One of the questions on the common app for BC is
Are you a United States citizen or an eligible noncitizen (e.g., U.S. Permanent Resident, or a holder of an Arrival-Departure Record I-94)?
I am not a US citizen but I am in the States right now under an I-20 (studying in an American high school). What exactly is I-94? When I entered the US I filled out a form that said I-94 but I’m not sure what BC means by “a holder of I-94.”
Should I say yes or no?
Thanks
The I-94 used to be a paper form every (legal) non-citizen filled out when they entered the US. It just noted your place and date of arrival and got stapled into your passport. When you left the US, the airline would collect the I-94 from your passport and forward it to immigration authorities. That’s how the US kept track of which foreigners had departed again and who was overstaying their visa.
Now this arrival and departure record is created automatically and electronically for most foreigners. If you want to see or print your own I-94, you can do so here: https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov
So if I am legally staying in the States as an international student right now I should be a holder of it right?
Yes, you “should” have an I-94. But you don’t need to guess. Just go to the [url=<a href=“https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov%5DDHS%5B/url”>https://i94.cbp.dhs.gov]DHS[/url] website and check.