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U.S. Embassy clarifies length of stay rules for international visitors
The advisory directed travelers to check their I-94 “Admit Until Date” on the official CBP website to confirm their authorized period of stay.
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Malvika Choudhary - Fri, 19, Dec 2025
- 13:49 EST
- 18
U.S. Embassy India / X (@USAndIndia)
The U.S. Embassy in India clarified that the length of time an international visitor is allowed to stay in the United States is determined by a U.S. Customs and Border Protection officer at the port of entry, not by the visa’s expiration date.
“The length of time an international visitor is allowed to stay in United States is determined by the Customs and Border Protection officer upon arrival, NOT the visa expiration date<” the embassy said urging travelers to check their I-94 “Admit Until Date” on the official CBP website to confirm their authorized period of stay.
Also Read: India streamlines visas for foreign professionals
The I-94, or Arrival/Departure Record, is the official document that records a visitor’s admission into the United States and specifies the date by which the individual must depart or seek an extension or change of status, if eligible.
Reminder! The length of time an international visitor is allowed to stay in United States is determined by the Customs and Border Protection officer upon arrival, NOT the visa expiration date. To see how long you can stay, check your I-94 “Admit Until Date” at… pic.twitter.com/YYtuRFbUoj
— U.S. Embassy India (@USAndIndia) December 18, 2025
The visa stamped in a passport, by contrast, only indicates the period during which a traveler may seek entry into the United States and does not determine the length of stay.
The embassy’s clarification comes amid continued travel between India and the United States, with large numbers of Indian nationals visiting each year for tourism, business, education, and family reasons. Confusion between visa validity and authorized stay has been a recurring issue, often leading to inadvertent violations of immigration rules.
Under U.S. immigration law, remaining in the country beyond the “Admit Until Date” listed on the I-94 constitutes an overstay. Overstays can carry serious consequences, including visa cancellation, restrictions on future travel, and re-entry bars that may extend for several years depending on the duration of unlawful presence.
The Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. State Department have increasingly emphasized electronic tracking of arrivals and departures. Travelers are encouraged to retrieve and retain their I-94 records after arrival through the CBP’s online portal to ensure compliance with the terms of admission.
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