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What to do if…
you cannot prove lawful entry because an arrival card, record, or passport stamp is missing

Produced and maintained by PanicStation.org Published: Last reviewed: Editorial policy USA guide

Short answer

Preserve the travel documents you still have and check the official CBP I-94 website using the passport or travel document from the entry in question. If no usable record appears, follow the appropriate CBP or USCIS route promptly and get qualified immigration help before traveling or making a high-stakes filing.

Do not do these things

  • Do not alter a passport, add a stamp, create an arrival record, or submit evidence that is not genuine.
  • Do not guess an entry date, port, admission category, or authorized-stay date when accuracy matters.
  • Do not assume that a visa, airline booking, or boarding pass proves admission by itself.
  • Do not assume that a missing paper card or passport stamp means the entry was unlawful.
  • Do not send an original passport or irreplaceable document unless an authorized office specifically requires it and you understand how it will be returned.
  • Do not leave and attempt to re-enter the United States solely to create a new record without case-specific immigration advice.
  • Do not miss an immigration, court, employment, benefits, or agency deadline while searching for evidence.
  • Do not rely on immigration legal advice from someone who cannot identify themselves as a licensed attorney or an authorized accredited representative.

What to do now

  1. Write down what you can confirm about the entry: the date, approximate time, airport, seaport, or land crossing, carrier or vehicle, passport or travel document used, visa or admission category presented, and the name shown on the booking.
  2. If you may have been issued a Form I-94, search for the most recent record on the official CBP I-94 website. Enter your name, date of birth, document number, and country of citizenship exactly as they appeared on the document used for that entry, including every listed given name and surname.
  3. Use the number from the passport or travel document presented at entry, even if that document has since expired or been replaced. Keep the current and previous documents available while searching.
  4. If a record appears, download or print an unedited copy. Check the arrival date, class of admission, and admit-until date before giving it to anyone.
  5. Gather copies of any supporting material already in your possession, including relevant passport pages, visas, boarding passes, itineraries, airline receipts, baggage tags, entry paperwork, and dated records connected to the journey. Keep the originals safe.
  6. If the I-94 appears but contains an error made when CBP admitted you, contact the nearest CBP Deferred Inspection Site. Ask how that office accepts correction requests and what documents it requires, because procedures vary by location.
  7. If the I-94 or travel history cannot be retrieved after checking the details carefully, review CBP guidance for records that are not found. A CBP Freedom of Information Act request for your own international travel or inspection records may be necessary.
  8. If USCIS issued the missing or incorrect I-94, or you need a replacement document that CBP cannot provide, review the current Form I-102 page and instructions before filing. The correct route depends on who created the record and why it is unavailable.
  9. Tell the organization requesting proof, in writing, that the official entry record is unavailable and that you are seeking it from the relevant agency. Ask which alternative documents it will consider and whether it can extend its deadline.
  10. Contact a licensed immigration attorney or a Department of Justice-accredited representative promptly if the issue affects an immigration application, removal proceedings, employment, a close deadline, a disputed manner of entry, or planned international travel.

What can wait

You do not need to reconstruct your entire immigration history, replace your passport, make travel plans, or file several different applications today. First establish which document should exist, which agency created it, and whether the problem is a missing record, an incorrect record, or a request for evidence that can be met another way.

Important reassurance

A missing paper arrival card or passport stamp does not by itself establish that you were not lawfully admitted. For many nonimmigrant admissions, CBP creates an electronic I-94, and paper forms are issued only in limited circumstances.

Scope note

This guide covers immediate steps for locating, preserving, or requesting correction or replacement of entry evidence. Later decisions about immigration filings, legal arguments, travel, or alternative evidence may require specialist help.

Important note

This is general information, not legal advice. The correct evidence and process depend on your immigration category, travel history, manner of entry, the agency that issued the record, and why proof is being requested.

Additional Resources

Closely connected guides that may be useful during the same situation or its immediate aftermath.

About this guide

This guide was produced and is maintained by PanicStation.org using its published editorial process. Official and specialist sources are checked where relevant, and AI-assisted tools may be used for drafting, organisation, and consistency checks. The site operator remains responsible for publication, revision, and removal decisions.

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