Immigration Information & Definitions
Non-immigrant
A nonimmigrant is any alien whose reason for coming to the United States involves a temporary stay that will end when its purpose has been accomplished. Nonimmigrant visas are issued in accordance with provisions of Section 101(a)(15) of the Immigration and Nationality Act, as amended. Most students receive F-1 visas and enter the U.S. in F-1 status to pursue a full course of study in an academic institution or to engage in language training.
Immigration Documents
Much confusion exists over certain basic concepts and processes of immigration. The visa and the arrival-departure card (I-94) have meaning and importance.
Visa
A visa to enter the U.S. as a nonimmigrant is a stamped entry on a page
of the passport. It enables the passport's bearer to request the immigration
officer at the port of entry to grant him admission to the U.S. under
conditions specified for the type of visa the bearer holds. 
This document does not guarantee entry since the alien must pass through inspection and show that he/she still qualifies within the status prescribed by the visa. Visa stamps cannot be obtained within the United States. Application for a new stamp must be made in person at a United States consulate or embassy outside the United States. The validity period of your visa stamp does not determine the length of time you may remain in the United States after you enter. Once entry is made, the visa is no longer of importance. How long the person remains in the United States is determined by the inspecting officer at the point of entry and is endorsed on the arrival-departure card.
There is very often confusion between the term "visa," which gives a person permission to apply for entry to the U.S. , and the terms "Arrival-Departure Record," "I-94," or "permission to stay." The latter term refers to a person's permission to stay and it must be kept valid.
Confusion also surrounds the term "visa" and "status." The "visa" is stamped in the alien's passport and is used for entering the U.S. ; the alien is said to be in a particular immigration "status" once in the U.S. But the type of visa stamped in the passport may not be the same as the status in which the alien is in the U.S. An alien may enter the country with one type of visa (e.g., B-2 visitor) and subsequently have his "status" changed to another one, such as F-1 student. This change will be noted on the Form I-94 of the alien, who will then be in "F-1 status" even though the visa stamped in his/her passport is a B-2 visa. He /she will have one type of visa and a different type of status.
Arrival-Departure Card (I-94)
This 3 by 5 inch white card contains basic biographical information about
the alien along with the symbol of the status in which entry was allowed
and the date to which such status was granted. On departure from the United
States, the card is given to the airline. 
This document is extremely important for anyone who must make a judgment on the credentials of the alien. Finally, the date given on this card provides the means to determine whether a given individual is "in status" or "out of status" and subject to deportation. The eleven digit number in the upper left corner is called the Admission number.
Replacing Lost I-94
A. When to apply
You must apply to the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) to replace a Form I-94 when you have lost or misplaced the form or when it has become mutilated or destroyed. Sometimes it is advisable to do so when this form has not been returned to you by USCIS after a period of six months or more has passed since you submitted it to USCIS with an application for some immigration benefit. Consult OIE for advice on such matters.
B. Procedures
- Come to the OIE and discuss with a staff member the loss or disappearance of the Form I-94. The staff member will assist you with the procedures in applying for a replacement form.
- If it is agreed that you should apply for a replacement form, submit
the following documents to the USCIS office in Kansas City (OIE will
mail them for you).
- Completed form I-102 (available from the OIE) with an explanation of the circumstances of the loss of the form. Attach a photocopy of the lost form if you have one. Your admission number from your Form I-20 student copy is always required. You should have that number written on the visa page of your passport, and the number should also be recorded in the OIE files if you have given it to them.
- Your check or money order (not cash) for $155 payable to the USCIS. If USCIS has lost your form, then you need not submit the fee, but you must attach an explanation of how USCIS has lost it and why you are not attaching the required fee.
C. Action by USCIS
USCIS will trace their records and will either find your lost Form I-94 (if they have lost it) or will issue a new form to you. USCIS will return the form to you at the address indicated by you on the Form I-102 you submitted to request the replacement. This procedure takes time, and it may be several months before a new Form I-94 is issued.
Correcting I-94's with mistakes
If you notice that a mistake was made on your I-94 at the Port of Entry, you need to follow this procedure. Make an appointment to meet with a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer by calling (816) 243-3682. You will meet the officer at Gate 90, Terminal C at MCI (sometimes called KCI) airport in Missouri. You must make an appointment! Walk-ins will not receive service.
Visa Classification Symbols on Form I-94
A-1 Ambassador, public minister, consular officer or career diplomat, and members of immediate family.
A-2 Other foreign government official or employee, and members of immediate family.
A-3 Attendant, servant, or personal employee of alien classified A-1
or A-2, and members of
immediate family.
B-1 Temporary visitor for business.
B-2 Temporary visitor for pleasure.
C-1 Alien in transit.
C-2 Alien in transit to United Nations Headquarters District under Section 11(3), (4), or (5) of Headquarters Agreement.
D-1 Crewman (seaman or airman).
E-1 Treaty trader, spouse and children.
E-2 Treaty investor, spouse and children.
F-1 Student in academic or language program.
F-2 Spouse or child of student in academic or language program.
G-1 Principal resident representative of recognized foreign member government to international organization, his staff, and members of immediate family.
H-1 Temporary worker of distinguished merit and ability.
H-2 Temporary worker performing services unavailable in U.S.
H-3 Trainee status
H-4 Spouse or child of alien classified H-1, H-2, or H-3.
I Representative of foreign information media, spouse and children.
J-1 Exchange visitor.
J-2 Spouse or child of exchange visitor.
K-1 Fiancée or fiancé of U.S. citizen.
L-1 Intra-company transferee.
M-1 Student in vocational or other recognized nonacademic institution.
M-2 Spouse or child of M-1 status person.
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Last Updated July 31, 2007