“You have 10 days or less remaining for authorized stay in the United States”. Don’t fret if you or your visiting parents receive an email warning from the US Customs and Border Protection (CBP). The 10-day email heads-up from CBP aims to prevent non-immigrant visitors and temporary visa holders from overstaying in America. This is integral to the federal agency’s Traveler Compliance Check system that tracks I-94 records of arrival and departure.
What CBP’s 10-day reminder means
Statistically, 65,000 to 85,000 individuals overstay their temporary US visas every year, according to the Department of Homeland Security. They account for nearly 40% of the total non-immigrant population living unlawfully in the United States. The remaining 10-day authorized stay notification is CBP’s deliberate effort to reduce the number of US visa overstayers for the sake of national security and public safety.
The US immigration system is rolling out the 10-day email reminder targeting initially B1/B2 visitors and those who enter America under the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). It will gradually expand to other temporary visa categories, including F, J, H-1B, and H2, in the coming days.
While staying in the US, some visitors and temporary visa holders get oblivious of the electronic I-94 record that shows a specific period of time permitted to them in the US, regardless of the visa validity or expiration date. CBP’s 10-day stay alert makes it easier for them to check the official I-94 record and exit the US on time without accruing visa overstay.
What if your parents have already left the US?
In some cases, visitors may receive the remaining 10-day stay warning even after they leave the United States. It may happen when a departure is not logged timely in the I-94 system due to some electronic failure. If it ever happens to your parents, the system would flag them as visa overstayers, void their visa before validity expires, and cause re-entry bars depending on the period of overstaying (unlawful presence) in the US.
Should you ignore CBP’s 10-day email warning?
“Neither you nor your visiting parents should ignore it. Review your parents’ I-94 travel history and check repeatedly whether it reflects their departure from the US. Tell them to keep certain documents including flight boarding passes safe, so they can show the exact date of return travel and prove they are not guilty of overstaying the US visa,” said Sourav Agarwal, Senior Editor at Indian Eagle, the most trusted travel-booking partner for Indians and Americans.
How to fix Error in Your I-94 Travel Record
Required documents for departure proof
- Your passport biographic page
- Your flight ticket and boarding pass for return travel from USA
- Food bills or any purchase receipt at the US departure airport or outside
- Your credit card/debut card statement reflecting airport purchases
Submit I-94 correction request online
- Go to US CBP’s Ask a Question Portal
- Check the dropdown list in the Topic box
- Select I-94 / Traveler Compliance
- Check the ‘Applicable Issue’ dropdown list
- Select I-94 Correction (S) / Travel History
- Fill out your passport and contact details
- Write a brief explanation about your timely exit from USA
- Upload the documents mentioned above
- Submit the form
Check I-94 Record for updated correction
Usually, CBP reviews submitted corrections, fixes errors, and updates I-94 records in 5 business days. Check the Department of Homeland Security website’s CBP 1-94 section, pull out your travel records, check whether the correction is approved, and verify whether your departure date is correctly logged in your I-94 record.
Also Check: New Advance Parole Travel Rule in 2026
