Form I-102: Replacing or Correcting an I-94 Issued by USCIS, and When CBP Is the Right Office
Before you pay USCIS $560, check who issued the I-94 in your hands, because the right office, the form and the fee all depend on that one detail.
Part of our guide to the I-94 record.
Form I-102 is the USCIS application to replace or correct an I-94 that USCIS issued, most often the I-94 printed at the bottom of an I-797A approval for an extension or change of status. It also replaces a lost, stolen or damaged paper I-94 and is how you request one you were never given at entry. As of November 1, 2026 it costs $560 plus a separate $24 I-94 fee, and USCIS lists a $0 filing fee when it made the error (fee schedule G-1055, edition 10/26/26, in effect). If CBP issued your I-94 at an airport, skip the I-102: print it free from CBP, and take a CBP error to a deferred inspection site.
Status as of 2026-11-01. USCIS accepts the 04/01/24 edition of Form I-102, and its I-102 page lists only mail filing to a lockbox. The form's filing locations changed on 2026-10-07 (in effect); a package sent to an old address is accepted only if postmarked on or before Monday, 2026-11-09. Since 2025-10-28 fees are paid by card (Form G-1450) or bank debit (Form G-1650) unless you qualify for the Form G-1651 paper-payment exemption.
What is Form I-102, and when do you need it?
Form I-102, Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document, is how you ask USCIS for a new I-94 when CBP's website cannot give you one. Use it to replace a lost, stolen or mutilated I-94, to get an I-94 you were never issued at admission, or to correct an I-94 that USCIS itself issued with wrong information. The Form I-102 instructions set the order of operations: "If you cannot obtain the Form I-94 from the CBP website, it may be obtained by filing Form I-102."
The distinction that matters most is who issued your I-94. CBP issues one every time it admits you. USCIS issues one when it approves an extension or change of status for someone already in the US; its Form I-797 types page describes the I-797A as "issued to an applicant as a replacement Form I-94." Our explainer on reading an I-797A versus an I-797B shows where that I-94 sits on the notice.
CBP or USCIS: which office fixes your I-94?
Match your problem to the agency that created the record: CBP fixes what it issued at the port of entry, and USCIS, through Form I-102, fixes what it issued with an approval. USCIS's Form I-102 page is explicit: "If U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) issued your Form I-94, Form I-94W, or Form I-95 with incorrect information (for example, a misspelled name, incorrect date of birth, visa classification, or date of admission), do not file Form I-102."
Table: I-94 problems and the office that handles each, as of 2026-11 (fees from G-1055 edition 10/26/26)
| Your situation | Who issued the I-94 | Where it goes | Fee |
|---|---|---|---|
| Need a copy of an electronic I-94 from an airport or seaport entry | CBP | Print it from the CBP I-94 website | Free |
| Wrong class, name, birth date or admit-until date recorded at entry | CBP | A CBP deferred inspection site or CBP office at an international airport | No I-102, no USCIS fee |
| Error on the I-94 attached to your I-797A that USCIS made | USCIS | Form I-102, Part 2 box 1.f | $0 filing fee (check the $24, below) |
| Lost, stolen or damaged I-797A tear-off, and no trip abroad since | USCIS | Form I-102, box 1.a (lost or stolen) or 1.c (mutilated) | $560 plus $24 |
| I-797A tear-off lost, but you travelled and were readmitted after it | CBP (newer record) | Print the newer record from CBP | Free |
| Never issued an I-94 when admitted at a port of entry | CBP did not issue one | Form I-102, box 1.e, after checking the CBP site | $560 plus $24 |
| USCIS-issued I-94 wrong because of information you or your employer filed | USCIS | Ask the attorney on the case first (see below) | Not the $0 category |
Can I print a new I-94 from the CBP website instead?
Yes, if CBP issued your I-94 electronically when you were admitted at an airport or seaport. USCIS's instructions send you to CBP first and say "This service is free." Our guide to downloading your most recent I-94 explains why the site may still show an older entry after a USCIS approval. If it returns nothing, work through the common reasons CBP says no record was found before you pay for an I-102.
What counts as a CBP error, and how CBP fixes it
A CBP error is one made at admission: an improper classification, wrong biographical details or an incorrect period of admission. CBP's Deferred Inspection Sites page (modified 2026-10-27) sets two limits: "Mail-in procedures are generally not available. The Deferred Inspection Sites will only correct errors made at the time of entry." Some guides describe mailing a correction to CBP; CBP says that route is generally unavailable, though many sites list an email address for requests. Any designated site or CBP office at an international airport "should be able to assist you, regardless of where the actual document was issued." Our guide to fixing an I-94 error with CBP covers what to bring.
How do I replace the I-94 attached to my I-797A?
Start with one question: have you left the US since USCIS approved the case? Every readmission creates a new CBP I-94 that replaces the tear-off, so the answer decides whether there is anything to replace.
If you have not left the US since the approval
The tear-off is your current arrival-departure record. Before you file, tell your employer's immigration attorney or HR what you need the I-94 for; they decide what they will accept in the meantime. The formal replacement is Form I-102, box 1.a (lost or stolen) or box 1.c (mutilated, with the damaged original attached). For a lost or stolen I-94, the instructions ask for copies of your passport biographic page and the page showing your admission, or other evidence of admission. If it was stolen, add the police report, or an explanation of why there is none.
If you travelled after the approval
The I-94 that CBP created at your latest entry superseded the tear-off, so print it from CBP for free; USCIS and employers ask for your most recent I-94. If you need the approval notice itself rather than the I-94, that is a different form; see our guide to replacing a lost I-797 approval notice.
If you are also filing an extension
You can file an I-102 together with another application, and Part 3 of the form asks whether you are. USCIS's I-102 filing-address page says a combined filing goes to "the filing location of the other form." That matters for an extension or change of status on Form I-539, such as an H-4 extension, because the I-539 asks for your I-94 number and the date your stay expires.
Error on an I-94 attached to an I-797A: what if USCIS made it?
If USCIS printed the wrong information on the I-94 it issued, the fix is Form I-102 with Part 2 box 1.f selected, and G-1055 lists the filing fee for that category as $0. You attach the I-94 that contains the error, a statement you sign and date that names exactly what is wrong, and evidence of the correct information, such as your passport biographic page.
USCIS's page on correcting or replacing immigration documents sends a USCIS-issued I-94 with a USCIS error to Form I-102 and says that for USCIS errors "you generally must file a new form, but not pay a new fee." If the approval notice text is also wrong, the USCIS Contact Center page points USCIS-error mistakes on a "document or notice" to its e-Request tool; ask your attorney whether you need both.
One fee point to check: the G-1055 row for a USCIS error shows $0 and, unlike the military row, adds no $24. Yet the $24 applies when you are "requesting a replacement or initial I-94," and G-1055's general note says Pub. L. 119-21 fees are owed even when a form has no filing fee. That is our reading of an ambiguous table, so confirm with the Contact Center or your attorney before deciding whether to include the $24.
When the mistake traces back to your own filing
Compare the wrong I-94 with what was filed. If your I-539 or your employer's I-129 carried the wrong birth date, USCIS copied your error, and the $0 category is only for "replacement for USCIS error." The fix may be a fee-paid I-102 or a corrected or amended petition; that choice belongs to a licensed immigration attorney.
How much does Form I-102 cost?
As of November 1, 2026, the general filing fee is $560, plus a separate $24 I-94 fee to replace or request an I-94. G-1055 (edition 10/26/26, in effect) says Pub. L. 119-21 fees "are not waivable and must be paid by separate payment concurrent with any filing fee."
Table: Form I-102 fees by Part 2 reason, as of 2026-11 (G-1055)
| Reason (Part 2 box) | Filing fee | Separate I-94 fee |
|---|---|---|
| Replace a lost, stolen or mutilated I-94 (1.a, 1.c) | $560 | $24 |
| Initial I-94 not issued at a port of entry (1.e) | $560 | $24 |
| Replace a lost, stolen or mutilated I-94W (1.a, 1.c) or I-95 (1.b, 1.d) | $560 | None |
| Correct an I-94 USCIS issued with a USCIS error (1.f) | $0 | Not printed on this row; confirm |
| Initial I-94 for a nonimmigrant member of the US armed forces, NATO or Partnership for Peace (1.g) | $0 | $24 |
| Print an electronic CBP I-94 (no I-102 needed) | Free | None |
Pay by card with Form G-1450 or by bank debit with Form G-1650; since 2025-10-28 only filers who qualify for the G-1651 exemption may pay by check or money order. Keep the $24 as its own payment, not folded into the $560.
Where to file Form I-102 after the October 7, 2026 change
File by mail at the USCIS lockbox for your state. On the I-102 filing-address page (updated 2026-10-07), Dallas covers states such as Texas, Florida, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania; Phoenix covers states such as California, Washington, Illinois, Michigan and Arizona. Military filers under box 1.g get instructions from their foreign commander. Copy the exact address on the day you mail.
The I-102 is on USCIS's filing-location updates page: "We will provide a 30-day grace period and accept forms postmarked on or before Nov. 9, 2026, that are sent to any prior filing location." After that, only the new address works. If you file with another form, check that form's page too.
How to file Form I-102, step by step
- Confirm who issued your current I-94: look it up on the CBP I-94 website and compare it with the tear-off on your I-797A.
- Download the 04/01/24 edition of Form I-102 and its instructions from the USCIS I-102 page; do not mix pages from different editions.
- Select the one Part 2 box (1.a to 1.g) that matches your reason.
- Gather a copy of a government-issued ID showing your legal name and birth date, the evidence for your box, and certified English translations of any foreign-language documents.
- Answer Part 3 (filing with another form? in removal proceedings?). You need a US address to file.
- Sign Part 4 by hand; USCIS rejects an unsigned application and does not accept a stamped or typed name.
- Pay the $560 with Form G-1450 or G-1650 and the $24 separately; for box 1.f, settle the $24 question before you mail.
- Clip Form G-1145 to the first page if you want an email or text when the lockbox accepts the package.
- Mail the package to your state's lockbox (or the other form's location) and keep a full copy.
- Track the case: USCIS may ask for more evidence or call you to an interview with biometrics, and it decides in writing. Check the live USCIS processing-times tool rather than anyone's estimate.
Send complete evidence the first time. USCIS policy alert PA-2026-05, in effect since 2026-08-05 and challenged in AAUP v. Mullin, lets USCIS deny a benefit request without first sending a request for evidence.
A worked example: a USCIS typo on an H-1B I-797A
An illustration with an invented person: Meera moved from F-1 STEM OPT to H-1B by change of status; her I-797A arrived in September with a tear-off I-94. She lives in Washington and has not left the US since.
Table: Illustrative timeline for a USCIS-error correction, using real 2026 dates
| Date | What happens | Who decides |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-10-01 | H-1B status begins on the petition start date | Already approved |
| 2026-10-29 | HR's I-9 update flags the I-94 birth year as 1996; her passport says 1997 | HR raises it |
| 2026-10-30 | She compares the I-94 with the filed I-129, which says 1997, so the error is USCIS's | Meera and her attorney |
| 2026-11-03 | The attorney confirms Form I-102, box 1.f, and whether to include the separate $24; no CBP visit, since CBP did not issue this I-94 | Attorney |
| 2026-11-05 | She mails the I-102, the tear-off, a signed and dated statement, her passport biographic page and the I-129 page to the Phoenix lockbox (Washington is a Phoenix state) | Meera |
| Later | Receipt, any request for evidence, then a written decision | USCIS |
Had the I-129 itself listed 1996, the error would have been the petition's, and the attorney would have weighed a fee-paid filing or an amended petition instead.
Common misconception, then correction. "My F-1 I-94 says D/S, so it must be wrong under DHS's fixed-date rule." Not as of 2026-11-01: that rule has been blocked by a federal court since 2026-09-14, with DHS's appeal pending (docket). D/S on an F-1 I-94 is not an error.
Who to ask before you file
Ask your DSO when the I-94 touches F-1, OPT or SEVIS, such as a wrong class of admission on a student record. Ask a licensed immigration attorney, usually the one who filed the petition, about anything tied to an H-1B, H-4, L-1 or other petition, and whenever you are unsure whose error it is. Your own I-94, I-20 and approval notice govern over anything published here.
Common mistakes
- Filing an I-102 for a CBP error. USCIS tells you not to; CBP corrects what it recorded at entry.
- Paying $560 for a record you can print free from the CBP website.
- Replacing a superseded tear-off. If you were readmitted after the I-797A, the newer CBP record is your current I-94.
- Combining the $24 with the filing fee, or sending a check without the G-1651 exemption.
- Mailing to the old address after 2026-11-09.
- Calling a short I-94 an error. An I-94 that ends early because your passport expires sooner is usually not a mistake; see our guide to an I-94 shorter than the I-797.
- Sending originals USCIS did not ask for. The instructions say USCIS may destroy them; keep a full copy of everything.
Frequently asked questions
When do I need Form I-102?
You need Form I-102 when the CBP website cannot give you the I-94 you need. That covers a lost, stolen or damaged USCIS-issued I-94 such as the tear-off on an I-797A, an I-94 you were never issued at a port of entry, and an I-94 that USCIS issued with wrong information. As of November 1, 2026, an error CBP made at entry goes to CBP, not to an I-102.
How do I replace the I-94 attached to my I-797A?
First check whether you have left the US since the approval. If you have, the I-94 CBP created at your latest entry replaced the tear-off, and you can print that record free from the CBP I-94 website. If you have not, the replacement route is Form I-102 with USCIS, which costs $560 plus a separate $24 I-94 fee as of November 1, 2026.
Can I print a new I-94 from the CBP website instead?
Yes, if CBP issued it electronically when you were admitted at an airport or seaport. USCIS's I-102 instructions send those travelers to the CBP website first and say the service is free. If the website cannot produce the record you need, such as the tear-off I-94 on an I-797A, Form I-102 is the route.
How much does Form I-102 cost and where do I file it?
Under fee schedule G-1055 (edition 10/26/26), Form I-102 costs $560 plus a separate, non-waivable $24 I-94 fee. For a USCIS error (box 1.f) it lists a $0 filing fee, but it is unclear whether the $24 still applies, so confirm first. You mail the form to the USCIS Dallas or Phoenix lockbox for your state. USCIS changed the address on October 7, 2026 and accepts the old one only if the package is postmarked on or before November 9, 2026.
What if USCIS made the error on my I-94?
File Form I-102, select Part 2 box 1.f, and attach the I-94 that contains the error, a signed and dated statement naming what is wrong, and evidence of the correct information. As of November 1, 2026, G-1055 lists a $0 filing fee for a USCIS error but does not say clearly whether the separate $24 I-94 fee applies, so confirm before you mail. If the wrong detail came from your own or your employer's filing, it is not a USCIS error, so ask the attorney on the case which route applies.
Sources
- USCIS, Form I-102 page (reviewed/updated 2026-10-07) and Form I-102 instructions, edition 04/01/24
- USCIS, Direct filing addresses for Form I-102 and filing-location updates
- USCIS, Fee schedule G-1055 (edition 10/26/26)
- USCIS, Immigration documents and how to correct, update or replace them and Contact Center
- USCIS, Form I-797 types and functions and PA-2026-05
- CBP, Deferred Inspection Sites and the I-94 website
- CourtListener, D/S rule docket
How we checked this: we read the USCIS Form I-102 page and filing-address page, the I-102 form and instructions (edition 04/01/24), fee schedule G-1055 (edition 10/26/26), USCIS's correction, filing-location and Contact Center pages, and CBP's Deferred Inspection Sites page on 2026-11-01, and rechecked the fees, box numbers and addresses on 2026-11-02.
This is general information, not legal or tax advice; your own I-94, I-20 and approval notice, and your DSO or immigration attorney, govern your situation.
Once your I-94 is in order and your attention is back on finding a role with sponsorship, F1Jobs helps international candidates on F-1, OPT and H-1B run a focused search for employers that sponsor.
Frequently asked questions
When do I need Form I-102?
You need Form I-102 when the CBP website cannot give you the I-94 you need. That covers a lost, stolen or damaged USCIS-issued I-94 such as the tear-off on an I-797A, an I-94 you were never issued at a port of entry, and an I-94 that USCIS issued with wrong information. As of November 1, 2026, an error CBP made at entry goes to CBP, not to an I-102.
How do I replace the I-94 attached to my I-797A?
First check whether you have left the US since the approval. If you have, the I-94 CBP created at your latest entry replaced the tear-off, and you can print that record free from the CBP I-94 website. If you have not, the replacement route is Form I-102 with USCIS, which costs $560 plus a separate $24 I-94 fee as of November 1, 2026.
Can I print a new I-94 from the CBP website instead?
Yes, if CBP issued it electronically when you were admitted at an airport or seaport. USCIS's I-102 instructions send those travelers to the CBP website first and say the service is free. If the website cannot produce the record you need, such as the tear-off I-94 on an I-797A, Form I-102 is the route.
How much does Form I-102 cost and where do I file it?
Under fee schedule G-1055 (edition 10/26/26), Form I-102 costs $560 plus a separate, non-waivable $24 I-94 fee. For a USCIS error (box 1.f) it lists a $0 filing fee, but it is unclear whether the $24 still applies, so confirm first. You mail the form to the USCIS Dallas or Phoenix lockbox for your state. USCIS changed the address on October 7, 2026 and accepts the old one only if the package is postmarked on or before November 9, 2026.
What if USCIS made the error on my I-94?
File Form I-102, select Part 2 box 1.f, and attach the I-94 that contains the error, a signed and dated statement naming what is wrong, and evidence of the correct information. As of November 1, 2026, G-1055 lists a $0 filing fee for a USCIS error but does not say clearly whether the separate $24 I-94 fee applies, so confirm before you mail. If the wrong detail came from your own or your employer's filing, it is not a USCIS error, so ask the attorney on the case which route applies.