Customs and Border Protection Inquiries
For General CBP Inquiries:
Call Customer Service Center General Inquiries - 877-CBP-5511
Monday-Friday (8:30am- 5:00pm Eastern Time)
See the CBP Customer Service Center home page [help.cbp.gov] for links to:
- Searchable "Frequently Asked Questions"
- Create an online account to send inquiries to CBP
- Locate a Port of Entry
- Find out estimated Border and Airport wait times
To Correct an I-94:
In cases of CBP error:
Go to the nearest CBP Office (Port of Entry or deferred inspection office) with proof of entry or admission and the Form I-94 and request a new Form I-94 if the CBP error relates to electronic record errors or is related to one of the following fields:
- Name
- Date of Birth
- Passport #
- Visa classification errors
- Status errors on I-94
- Missing stamp on I-20
Note: the following errors cannot be fixed at a local CBP office:
- Port of Entry
- Inspector #
- Country of citizenship
- Admission #
- Carrier
- Flight #
If no I-94 was issued at arrival, contact your local Deferred office to see if CBP can issue one.
In cases of applicant error, e.g. the applicant entered the wrong Date of Birth on the I-94, or if the I-94 is lost/stolen, see next section.
To find the nearest CBP office, see the following CBP web pages:
Practice tip: Call first! Many officers are called out to other duties, even during listed office hours, or they already have full appointments.
To Replace a Lost or Stolen I-94, or Correct Applicant Error on I-94
Lost/stolen I-94s require the individual to file a Form I-102 with fee unless the F-1, J-1, or M-1 is departing the U.S. relatively soon*. To file for a replacement I-94, see Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document on the USCIS Website.
* Note: no I-94 is needed to depart the U.S. - the carrier can issue a departure I-94 at the airport to inform CBP of the individual's departure. The individual should consult with his/her institution or an immigration attorney for more advice.
If the Individual Failed to Turn in the I-94 When Departing
If the individual failed to turn in the I-94 when departing, mail the I-94 to:
DHS - CBP SBU
1084 South Laurel Road
London, KY 40744
To Report Problems at the Port of Entry, or Remove "Flags":
If a student or scholar has repeatedly experienced intensive inspections going through customs and immigration upon entering the United States after foreign travel and would like to have the situation reviewed, s/he may submit a request for redress though the Department of Homeland Security's Traveler Redress Inquiry Program (TRIP) [www.dhs.gov/TRIP].
Note: One cause of referral to secondary are "termination flags" in SEVIS, including flags for benign terminations, e.g. authorized early withdrawal. To request the removal of “flags” in SEVIS, it is generally faster if the DSO requests removal of the flags through the SEVP HelpDesk (800-892-4829) rather than the student/exchange visitor requesting through TRIP.
Note: SEVP and the Compliance Enforcement Unit (CEU) have advised that DSOs should not request flag removal as a “pre-emptive step” before a student travels. Flag removal requests should be made only after a student has encountered problems with obtaining visas or reentry. However, CEU already has an ongoing process in place to clear most flags relating to non-adverse termination reasons. See the April 22, 2009 SEVIS Policy and Technical Teleconference for more information.
Reporting Funds on the Customs Declaration
Practice tip: When bringing large funds for tuition/costs, or when a family is carrying over $10,000 in reportable funds, make certain the entire amount is declared on a single family Customs declaration (6059B) and that a FinCEN 105 report is completed in secondary for the whole amount. Do NOT divide the funds among family members to stay below $10,000. There have been a number of currency seizures and large fines recently for families bringing in school funds.