I am a British citizen, and entered the U.S. using ESTA. My I-94 was issued through the end of April, but now it appears I may be stuck in the U.S. for a bit longer due to the epidemic. Can I extend my stay?

Answer

Ordinarily, a person admitted via ESTA is limited to 90 days in the U.S., without the ability to extend or change status. However, under these unprecedented circumstances, there are some options. First, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) has advised that people admitted via ESTA through John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) or Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) may contact the deferred inspection offices at JFK to request “satisfactory departure” for up to an extra 30 days. The person on ESTA should request this within 14 days or less of the I-94 expiration date. If the request is made after the I-94 has already expired, CBP will determine whether to grant the request on a case-by-case basis.

Although this announcement only applies to people who entered the U.S. through JFK or EWR, foreign nationals on ESTA still can go to a local CBP deferred inspection site to request satisfactory departure. A list of deferred inspection sites can be found here, on the CBP website. (09.Apr.2020)

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