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I am a UK passport holder currently living in Canada. I recently visited Alaska and travelled via air and was issued an electronic I94. The I94 website shows that my I94 has an admit until date that's valid for another 2 months.

Now I'm looking to enter the US via a land border (rail). Last time I did this trip I was issued a paper I94 which I returned to the CBSA officer upon my re-entry to Canada.

I have a couple of questions:

  1. Is my electronic I94 still valid for entry via a land border?
  2. If I use my electronic I94 for entry, how do I prove that I have exited the USA if there is no record of my departure?
AlexM
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  • What's your status in Canada? Permanent resident? Work visa? – DJClayworth May 15 '17 at 18:37
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    To eliminate any confusion with your status, I would explain to CBP at the entry on your coming trip. I am of the opinion you will be issued a new I-94 since you live (legally) in Canada and hence your return to Canada was not a short trip as covered in the typical Visa Waiver short trip to Canada sense. Canada shares information with the USA so they should have information about you having entered Canada last time and hence simultaneously left the USA. The two systems may not be communicating in real time. – Augustine of Hippo May 15 '17 at 18:48
  • @SheikPaulofOsawatomie my understanding (based mainly on reality TV shows, but I don't have time to look up the link for the YouTube video just now) is that VWP nationals resident in Canada generally reuse their existing I-94 until it expires. I suppose the exception would be a case where the I-94 expires during the stay in the US; in that case the traveler should point this out to the officer when applying for entry and explicitly request a new I-94. – phoog May 15 '17 at 18:51
  • @phoog It could well be the case however since he/she will be meeting a CBP officer on their way here anyway, it doesn't hurt to seek an opinion from them out of an abundance of caution. – Augustine of Hippo May 15 '17 at 18:58
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    @SheikPaulofOsawatomie yes, absolutely. After thinking about it some more, I wonder whether the traveler actually has a valid I-94 (because the paper I-94 may have cancelled the earlier electronic I-94, and the paper I-94 has been returned). Regardless, any problems inherent in the situation are purely bureaucratic and as long as the traveler explains everything at the border, the officer should be able to handle the bureaucracy correctly. – phoog May 15 '17 at 19:13
  • Thanks for the opinions so far! I'm assuming the most straightforward option is to ensure that CBSA actually stamp my passport upon re-entry (which was not the case on my last entry into Canada via rail). – AlexM May 16 '17 at 05:54
  • @DJClayworth I am currently living in Canada under a work permit – AlexM May 16 '17 at 05:59

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