How To Complete Your U.S. Travel History on a DACA Application

Which Part of My U.S. Travel History Do I Have To Provide on My DACA Application?

Form I-821D, officially named Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, is the main DACA application form. When you submit Form I-821D to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) for an initial DACA application, an officer will review your DACA eligibility information, including your U.S. travel history. 

The following sections explain each aspect of your U.S. travel history information that USCIS requires for an initial DACA application. Note that if you’re applying to renew your DACA status, you don’t have to complete this section of the application again.

Understanding Form I-821D: Part 3. For Initial Requests Only

When you file your initial DACA application, you’ll need to enter all the information requested in Part 3 of Form I-821D. The section is called “For Initial Requests Only.” It asks about your initial entry into the U.S. and your most recent reentry. It also asks about your immigration status on a specific date and whether you ever received a Form I-94. Here’s more information about what each one of those things means.

Initial and Most Recent Entry Into the U.S.

First, you must provide the date of your first entry and most recent entry into the United States. 

• Date of Initial Entry is the date or an approximation of the date of the very first time you came to the United States to stay long-term. If it is your first time applying for DACA, you need to confirm you initially arrived before you turned 16. 

• Place of Initial Entry is the location — including city and state — where you first entered the U.S. 

Immigration Status on June 15, 2012, and Form I-94

Next, you’ll fill in information about your immigration status on June 15, 2012, and if you were ever issued an arrival-departure record, also known as a Form I-94. 

• Under Immigration Status on June 15, 2012, you enter your immigration status as of this date. There are three choices: No Lawful Status, Status Expired, or Parole Expired.

  • If you didn’t have a valid visa when you initially entered, you should select No Lawful Status.

  • If you had a visa or green card that expired as of that date, choose Status Expired.

  • If you received parole and your parole expired before that date, select Parole Expired.

• Were you EVER issued an Arrival-Departure Record (Form I-94, I-94W, or I-95)? is asking for your Form I-94. This question usually applies to people who entered the U.S. legally and were inspected by U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP). If you got an I-94, you may have the paper version of it, or you may be able to access it online on CBP’s official website. 

  • If you were issued an I-94, the next two questions will ask about your I-94 number and the date your authorized stay expired. That’s the date you were supposed to leave the United States. If you never received an I-94, write “not applicable” in response to these two questions.

Current Immigration Status

Next, you must provide your current immigration status, as well as the date acquired and expiration date. If you are a first-time applicant and not currently in DACA status, select “No Lawful Status.” However, if you are a renewal applicant, indicate your current status as DACA,  the date when USCIS approved your current DACA, and the date it expires.

Arrival and Departure Information

You also need to provide arrival and departure information for any trips you’ve made since June 15, 2007 (for initial requests) or since your previously approved I-821D application (for renewal requests). You can find this information on your I-94 travel record. The following section explains how to obtain your I-94 form online.

How Do I Check My U.S. Travel History Online?

To apply for DACA, you will need to share your U.S. travel history information. Fortunately, the United States keeps an online record of non-residents who travel to the country. 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has a convenient I-94 website where people who are not U.S. citizens and not immigrant visitors can view their travel records from the last five years. 

To access your travel history record, you need to have some information, including your full name, date of birth, country of citizenship, and passport number. After obtaining this information, you can follow these steps: 

Step 1: Visit the U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Website

To find your records, visit the “View Travel History” page on the CBP website.

Step 2: Provide Consent 

A security page will pop up asking for your consent. Read through this page to learn about the restrictions and guidelines when accessing your travel history. To continue in the process, click the blue “I Acknowledge and Agree” button in the bottom right-hand corner. 

Step 3: Provide Your Personal Information 

You will find yourself on the “Enter Your Traveler Info” page. Here, input the information you gathered earlier. After checking its accuracy, select the blue “Next” button in the bottom right-hand corner. 

Step 4: View Your Travel Records

Now, you can see the record of your travel history to the United States, including your arrival date, port of entry, departure date, and port of exit. CBP also provides an I-94 Arrival/Departure Record to non-residents admitted to the United States, adjusting status, or extending their stay. If you want to access this form, click “Get this traveler’s most recent I-94” on the bottom of the screen. 

Step 5: Review Your Information

Check that the information displayed is accurate because it is not an “official” form and it can possibly contain errors. If you notice anything inaccurate or missing, contact CBP.

Step 6: Print Your Information 

You can print your travel history information and save it for your records. Click “print” on the bottom right-hand corner. The information on the CBP website is not considered official, but you can still use it to determine your travel history when applying for DACA. 

What if I Can't Find My U.S. Travel History Information?

If you cannot find your U.S. travel history information or simply don’t know it, the following sections cover what steps to take. 

My U.S. Arrival and Departure Record Is Missing

If you can’t find your Form I-94, which is a common issue, here are some other options: 

Option 1: Request Form I-94 from U.S. Customs and Border Protection

If you entered the United States after April 30, 2013, or after Form I-94’s digitization, you can probably access your form online. Visit the CBP’s website and request a copy of your most recent I-94 or view your travel history from the past five years. This option is free, easy, and fast! 

Option 2: Submit Form I-102 to U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) 

If you entered the United States before April 20, 2013, you probably received a paper I-94. You can’t access a digital copy through the CBP’s website. It is also possible a CBP officer “waived” you across a land border without documentation. 

In either case, you will have to file Form I-102: Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document to request a replacement. Mail it to USCIS. If USCIS has your record, you will receive a copy within about 2.5 months. However, there is a $445 filing fee, which can’t be waived. 

Option 3: Submit a FOIA Request 

If you cannot afford to file Form I-102, you can also ask the U.S. government to provide you a copy through the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). You can do this in multiple ways, including filing a paper form, writing a letter to USCIS, or applying on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) website. 

Applying online is the fastest option. DHS will send your request to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). A CBP officer will be in touch about your record. Although FOIA requests are free, you may have to wait up to 12 months to receive documents. 

I Still Can’t Find My Travel Record

If these options still don’t work for you, DHS will assume you entered the country unlawfully, and you need to provide these documents: 

Document 1: An Affidavit Explaining Why You Don’t Have Your I-94 Record 

An affidavit is a notarized, written statement where you should explain your lawful entry into the United States by describing: 

• When, where, and how you arrived

• What travel documents you had, if any

• Whether you showed any travel documents to the U.S. immigration officer who inspected you

• Any questions the immigration officer asked you

The process of notarizing your affidavit will vary from state to state. Generally, you will need to find a notary or someone authorized by the state to verify signatures, likely at a local law office, bank, or post office. 

Document 2: Other Evidence of Lawful Entry 

You should provide other evidence of lawful entry into the United States, such as a plane ticket with your name. If you don’t have other evidence, you need to provide at least two affidavits from people who knew first-hand that you lawfully entered the United States. For example, somebody who picked you up from the airport could sign an affidavit confirming you arrived lawfully by plane. 

However, USCIS is more likely to believe evidence than other affidavits. You should be careful about applying without other evidence. If this is the situation you’re in, it’s best to seek legal advice.

I Don't Know How I Came Into the U.S.

If you came into the United States as a young child and don’t have information about your arrival, you are not alone. However, the travel section of the DACA application, especially your most recent entry, cannot be blank. 

Try to provide as much information as possible. For example, if you don’t know the exact date you arrived, you should give the year. USCIS allows you to provide information “to the best of your knowledge,” so it’s okay to provide a close estimation. You can also consider contacting a lawyer for future help.