Form I-102: Fees, Filing Steps, and Common Rejections

Form I-102 is the USCIS application a nonimmigrant uses to replace an I-94 arrival/departure record that was lost, stolen, or damaged, to correct an error USCIS made on the record, or to obtain an initial I-94 that was never issued. The filing fee is $560, with narrow exemptions for military applicants and for corrections of USCIS errors. Before you pay anything, check the free electronic I-94 at i94.cbp.dhs.gov — most air and sea travelers already have a printable record there and never need this form at all.¹

Check the Electronic I-94 First

Since CBP moved to electronic records for air and sea arrivals, most people who think they need a replacement don’t. The CBP website lets you look up and print your most recent arrival record going back to 1983 for most admission classes, and the printout carries the same legal weight as the original.² Employers, DMVs, and other agencies should accept it.

Filing Form I-102 makes sense only if the electronic record is unavailable or wrong. That usually means a paper I-94 (common at land ports) that has been lost or destroyed, an error USCIS itself introduced when it produced an I-94 as part of an extension of stay or change of status, or an initial record that was never issued.

USCIS or CBP: Who Fixes What

The single most expensive mistake on this form is filing it with USCIS when the problem belongs to CBP. Which agency you deal with depends on which one made the mistake.

File Form I-102 with USCIS when:

Your paper I-94 is lost, stolen, or damaged and no electronic copy is available.
USCIS issued your I-94 with incorrect information, such as a misspelled name or wrong date of birth on a record USCIS produced.
You were never issued an I-94 and need an initial one.

Do not file Form I-102 if CBP made the error at the time you entered the country. That includes mistakes in your visa classification, biographical details, or authorized period of admission. USCIS explicitly instructs applicants not to file Form I-102 for CBP errors.³

CBP deferred inspection sites correct these errors at no cost. Any deferred inspection location or CBP office inside an international airport can help, regardless of where you originally entered. Offices outside airports generally take appointments, and mail-in corrections are not typically available.⁴

The $560 Fee and Who Pays Nothing

The filing fee is $560, and no biometrics fee applies.⁵ Three groups pay nothing:

Applicants correcting a DHS error. Attach the original incorrect document, a signed statement identifying the mistake, and evidence of the correct information.⁶
U.S. Armed Forces members, for an initial filing.
NATO and Partnership for Peace military, for an initial filing.⁵

Form I-912 fee waivers are not available for Form I-102. If you don’t qualify for one of the exemptions above, the full $560 is required.

How to Pay

USCIS changed its payment rules, and applicants relying on older advice often get their packages rejected. When filing by mail, pay by credit, debit, or prepaid card using Form G-1450, or by bank account withdrawal using Form G-1650. Personal checks, money orders, and cashier’s checks are no longer accepted unless you qualify for a paper payment exemption under Form G-1651, which requires showing a lack of access to banking or electronic payments.⁷

What to Submit With Your Form

Form I-102 itself asks for your full legal name, date of birth, country of citizenship, date and place of last entry, and the nonimmigrant status you held on arrival.⁸ Supporting documents depend on why you’re filing.

Lost or Stolen I-94

Include a copy of your passport biographical page and the page showing your admission stamp or visa, plus any other evidence of your admission. If the I-94 was stolen, add a copy of the police report. If no report was filed, explain the circumstances and why. If you cannot provide any of this, write a detailed explanation and submit whatever identity documents you do have.⁶

Damaged I-94

Include the damaged document itself along with the passport and admission evidence described above.

USCIS Error Correction

Attach the original incorrect I-94, a dated and signed statement identifying exactly which information needs correction, and evidence proving the correct information, such as a passport biographical page showing the correct spelling of your name.⁶

Where to Mail It

Form I-102 is filed by mail with a USCIS lockbox. If you’re filing it by itself, USCIS routes applications to either the Dallas or Phoenix lockbox based on your state of residence.⁹ If you’re filing it together with another application, send everything to the address the other form requires.

Military applicants filing under NATO or Partnership for Peace use a separate address at NATO headquarters in Norfolk, Virginia. Applicants with an underlying VAWA, T, or U visa case have their own designated addresses.⁹

Use a shipping method with tracking. The USCIS filing page provides separate street addresses for courier deliveries and PO box addresses for USPS. Keep the tracking number; if USCIS later says it never received the application, that confirmation is your only proof.

After You File

Once the lockbox accepts the application, USCIS issues Form I-797C, Notice of Action, which serves as your receipt and carries the case receipt number you’ll use to track your case.¹⁰

The receipt does not grant any status or benefit. It proves only that an application is pending, and it is not proof of lawful admission or work authorization on its own.¹⁰ An employer or agency asking for your I-94 while the case is pending may not be satisfied with the receipt alone, which is another reason to check the CBP website first: a printable electronic record proves your status right now.

Processing times fluctuate with service center workload. USCIS publishes current times at egov.uscis.gov/processing-times; select Form I-102 for the current estimate. Keep copies of everything you send. If USCIS issues a Request for Evidence, you’ll need to respond quickly with the documentation on hand.

Requesting Faster Processing

You can ask USCIS to expedite your case, but approval is discretionary and limited to emergencies and urgent humanitarian situations — pressing circumstances tied to human welfare such as serious illness, disability, or extreme conditions caused by natural disaster or armed conflict.¹¹ Needing the document for a job or a driver’s license typically does not qualify by itself. You must show harm beyond inconvenience and document it. USCIS reviews every request individually.

Mistakes That Get Applications Rejected

Three errors account for most rejected or wasted filings.

Filing Form I-102 for a CBP error. USCIS cannot fix mistakes CBP recorded at entry. A deferred inspection site handles those corrections at no cost.⁴

Paying with a personal check or money order. USCIS no longer accepts these for Form I-102 absent a paper payment exemption. Use Form G-1450 for card payments or Form G-1650 for a bank withdrawal.⁷

Skipping the free electronic I-94. If you entered by air or sea, the record is almost certainly at i94.cbp.dhs.gov, and the printout is a legally valid proof of admission. No form, no fee, no wait.¹

1
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I-94/I-95 Website – Official Site for Travelers Visiting the United States
2
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. I-94 Expiration Dates
3
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 11, Part F, Chapter 2 – Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document
4
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Deferred Inspection Sites
5
eCFR. 8 CFR 106.2 – Fees
6
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-102 Instructions
7
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Filing Fees
8
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. I-102, Application for Replacement/Initial Nonimmigrant Arrival-Departure Document
9
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Direct Filing Addresses for Form I-102
10
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Form I-797C, Notice of Action
11
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 1, Part A, Chapter 5 – Expedite Requests