Possible Reasons an I-94 Stay Period Is Shorter Than Six Months When Entering the U.S. on a B Visa
This article outlines several situations in which the I-94 stay period may be shorter than six months when entering the United States on a B1/B2 visa, including overly frequent trips, a handwritten error in the admission stamp date, and a passport valid for less than one year. It also notes that mainland China is not on the Six-Month Club list and that the I-94 website date controls.
Frequent Round Trips
Currently, B1/B2 visas are issued as a combined visa, and CBP will determine whether to admit you as a B1 or B2 based on your purpose of entry. Generally, when entering the U.S. with a B1/B2 visa, the immigration officer will grant a 6-month stay period, but this is not absolute.
Although the B1/B2 visa is a 10-year multiple-entry visa, it does not mean you can enter the U.S. hundreds of times a year. If you enter frequently for business purposes, that may be understandable; but if you claim tourism or shopping every time, CBP has reason to doubt your true purpose and may grant a shorter stay period as a warning, or even deny you entry. If you can provide a legitimate reason for frequent travel to and from the U.S., it is not impossible to be granted a 6-month stay. In short, CBP has the authority to decide how long your stay period will be.
Incorrect Date on Entry Stamp
The I-94 admission date appears in two places: the admission stamp in your passport and the I-94 website. The date on the admission stamp is handwritten by CBP, and human error is possible. If you find that the date on the admission stamp is shorter than the date on the I-94 website, it may simply be a mistake by the inspecting officer; you can contact the Deferred Inspection Office to correct it.
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Passport Valid for Less Than One Year
This is a reason that many people overlook!
Most people think that having a passport valid for more than 6 months is sufficient, but for B1/B2 visas, CBP requires that the foreign national's passport be valid for at least 6 months beyond the intended date of departure; otherwise, the period of stay will only be granted up to 6 months before the passport's expiration date.
The United States has signed agreements with 130 countries and regions to waive this 6-month requirement. For foreign nationals from these countries and regions holding B1/B2 visas, even if their passport validity is less than one year, the I-94 can be granted for up to 6 months. CBP refers to these countries and regions as the "Six-Month Club." Unfortunately, mainland China is not on the Six-Month Club list, but Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan, China are included. The complete Six-Month Club list is available here.
The inspecting officer may casually write a 6-month stay on the passport stamp, but when entering it into the system, because the maximum period of stay can only be up to 6 months before the passport expires, even if the officer allowed the maximum stay, the system will automatically set the date to 6 months before the passport expiration. Therefore, after entry, everyone must check their passport and the I-94 website to see if the dates are correct. When the two do not match, the date on the I-94 website will prevail.
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