No more green (I94?) cards in the USA

[FlyboyAl]

I'm note sure if it's been posted before, but the US authorities have FINALLY manged to use the ESTA data and have now dropped the green visa waiver form when you arrive in LOTFAP.
The video on V Australia still tells you to fill it in, then the FA comes on the PA to tell you to ignore it.
The only form you now fill in is the white customs declaration form.
The CBP guy I spoke to yesterday said it will save forests of trees and the process of getting through imigration does seem a little quicker (if you could ever speed it up at LAX anyway!!!).
He asked the usual questions - why are you here, how long etc, then asked where I was staying and when I told him, he looked at the screen and said "yes, thats what you have told us" so they DO look.

 

[NM]

So without the I94W form, do they still staple anything into your passport to be removed (or forgotten) on departure?

 

[FlyboyAl]

No, nothing in the passport except a stamp.

It also means no one can forget to remove the bloody thing either.

 

[Mal]

Hopefully it's been implemented in JFK as well... will be my environmental contribution for the week if they have

(Although I already have a blank one in my passport case, so perhaps not!).

There's also some more discussion on the topic here: http://www.frequentflyer.com.au/community/travel-news/us-phase-out-i-94w-23410.html

 

[wtolmie]

ooooh awesome.. im flying to ORD fro Shanghai on 30th June..

 

[serfty]

Interestingly the i94W form was issued onboard QF93 a week and a half ago.

However, I am not sure if the green slip it was actually stapled to my PP. I did not check between arrival and departure, but I can find no trace of it ever being there. (I did not think to check on this initially as I only had 30 minutes to get to LAX T7 from TBIT to catch my onward flight with my inbound being 80 minutes late.)

I found the stamp in my PP showing my entry to the USA this time, but no additional staple holes or bits of green card.

I do remember the immigration part of my entry being really quick with a total time of about 45 seconds from handing over my doco and having my Mug photographed.

As posted on the other thread, they have not been issued on AirNZ this year.

 

[DrJ]

They have definitely stopped them at LAX, at least at T2. I spent over an hour filling the things in for the family on NZ6 last month, after the cabin crew distributed them. On reaching LAX, we were duly instructed by the CBP guys to tear them up

 

[dk4]

my june experiences

I have entered the USA three times this month, as a Visa Waiver visitor: with the following experiences -

1. CheckIn (/FAs) did NOT hand out I94Ws .... Got to immigration where they were required (so hastily filled one in) ... stub stapled, PP stamped

2. CheckIn did NOT hand out I94Ws ... Got to immigration and they weren't required ... no stub only stamp

3. CheckIn handed out I94Ws ... Got to immigration and they were not required ... no stub only stamp

Previously, on multiple entries during the 90 day validity - I kept my original stub when exiting the USA (as I was returning within the eligibility period) and my passport was only stamped once (the original time) ... but this month I now have three stamps filling up my passport.


P.S. Finger printing is different for subsequent visits, 1st visit all 10, subsequent entries only 4 fingers of the right hand.

 

[Voyages]

Re: my june experiences

I flew into ORD from LHR today. FA handed out the green cards.

At immigration, the officer tore off the green card and said nothing (made my heart skip a beat). After all formalities, he said it wasn't necessary anymore, as they can get ESTA info. He also added that I should carry the travel authorisation with me (which I do).

So just a stamp and no stapled card. And yes, finger printing was only for 4 fingers of the right hand (no thumb).

 

[MissBurrill]

On QF11 the other day we were given both forms but then at LAX the customs man said it was no longer needed. A few days laterI got off the train at Niagara Falls and the Canadian customs woman was telling me I needed it and I must have lost it.

Then today when Í boarded a bus at Niagara Falls I asked the driver about arrivals forms. He asked if I had the green piece of paper and I said they don't do them anymore. He then told me to have US$6 ready when I enter. Got to the border and customs man said they are trialling it at airports. At least he knew what was going on!!!!

 

[Bundy Bear]

No, nothing in the passport except a stamp.

It also means no one can forget to remove the bloody thing either.

So the one I have still stapled in my passport I can keep as a souvenir.

I asked Sydney passport control to give me a stamp so that I could prove that I did leave the US last Friday.

 

[Mal]

JFK still hasn't gone to the new system yet. Was chatting to the CBP officer today, and he had no idea when they would switch over.

They did only scan the 4 fingers on my right hand rather than both hands.

 

[serfty]

OK, it's official: Arrival-Departure Record, CBP Form I-94W, for Visa Waiver Program (VWP) Applicants - CBP.gov

The Arrival-Departure Record, CBP Form I-94W (green form), must be completed by all nonimmigrant visitors seeking entry to the United States under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP) unless traveling by air or sea and admitted via new automated procedures. ...

Note the following however:

...
It is important to note that the CBP Form I-94W will continue to be required at land borders, in the case of system outages, and at ports of entry that have not completed the transition to automated processing.

 

[Voyages]

OK, it's official

Great now that it's official. When I checked in @ LAX a few days ago, the agent was looking for the card and was surprised to hear that there's none.

Then when I boarded @ MIA for GIG, the agent at the boarding gate stated that he was not impressed because he had not been informed by the relevant authorities about the change.

 

[blueflamenco]

On QF11 the other day we were given both forms but then at LAX the customs man said it was no longer needed. A few days laterI got off the train at Niagara Falls and the Canadian customs woman was telling me I needed it and I must have lost it.

Then today when Í boarded a bus at Niagara Falls I asked the driver about arrivals forms. He asked if I had the green piece of paper and I said they don't do them anymore. He then told me to have US$6 ready when I enter. Got to the border and customs man said they are trialling it at airports. At least he knew what was going on!!!!

I had a similar situation yesterday when entering the US by land from Canada. It sounds as though you got lucky in that they knew what was going on. Not the case for me. It would be nice if they were on the same page about these changes but it seems as though it may take time.

 

[serfty]

I had a similar situation yesterday when entering the US by land from Canada. It sounds as though you got lucky in that they knew what was going on. Not the case for me. It would be nice if they were on the same page about these changes but it seems as though it may take time.

According to the link above, I94-W forms are still required for "land Borders".

 

[Blackadder]

Didn't need one when entering the LOTFAP on the 16th June at Lax, just the white customs form and the standard question by border control how long are you here for/why are you here. Then the digital finger imaging and smile for the happy snap and that was it.
I guess remains to be seen if they go hunting for the bit of cardboard on departure from LAX.

 

[blueflamenco]

According to the link above, I94-W forms are still required for "land Borders".

Which is perfectly fine if everyone knows that this is the case. There was a lot of confusion at the land border as to why I did not already have an I94 stapled in my passport.

 

[serfty]

Which is perfectly fine if everyone knows that this is the case. There was a lot of confusion at the land border as to why I did not already have an I94 stapled in my passport.

OK, that makes sense now.

FWIW, I had a similar issue checking in at LAX back in February as I had flown transpacific on AirNZ who were used as part of the pilot program.