U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) recently announced that it is expanding a pilot program to eliminate admission stamps in passports. The record being eliminated is the ink stamp and not the “visa stamp” that a U.S. embassy or consulate affixes to passports. Travelers are still required, unless exempt, to obtain a visa that indicates their eligibility to seek entry for a specific purpose. While the visa itself does not guarantee admission, when a CBP inspector grants admission, the record of admission will be documented online on the CBP I-94 website. Travelers arriving at these ports should notice the change:
- Atlanta (Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL))
- Boston-Logan International Airport (BOS)
- Calgary International Airport (YYC)
- Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD)
- Dallas/Ft. Worth International Airport (DFW)
- Dublin Airport (DUB)
- Houston (George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH))
- Los Angeles International Airport (LAX)
- Montréal Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport (YUL)
- New York (John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK))
- Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
- San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport-SeaTac (SEA)
- Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
- Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD)
The land ports of entry are Buffalo, Detroit, El Paso, Laredo, San Diego, Seattle, and Tucson.
Ogletree Deakins’ Immigration Practice Group will continue to monitor developments with respect to these and other policy changes and will post updates on the Immigration blog as additional information becomes available. Important information for employers is also available via the firm’s webinar and podcast programs.
