US Scraps Routine Passport Stamps for Travellers Entering the Country, Gives Reason

• US Customs and Border Protection announced it will end the routine stamping of passports at the primary screening stage for travellers entering the country
• The change, outlined in a CBP bulletin published on October 1, 2026, is part of a wider push to modernise border management using biometric and digital technology
• Travellers who want a physical passport stamp can still request one from a CBP officer at the border under the new procedure

US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will no longer routinely stamp passports during primary screening, the first checkpoint travellers pass through upon entering the United States, under a new policy change announced by the agency.

The decision was set out in a bulletin issued through CBP's Carrier Liaison Program on 1 October 2026.

CBP described the move as part of a continued effort to bring its border management systems in line with modern practices, which now increasingly depend on automated processing, mobile services, and facial biometric technology.

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The agency also noted that removing the stamp from standard processing would cut time spent at primary control and lower operational costs.

When passport stamps will still be used

The stamp does not disappear entirely under the new arrangement. CBP confirmed that officers may still apply one during secondary screening, which takes place when a traveller is referred for further examination after the initial check.

Stamps may also continue to appear in certain circumstances at the primary stage, particularly when processing immigration visas.

Travellers who want a physical record of their entry retain the right to request one. CBP confirmed that any such request made directly to an officer at the border will be honoured, even though stamping is no longer part of the standard procedure.

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The October 2026 bulletin did not specify a firm date for when the change will be fully implemented, stating only that routine stamping will end as part of the agency's ongoing modernisation drive.

Form I-94 becomes main proof of entry

Ending the routine stamp does not mean arrivals will go unrecorded. For foreign nationals, the official record of entry remains the electronic Form I-94, CBP's arrival and departure document, which is updated automatically at the point of admission.

After entering the country, travellers can retrieve their proof of admission, immigration status, and authorised length of stay through the official I-94 portal or via the CBP One mobile application, which is available free of charge. The record can be viewed and printed as needed when legal proof of entry is required, such as for dealings with a government body, educational institution, or employer.

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CBP also advised travellers to contact the agency if they identify any errors in their I-94 record so that corrections can be applied without delay.

US names 7 groups eligible for fee-free visas

Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that the US named seven distinct categories of nonimmigrant visa applicants who are not required to pay the standard visa application processing fee.

The US Department of State said exemptions apply to a defined set of applicants and do not extend automatically across all visa types.

Source: YEN.com.gh