Deferred Inspection in Los Angeles: Documents and Interview

If a CBP officer handed you a Form I-546 at the airport and told you to report later, your deferred inspection in Los Angeles takes place at the CBP Deferred Inspection Unit on the second floor of the federal building at 300 N. Los Angeles Street, Room 2067, Los Angeles, CA 90012. It is not at LAX or any airport terminal. Bring the I-546, your passport, and every document the form lists, and plan to arrive early enough for the officer to finish your case before the office closes.

Where to Go, When It’s Open, and How to Reach the Office

The office sits inside the downtown federal building. Hours, based on CBP’s published schedule, are Monday through Thursday, 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. It closes for lunch from noon to 1:00 p.m. and is closed Fridays.

The phone number is (310) 665-4580, and the fax is (310) 665-4581. CBP asks travelers reporting to sites outside an international airport to call ahead and set an appointment before showing up.¹ Some straightforward I-94 corrections can be handled by email instead of in person; for that purpose the Los Angeles unit uses i94LAX@CBP.DHS.GOV, and you should receive an automated reply with next steps.

Paid parking is available at the Los Angeles Mall Garage underground across the street, with an entrance on Los Angeles Street between Temple and Aliso. The daily rate is roughly $10 if you enter before 8:00 a.m. A lot at the northeast corner of Alameda and Commercial/Aliso runs about $6 per day.² Both rates can change. Expect a security screening typical of any federal building before you reach the second floor.

Why CBP Sent You Here

Every person arriving in the United States must be inspected by an immigration officer.³ When the officer at the port of entry can’t make a final admissibility decision on the spot, they defer it. Common reasons include:

Missing or incomplete documentation, such as an approval notice you didn’t have with you or records CBP couldn’t verify in real time.
Errors on your electronic I-94, including the wrong visa classification, an incorrect admission date, or a misspelled name. Deferred inspection staff can correct these when appropriate.¹
A pending petition or a waiver of inadmissibility that was still being processed when you arrived.
A background or criminal-history check that flagged something needing more review.

Your Form I-546 identifies the specific issue and the evidence you need to produce.⁴ Read it carefully before you prepare anything else.

What to Bring to Your Appointment

The single most important document is the Form I-546 itself. Without it, the office may not be able to find your case. Beyond that, bring your passport with all visa pages and every document the I-546 lists. Depending on why you were referred, that may include:

Form I-797 approval notices for any underlying petition, such as an I-130 family petition, I-140 employment petition, or I-129 worker petition.
Certified medical clearances or court dispositions, if the referral involved a health-related ground of inadmissibility or a prior criminal matter.
Any receipt or approval for a waiver of inadmissibility, such as Form I-601.
Current proof of the purpose of your stay, such as an offer letter, pay stubs, or school enrollment verification for work-visa or student-visa holders.

Any document not in English needs a certified translation. The translator must certify in writing that they are competent in both languages and that the translation is complete and accurate, and the certification should include the translator’s name, signature, address, and date. Showing up without translations of foreign-language evidence can delay your case or force a return trip.

Make copies of everything before you go. The officer may keep originals or make their own copies, and you want a complete set for your own records.

What Happens at the Interview

After the building’s security screening, check in with the administrative staff on the second floor. They’ll verify your I-546 and direct you to a waiting area. Wait times vary, and complex cases can take several hours.

The core of the visit is a one-on-one interview with a CBP officer. You may be asked, under oath, the purpose of your visit, how long you plan to stay, and whether you intend to remain permanently.³ The officer will review your documents, verify them, and decide whether the original issue is resolved. The burden is on you to establish you are not inadmissible.⁵

Answer directly and consistently. The officer is comparing what you say against your documents and what the port-of-entry officer recorded. Contradictions, even innocent ones, create problems. If a document is missing or a question isn’t clear, say so plainly rather than guessing.

Can You Bring an Attorney?

CBP has no uniform published policy on this, and practices differ by office. At some locations an attorney can sit in; at others the attorney waits outside and is only consulted during breaks. The inspecting officer has discretion to allow a representative, relative, or friend into the inspection area. If you plan to bring counsel, call the Los Angeles office first to ask the current practice. Even if your lawyer can’t sit with you, having them in the building means you can step out to consult before answering something you’re unsure about.

What the Officer Can Decide

The officer has full authority to admit you or deny entry. There is no permanent “deferred” status. One of these will happen:

Admission. The officer is satisfied, and you receive a corrected I-94 showing your proper visa classification and authorized period of stay. This is the usual result when travelers arrive prepared.
Request for additional evidence. Your documents are close but incomplete, and the officer schedules a follow-up for you to return with what’s missing.
Withdrawal of application for admission. In the officer’s discretion, you may be allowed to voluntarily withdraw your request to enter and leave the country. This avoids a formal removal order but still means you were not admitted.³
Notice to Appear. The most serious outcome, an NTA is the charging document that places you in removal proceedings before an immigration judge. Proceedings begin when CBP files the NTA with the immigration court, which then mails you a hearing notice with the date, time, and courtroom. Failing to appear can result in a removal order issued in your absence.

After You’re Admitted

Before you leave the office, check your corrected I-94. Verify the visa classification code, the expiration date of your authorized stay, and the spelling of your name. Fixing an error on the spot takes minutes; fixing one later takes another appointment.

If your classification or status changed, update your records with other agencies. The Social Security Administration lets you apply online for a replacement card reflecting your updated immigration status, with an appointment scheduled through the online application; the updated card arrives in roughly five to ten business days.⁶ Your employer may also need to reverify your work authorization on Form I-9 using the corrected I-94, so tell HR promptly.

If You Can’t Make the Date

Your I-546 sets the deadline by which you must appear. There is no standard 30-day window; the date is set case by case at the port of entry.⁴ If you can’t make it, call (310) 665-4580 as early as possible to request a new date. Don’t just skip the appointment.

Failing to appear leaves your admission unresolved. From CBP’s perspective, you were never formally admitted, which can affect your ability to extend status, change visa categories, or adjust to permanent residence later. In serious cases, a no-show can prompt CBP to initiate removal proceedings. A single missed phone call can turn into a much bigger problem than the original documentation issue ever was.

1
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Deferred Inspection Sites
2
Central District of California. Los Angeles – Federal Building
3
Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 8 USC 1225 – Inspection by Immigration Officers
4
U.S. Customs and Border Protection. What is a Deferred Inspection Site?
5
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. USCIS Policy Manual Volume 7 Part B Chapter 2 – Eligibility Requirements
6
Social Security Administration. Update Citizenship or Immigration Status