Visa, status and documents: what each one means

Step 1 — Gather your documents in one place

Start one folder, paper or digital. Most people will have:

• your passport, with your U.S. visa inside if you needed one;
• your I-94 record: CBP now gathers it automatically from electronic travel records, and you can print it from the I-94 website or the CBP Link app (CBP — I-94).

Then add whichever apply: a Form I-20 (F and M students) or Form DS-2019 (J exchange visitors), Form I-797 letters from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), an Employment Authorization Document (EAD) or a green card. Keep every version, even old ones.

Step 2 — Learn the difference: visa, status and I-94

Passport. Your travel document, issued by your country of citizenship; your U.S. visa is placed inside it (State Department — What is a U.S. Visa?).

Visa: the document for getting here. A U.S. visa lets you travel to a port of entry (an airport, seaport or land border) and ask to be let in for a certain purpose; it does not guarantee entry (State Department — What is a U.S. Visa?). Visas are issued by the State Department at U.S. embassies and consulates outside the United States (USCIS — Glossary).

Status: what you may do here, and for how long. At the port of entry, officers of U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the border agency, are responsible for admitting travelers “for a specified status and period of time” (State Department — What is a U.S. Visa?). Each temporary (“nonimmigrant”) category, such as F-1 for academic students or J-1 for exchange visitors (USCIS — Students and Exchange Visitors), exists for a specific purpose and has its own terms and conditions (USCIS — Glossary).

I-94: the record of your admission. CBP says the I-94 allows a nonimmigrant to remain in the U.S. until the “Admit Until Date” the officer recorded (CBP — I-94 FAQs). Status can also change inside the U.S.: USCIS issues I-94s for changes of status, extensions of stay and adjustments of status (CBP — I-94 FAQs).

What “D/S” means. Some I-94s show “D/S” instead of a date. USCIS defines “duration of status” as a notation meaning a person, such as an F-1 student, may stay as long as they maintain a valid status (USCIS — Glossary). CBP’s examples of D/S classes include F1, F2, J1, J2 and I, among others (CBP — I-94 FAQs). For students, exchange visitors and foreign media, the rules have been changing: on July 17, 2026, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) published a final rule “Establishing a Fixed Time Period of Admission” for these groups (Study in the States — Final Rule). On September 14, 2026, a federal court postponed the rule, and USCIS says it is following “the previous regulatory provisions” until further notice (USCIS — I-765). Don’t rely on general explanations of D/S, including this one. Check that DHS page and talk to your designated school official (DSO), as DHS advises (Study in the States — Final Rule), or to your J-1 program sponsor.

Do it now: download your I-94 and check every line. Our guide to the I-94 arrival record shows how.

Step 3 — Don’t confuse your visa date with your stay date

An expired visa doesn’t, by itself, end your stay. The State Department says the expiration date on your visa “does not reflect how long you are authorized to stay”; the CBP officer decides that each time you enter (State Department — Visa Expiration Date). The visa’s validity, from its issue date to its expiration date, is the time you may use it to travel to a U.S. port of entry (State Department — Visa Expiration Date). Even if you lose your visa, the State Department says you can remain for your authorized stay, as shown on your admission stamp or paper I-94 (State Department — Lost and Stolen).

And the other way around: a valid visa doesn’t let you stay longer. CBP says all travelers must follow the rules of their visa classification and the Admit Until Date on their I-94 (CBP — I-94 FAQs). Both agencies also warn that staying past your authorized stay generally cancels your visa automatically, with some exceptions the State Department lists (State Department — Visa Expiration Date; CBP — I-94 FAQs).

How this applies to your own dates is a legal question for authorized legal help, not for a friend or a forum.

Step 4 — Understand what your other documents show

Form I-20 (F-1 and M-1 students). The “Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status,” issued by the DSO at your school (Study in the States — Form I-20). It lists your program start date and proves you are enrolled in a program of study; dependents get their own I-20 (Study in the States — Form I-20). More in our guide for international students.

Form DS-2019 (J-1 exchange visitors). The “Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor (J-1) Status” (USCIS — Glossary). Your program sponsor issues it, and it documents your acceptance to an exchange program (J1Visa.state.gov). You may only do the activity listed on it, as the rules for your exchange category allow, and your sponsor’s name and phone number are on it (J1Visa.state.gov).

Form I-797, Notice of Action. Letters USCIS sends you; you never fill one out (USCIS — Form I-797). There are several types, including (USCIS — Form I-797):

• I-797: receipt or approval of an application;
• I-797A: a replacement I-94;
• I-797C: receipts, rejections, transfers and appointments, such as fingerprints or interviews;
• I-797E: a request for evidence.

An I-797C carries the header “THIS NOTICE DOES NOT GRANT ANY IMMIGRATION STATUS OR BENEFIT”, and USCIS reminds other agencies that it is only a receipt proving you submitted a request, not a decision on your eligibility (USCIS — Form I-797C). Read every notice: ignoring its instructions might delay your case (USCIS — Form I-797C).

Employment Authorization Document (EAD, Form I-766). One way to prove you may work in the U.S. for a specific time period (USCIS — EAD). Not everyone needs one: a green card is itself evidence that you may work, and some statuses, such as H-1B, allow work for a specific employer without an EAD (USCIS — EAD). See work permits explained.

Green card (Form I-551, Permanent Resident Card). It allows you to live and work permanently in the U.S. (USCIS — Green Card). Most cards are valid for 10 years, conditional residents’ cards for 2 years, and some have no expiration date (USCIS — Glossary). See your first 90 days as a green card holder.

The numbers on your papers (USCIS — Glossary; CBP — I-94):

• I-94 number: 11 characters;
• A-Number: 7 to 9 digits, assigned by DHS;
• USCIS receipt number: 13 characters, one for each application;
• SEVIS ID: “N” plus up to 11 numbers, top right of your I-20 or DS-2019.

Step 5 — Keep copies and track every date

Make copies early. The State Department encourages copies of your passport’s photo page, your U.S. visa and your admission stamp or paper I-94 soon after you arrive (State Department — Lost and Stolen). Students get the same advice: keep documents valid, store them securely and make copies (Study in the States).

Know what to carry. USCIS says that if you’re 18 or older, you must always carry your EAD, green card or other proof of alien registration (USCIS — Immigration Documents). Its Alien Registration Requirement page (updated September 4, 2026) says you can meet this by carrying a phone that can display your electronic evidence of registration, which generally includes the I-94, or a printout of it (USCIS — Alien Registration). These rules changed in 2025 and 2026, and parts are before the courts (USCIS — Alien Registration); if you’re unsure, ask authorized legal help.

Track each date separately:

• Passport expiration: you need a valid passport to leave the U.S. and to enter another country; for a lost or stolen one, contact your country’s embassy or consulate (State Department — Lost and Stolen).
• Visa expiration: the last day to use the visa for travel to a port of entry (Step 3).
• I-94 Admit Until Date or D/S: your authorized stay (Step 2).
• I-20 or DS-2019 program dates: ask your DSO or sponsor what they mean for you.
• EAD end date: USCIS encourages filing for renewal once you’re within 180 days of expiration (USCIS — EAD).

Put each date in your calendar, with a reminder months ahead.

Step 6 — If something is wrong, ask the issuing office

• An error on a CBP-issued I-94: CBP’s FAQ says to contact your nearest Deferred Inspection office “within thirty days of admission or parole”, or to ask online (CBP — I-94 FAQs). These sites only correct errors made at entry; extensions and changes of status go to USCIS (CBP — Deferred Inspection). Details: I-94 guide.
• An error on a USCIS document (EAD, green card, USCIS-issued I-94): the process varies by document and circumstances (USCIS — Immigration Documents).
• Your I-20: your DSO issues a new one when your information changes (Study in the States — Form I-20).
• Your DS-2019: your sponsor is responsible for keeping your J-1 documents valid (J1Visa.state.gov).
• A lost visa: it can’t be replaced inside the U.S.; you apply at a U.S. embassy or consulate abroad (State Department — Lost and Stolen).