Form I-94 validity
Posted date : Dec 16, 2025.
My husband and I will be returning as snowbirds to Arizona in November. I assume we will be issued I-94 forms for six months when we fly out of Toronto. In February, we plan to take a cruise to Mexico for a week. Will this trip out of the U.S. impact our I-94 forms when we depart the U.S.? Will we be issued new I-94 forms on our return, or will the expiry date of the initial forms still be valid?
Paula Travers
London, ON
Ed.: Taking a cruise to Mexico generally does not reset or extend your I-94 validity. In most cases, short trips to Canada, Mexico or adjacent islands are considered travel to “contiguous territory,” meaning that your existing I-94 remains valid upon re-entry to the United States, as long as it has not yet expired. However, in some cases – depending on your specific circumstances, the port of entry and how you are processed by U.S. Customs and Border Protection – a new I-94 may be issued when you return.
