Chapter 06 · Topic 06.1 · Visitor
Verified fact: the electronic I-94 on CBP's official site, i94.cbp.dhs.gov, is the record of your admission: Get Most Recent I-94 returns the class of admission and the Admit Until date that governs how long you may lawfully stay, and the site also serves your five-year travel history. That Admit Until date, set at inspection, is the legal clock; it is not the 182-day tax rhythm, not an automatic six months, and not whatever the airline told you. Source: i94.cbp.dhs.gov, official CBP I-94 site, consulted June 11, 2026.
I-94: why to verify your exit date
The I-94 is the electronic CBP record that sets your mandatory exit date. For a Canadian-citizen: auto at air entry, on request at land POE. It, not the stamp, controls. Verify at i94.cbp.dhs.gov.
Direct answer · 60-second summary
The 60-second version
The I-94 is the electronic arrival/departure record kept by CBP for every nonimmigrant admitted to the US. For a Canadian-citizen without a visa, the I-94 is created automatically at air entry (free) or on request at land entry ($6 USD). It's the I-94, not the passport stamp, that controls the mandatory exit date ("Admit Until Date"). Checking the I-94 after each entry is a practical obligation to avoid overstay.
- Verify online at i94.cbp.dhs.gov free.
- Stamp ≠ I-94: the stamp date may differ.
- Overstaying I-94 = unlawful presence, possible 3/10-year ban.
- Air auto, land on request at POE.
Acronyms used in this guide
- I-94: Arrival/Departure record kept by CBP for nonimmigrants
- CBP: U.S. Customs and Border Protection
- POE: Port of Entry
- INA: Immigration and Nationality Act
- USCIS: U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services
- SPT: Substantial Presence Test (IRC §7701(b))
- TN: Treaty NAFTA / USMCA Professional
- B-1: Business visitor
- B-2: Pleasure / tourism visitor
How to check your I-94 online
- Go to i94.cbp.dhs.gov
- Click "Get Most Recent I-94."
- Enter first name, last name, date of birth, passport number, country of issuance.
- Check the result: I-94 number, arrival date, class of admission ("WB" business, "WT" tourism for Canadian, "TN," "B-1," "B-2"), "Admit Until Date."
- Print or save as PDF.
Also available: 5-year travel history via "Get Travel History." Useful for calculating days of presence (SPT 183 days).
Air vs land: differences
Air entry (plane)
The I-94 is auto-created by CBP. No paper handed over; everything is electronic. You see your admission at passport scan time.
Land entry (car, bus, train)
The I-94 is not auto-created. If the CBP officer waves you through without issuing one, you're admitted as a "day visitor" (until sunset or same-day return). For a longer stay, explicitly request: "I would like an I-94 issued, please. I plan to stay X weeks." Fee $6 USD (card or cash by POE).
For a snowbird returning to Florida by car, requesting an I-94 is essential, otherwise, you risk having to leave after a few days.
Passport stamp vs I-94: which prevails?
Many CBP officers apply a passport stamp with a hand-written date (often up to 6 months). The stamp is not the official authority. The electronic I-94 prevails.
If a discrepancy exists (stamp says 6 months but I-94 says 3 months, for example), the I-94 applies. In that case:
- Print the electronic I-94 as evidence.
- Contact a CBP Deferred Inspection Office to correct.
- Avoid planning beyond the I-94 date.
Consequences of overstay
Staying in the US beyond the I-94 "Admit Until" date = unlawful presence. Cumulative consequences by duration:
| Overstay duration | Consequence |
|---|---|
| < 180 days | No automatic ban, but I-94 is voided. Future re-entry scrutinized. |
| 180 days: 1 year | 3-year ban on future entry (INA §212(a)(9)(B)(i)(I)). |
| ≥ 1 year | 10-year ban (INA §212(a)(9)(B)(i)(II)). |
For a snowbird who overstays a few days inadvertently: the CBP officer at next entry may refuse, demand explanations, or even ban. Always leave before the I-94 date.
Practical cases
Case 1: snowbird returning 1 week later than planned
If I-94 says March 31 and he returns April 7: 7 days overstay. No automatic ban (< 180 days), but flagged in the system. At next trip, bring documentation explaining the delay (weather, medical, etc.).
Case 2: Canadian with no I-94 issued at land crossing
No I-94 = day visitor. Legal for quick shopping, illegal if you sleep overnight. If stopped, can be considered "out of status." Always request an I-94 for any stay > 24 h.
Case 3: I-94 and stamp discrepancy
I-94 says May 1, stamp says June 1. The May 1 date applies. Before that date: leave, or contact a Deferred Inspection Office to correct.
Official forms cited (direct links)
Links to the latest known version of each form as of the last review date. Verify that you are using the current version before any filing; this is your responsibility. CanadaFlorida.com is not responsible for how you use these links.
- CBP: I-94 Lookup (verify I-94 + Travel History). https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov
- CBP: Deferred Inspection Sites. https://www.cbp.gov/contact/ports/deferred-inspection-sites
- INA §212(a)(9)(B): Unlawful presence (Cornell). https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/8/1182
- CBP: Travel for Canadian Citizens. https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/canadian-and-mexican-citizens
A worked example: the land-exit that never registered, 2026
Réjean drives home to Granby on March 28, inside his admission period. In May, planning a summer wedding trip, he pulls his I-94 travel history and finds no March departure recorded: land exits have historically been captured less completely than air departures, where carrier manifests do the work. Because he kept his toll receipts, his Canadian fuel card statements, and the CBSA stamp question is answerable by his phone's location records if it ever matters, he can document the exit if a future officer asks about an apparent overstay. Typical range: checking the I-94 site after each trip costs nothing and takes minutes; the paper trail (boarding passes, receipts, statements from the first days back) is the standard self-defence kit recommended in cross-border practice, June 2026 reading.
Opinion: treat the I-94 lookup as part of leaving Florida, like emptying the fridge: two minutes on the official site after each return, and any recording gap becomes a documented non-event instead of a frontier surprise years later.
Who records what
| Movement | U.S. side (CBP) | Canada side (CBSA) |
|---|---|---|
| Air departures from the U.S. | Captured via carrier manifests into the I-94 history | Arrival into Canada recorded by CBSA |
| Land exits to Canada | Historically captured less completely; entry-into-Canada data sharing helps fill it | Your CBSA entry record is itself evidence of leaving the U.S. |
| The legal stay clock | Admit Until date on the I-94 at i94.cbp.dhs.gov | No role |
Common mistakes
- Confusing the tax count with the immigration clock. The 182-day arithmetic is tax (run the SPT calculator); Admit Until is law. Two clocks, two consequences.
- Never checking the record. The lookup is free and instant; an unnoticed gap ages badly at the next inspection.
- Assuming the land exit registered. Verify after each season; keep exit-day evidence until the history shows the departure.
- Believing six months is automatic. The officer sets the period at inspection; shorter admissions happen, and the I-94 is where you learn yours.
- Tossing the paper trail. Receipts and statements from the first days home are cheap insurance against a recording gap.
The exit-date checklist
- Pull Get Most Recent I-94 after every U.S. entry; note the Admit Until date.
- Calendar a reminder a month before Admit Until.
- After each return to Canada, check the travel history for the departure.
- If absent, file the exit-day evidence (passes, receipts, statements) with the season's papers.
- Keep immigration (Admit Until) and tax (weighted days) trackers separate and both current.
Frequently asked questions
Where do I find my official exit and entry record?
On CBP's site i94.cbp.dhs.gov: most recent I-94, Admit Until date, and five years of travel history, free.
My land departure is missing. Am I in trouble?
Recording gaps for land exits are a known pattern, not an accusation; documented proof of your return (CBSA entry, receipts) resolves it. Keep the evidence until the history updates.
Is my stay limit always 180 or 182 days?
No: the Admit Until date set at inspection is your limit. Six months is common for Canadian visitors, never guaranteed, and only the I-94 tells you yours.
Does the I-94 date change my tax day-count?
No: the substantial presence formula counts physical days regardless of immigration status; the site's SPT calculator handles that ledger.
Every figure, rate, threshold, and deadline in this guide is drawn from a verifiable primary source listed at the bottom of the page. The article is updated whenever the underlying rules change, with a fresh review date stamped at the top.
Sources and references
Public sources verified as of the last review date.
Disclaimer
This guide is for educational purpose only. Figures, rates, thresholds, timelines and rules are drawn from public sources at the date shown and may change.
For any concrete decision, consult a licensed US immigration attorney and a cross-border tax attorney.