, CA 92173 right opposite outlet mall @ the border. They do I-94 correction after passport renewal.
Date: 08/25/2018
I went West Port with Pre-Paid I-94 ($6 fee), I-797, Old & New Passport, Address Proof and the Officer didn’t see my documents and asked me to cross the border
I went to cross the Mexico bridge because I already have US Visa on my passport. I try to enter into Mexico border and found the bridge and Mexico guard asked me to turn on US side and I don’t have to go to mexico so I turned onto US side and entered into US port of entry and officer asked me few questions checked my I-797, US visa on passport and asked me to go to I-94 pre-paid line.
Port of entry they are not issuing I-94 and not sure why they asked to circle around the bridge and entered into pre-paid line and again officer asked did you cross the bridge and entered through US port of entry and I said yes and port of entry officer checked my I-797 and US visa on passport asked me to stand on pre-paid line.
Now they checked my documents and issued a new I-94 with I-797 date.
So be prepared to cross the border or if you don’t want to cross the border you can always come back you don’t have to enter into Mexico.
My sons passport and visa H4 expires on Feb 26th 2019.
His previous I 797A approval notice shows validity till Sep 30th 2019, the visa stamp on his passport expires Feb 26th 2019 as his passport also expires same day.
Using his I-797 A can a CBP office near Mexico Border extend his I -94, or the stamp on his old passport takes precedence which has the date as Feb 26th 2019.
What proof does the CBP near Mexico need to extend his I-94. Is it I 797 approval copy or his visa stamp on old passport.
3.If he travels to India after Feb 26th does his current H4 application extension get a abandon status as he is travelling after I -94 expiry.
If we leave USA in next few days, can we go to US embassy and apply get his visa stamped based on his previous I 797 which is until Sep 2019, inspite of having a petition pending here.
Should we leave the country before Feb 26th so that the current petition does not get abandon status.