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Don't Close the Doors By, Edward Juarez Immigrant's Voice (TV program)  Column:January 21, 2008 Give your opinion on our Immigration Forum Edward's Blog
	Edward Juarez
	Founder and President

Millions of immigrants, who stay longer than the time allowed by the US Citizenship and Immigration Services, leave the country without handing in their Entry and Exit card known as the "I-94", without understanding the repercussions.

Some think that if they don't hand it in at the airport when they leave, immigration will assume that they left within the time allowed.   They will take the bus ride of many hours in order to reach the border without leaving a trace.  Others will go to the extreme and mail their passport to country of origin to be stamped by the authorities as evidence that they left, when in reality they remained in the United States.  We've observed all these behaviors in immigrants who want to protect the Visa in their passport, so they can return or get legalized quickly.

These immigrants do not know that the United States Government has an established procedure that will always verify when you leave and will delay the entrance to all immigrants who have remained in this country.  The immigrant should consider, that if leaving the country has not been registered properly, they will not be allowed to enter again.

To correct this situation, you should send a certified letter in English only to this address in Kentuky: ACS-CBP SBU, 1084 South Laurel Rd. , London, KY  40744.  (Do not mail your I-94 to any office, consulate or embassy of the Immigration Services).  To validate your departure, you should collect the best documentation possible to justify that you stayed in the country for the time allowed, for example:  boarding passed used for exiting; photocopies of the passport, including the seals of entry and exit from other countries.  Also documentation that will verify transactions in the country of origin, credit card receipts showing purchases; copies of commercial and banking activities; a letter detailing time spent working out of the country, or evidence that you were studying abroad.

If you visit Canada, Mexico or the Caribbean for a period of less than 30 days, retain the "I-94" for presentation when you return to EEUU.

Remember that there is much more to be analyzed before forming a legal strategy