I-94 and immigration-status glossary

Whether you continue meeting the conditions of your nonimmigrant category.

Complying with classification conditions; a subset of authorized stay.

Violation of classification conditions; ≠ automatic UP accrual.

The §212(a)(9)(B) primary anchor; UP does not accrue during this period.

Accrues in real time in-country; settles into a 3/10-year bar upon departure.

Past the I-94 admit-until date; triggers §222(g) visa voidance.

The event that settles accrued UP into a 3 / 10-year bar.

Triggered by overstay; visa is void and (usually) must be reapplied for at a consulate in the country of nationality. Decoupled from UP / bar.

INA §212(a)(9)(B); single continuous UP; activates on departure.

INA §212(a)(9)(C); aggregate UP > 1 year + later reentry/attempt without admission.

CBP's arrival record holding class of admission and admit-until date.

The last day of authorized stay on this I-94; after midnight it ends.

The nonimmigrant class code on I-94: B2, F1, H1B, L2, etc.

No fixed end date on I-94; valid while classification conditions are met. Common for F, J, I. In a high-volatility rulemaking window.

The passport sticker used to apply for entry; does not itself decide length of stay.

Form used by nonimmigrants (including dependents) for EOS/COS.

Employer petition for nonimmigrant workers and their extensions.

Filed before I-94 expires to continue in the same status.

Move from one nonimmigrant status to another while inside the U.S.

CBP post-entry service for correction/inspection, often used to fix I-94 errors.

Government system tracking F, M, J status.

Work authorization for F-1 students under specific rules.

Narrow F-1 to H-1B bridging rule. Does NOT apply to B-2, H-4, L-2.

Limited buffer after status ends; varies by category.

Federal agency that inspects entries and issues I-94s.

Adjudicates most immigration and nonimmigrant applications.

Enforcement; also runs SEVP.