Stressing out about I-94 number....any advice?

[Kourou_Paris 0]

Hello all! So glad I finally found this community - it's exactly the place to find all the information (and support!) we've been missing in our crazy, romantic, bureaucratic adventure.

Our situation is: I'm an American, and my fiance (who is French) is currently a student at a community college here in the States, on a 6-month student visa. So, in filling out our application, I'm asked to include his arrival information from when he came over as a student - no problem, except it asks for something called an I-94 number, which theoretically is given as a proof of entry and exit into the country. Well, he hasn't got one! They didn't give him an I-94 at customs, and there seems no way to find one (we already tried the I-94 automaton on the website). The news we've heard indicates that I-94s were once given on paper, and now done all electronically, and it seems we were either lost in the shuffle or otherwise cannot access the number.

So, what to do?? I'm really hoping someone had had a similar experience and can offer some insight! Is there any other document we can submit in place of an I-94 paper? (I was thinking a copy of his visa, with entry stamp, and his airplane ticket home before the expiration date...not sure what else to do...)

We're in a but of a time crunch now so I'm hoping to get this packet in the mail as soon as I can! Any thoughts? Suggestions? Condolances...?

[ppihtr123 68]

2 ideas.

1. Check passport for I94. it should be staples in there.

2. check with the school. They require a i94 to attend and should have a copy on file.

[ppihtr123 68]

You said "copy of his visa". that should be the I-94. What kind of visa did he enter on?

[Laurka 65]

When did he enter the US? Here's information on I-94 https://help.cbp.gov/app/answers/detail/a_id/880/kw/I-94/related/1/session/L2F2LzEvc2lkL1BERU9GSHBs

[Kourou_Paris 0]

He's here on a F-1 student visa, entered December 2012, and there's no paper I-94 in his passport, or anything resembling it on the visa itself...I mean, the visa has a date of expiration, which seems to me serves the same purpose, but I don't want to get rejected for missing one detail!

Already checked with his school and they explained that he'd already been admitted under the new (electronic) system, and to order a paper one would take 4-6 months (!). Can't wait that long! There's an I-94 search engine on the CBP Info site but when we put his information in nothing comes up. Frustrating.

But thank you so much for your kind advice!! We're just going to keep working on our application packet and hope this number turns up somewhere.