When does I-94 or the admission stamp become invalid?

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Accepted answer

The actual regulation doesn't say that the I-94 must be valid, but that the period of stay indicated on the I-94 must be unexpired. That's the reason for the parenthetical mention "unexpired" in the quoted text. 22 CFR 41.112(d)(2)(i) says that the program is available to one who

Is in possession of a Form I-94, Arrival-Departure Record, endorsed by DHS to show an unexpired period of initial admission or extension of stay, or, in the case of a qualified F or J student or exchange visitor or the accompanying spouse or child of such an alien, is in possession of a current Form I-20, Certificate of Eligibility for Nonimmigrant Student Status, or Form IAP-66, Certificate of Eligibility for Exchange Visitor Status, issued by the school the student has been authorized to attend by DHS, or by the sponsor of the exchange program in which the alien has been authorized to participate by DHS, and endorsed by the issuing school official or program sponsor to indicate the period of initial admission or extension of stay authorized by DHS;

You ask:

does one still need to have a paper copy of I-94, or would a previous admission stamp be enough?

It might even be that the admission stamp would be unnecessary; a simple database lookup should be enough. But to be safe, it would be a good idea to print and present a copy of your I-94 record from the I-94 site, because 8 CFR 1.4(f) says

The term “possession” with respect to a Form I-94 includes, but is not limited to, obtaining a copy or printout of the record of an electronic evidence of admission or arrival/departure from the appropriate CBP systems.

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