May 18, 2008

Requesting a Replacement I-94 Where Original was Misprinted

It appears that sometime around early 2008, CBP received approximately one million I-94 Arrival-Departure cards that were misprinted in that they were missing a digit. An I-94 card should have eleven digits, comprised of nine digits, a space, and then two more digits. For example, an I-94 card might have the number 055167890 11 (eleven digits), but the misprinted cards had numbers such as 55157890 11 (with ten digits).

The misprint has caused problems such as the Social Security Administration refusing to issue, or delaying issuance of, a Social Security number to a person otherwise eligible for enumeration who has an I-94 card with a number short by digit.

CBP reported that the defective I-94 cards have been recalled and replaced. It is unknown how many defective cards have been issued. Calgary Airport in Canada is one port known to have issued some of the defective cards, but there might be others.

A person with a misprinted I-94 card may request that CBP issue a new card through Deferred Inspection or at a Port of Entry.

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