i94 extension due to passport expiration

[deepiks85]

Hello, I am seeking advisory w.r.to my i94 extension. Myself and my dependents (my husband and daughter) entered US in Mar 2023. I came on an L1A visa. I have a valid petition until Jan 2026 and visa until Dec 2025. However, since our passports are expiring in few months, our i94 was stamped till that date. We have now gone ahead and renewed our passports.

I went on chat with USCIS and the representative mentioned I don’t have to exit the country to get this corrected and the nearest CBP office should help. So I went to the CBP office at DFW airport and I ended up having a traumatic experience there.

So, now I am a little skeptical to go to the Laredo border too, wondering how the officers at Mexico border would treat people. I am being told because of automatic revalidation, even if you fly to Mexico and come back, there is only a 50-50 chance the i94 will get updated. I do not want to fly back to India either.

My questions are -

1. Will a 2-3 day trip to a place other than Mexico like Bahamas or Panama extends the i94 for sure?
2. My company is willing to file an extension with USCIS. But are there going to be other implications because of it - like the incidence of RFEs, my i140 processing or the drivers license renewal?

Looking forward to your expert guidance. Thanks!

[balar]

I had similar experience while returning from India during Jan 2024. My wife and Kid's I94 validity is only until passport expiration but the Visa is valid until Dec 2026. Passport renewal is in progress, awaiting to get our passports. The CBP officer instructed us that we can renew our I94 by traveling out of US and coming back no restriction on where to travel. So we are waiting for our new passports to arrive and then plan something.

Do you have any updates after the above?