Study in USA
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Chapter X: Travelling to the United States
Before the student travels to the U.S., he or she must inform the university, so that any necessary arrangements can be made ahead of time, such as transportation from the airport, directions to the campus, and where to check-in upon arrival. It is advisable to arrive at the airport at least two hours before the flight departure time. If the student's university is in a city where there is no international airport, then the student must fly into the nearest airport obtain the customs and immigration clearance before traveling to the final destination. If the student has to change planes en route, then he or she should make sure that there is enough time to collect baggage and complete the immigration and customs formalities. It is advisable to choose a flight with at least a three hour layover. Students should remember to prepare the following items before they depart:
- Ticket
- Passport
- Paperwork from the university
- I-20 form
- I-94 form
- Evidence of financial resources
- Original certificates and mark sheets
- Medical records
- Address and direction to the university.
- University contact information
- Traveler's checks and U.S. dollars
- Dress and casual clothes for all seasons: warm clothing for cold weather and light clothing for warm weather.
- Business clothes: dark suits, button down shirts, and ties for men, and pants suits, skirts and blouses, or dresses for women.
- Outerwear, such as coats, hats, gloves, and scarves.
- Plenty of undergarments and socks.
- Toiletries, such as soap, antiperspirant, shampoo, conditioner, a toothbrush, and toothpaste.
- Personal entertainment items, such as books or music.
It is important to check in advance with the airline about the luggage requirements as it varies from each airline. Most of the airlines allow students to carry extra luggage than the allowed limit for other passengers. In general, passengers are allowed two pieces of baggage to be checked in, each of which may be upto 70 lbs (32 Kgs) and also subject to certain dimensional restrictions. Passengers are also allowed to carry one piece of hand luggage on board.
It is highly recommended to have a spare set of clothes in carry-on baggage, in case the checked-in baggage is delayed or lost upon arrival. This may happen occasionally and passengers are entitled to monetary compensation from the airline for the loss. Please contact the nearest desk of the airline concerned immediately after the loss is noticed. Always keep valuables - cash, traveler's checks, passport, visa documents, airplane tickets, International Driving Permit, Original Educational Certificates - in the carry-on baggage. Do not put them in the checked-in baggage. It is also advisable to keep a copy of all the documents at home before leaving for the U.S.
Customs
Before landing, each person arriving in the U.S. must fill out the Customs Declaration Form 6059B, which is distributed on the plane. It is not required to itemize items brought to the U.S. for personal use, such as clothing or toiletries. The forms are used to declare the value of any gifts or business items that passengers have brought with them to the U.S.
Jewelry or similar articles of personal adornment valued at $300 or more and passed free of duty under the personal customs exemption and cannot be sold within three years unless duty is paid. If duty is not paid before the sale is completed, the articles will become subject to seizure. A person entering in to the U.S. may enter with professional equipments free of duty if it was owned and used abroad. This includes professional books and tools of trade, occupation, or employment.
Immigration Inspections
The Arrival Departure Record Form (I-94) is also distributed on the plane and must be completed prior to landing. The I-94 form should reflect the address where the student will reside, not the address of the school or program. On arrival at the airport, the airline personnel will show the inspection area. Passengers will queue up in an inspection line and then speak with an Immigration Inspector. Students should use the lanes marked for non-citizens.
The Immigration Inspector must determine the reason for coming to the U.S., verify the documents and check how long the non-immigrant should be allowed to initially stay in the U.S. These determinations are usually made within few minutes. If the passenger is allowed to proceed, the Inspector will stamp the passport and issue a completed I-94 form. A completed form will show the immigration classification and the last date of authorized stay in the U.S. The student will then be permitted to proceed to Customs.
The date on the I-94 is very important. Usually, this will be same date as the visa validity date, but the date on the I-94 supersedes the visa date on the visa. The visa holder is allowed to stay only for the period mentioned on the I-94. It is the student's responsibility to check the date and make sure it is correct, any human errors can be corrected within minutes by the same immigration officer and it takes more time to get the correction after leaving the airport.
Students should keep the contact details of the university and address of accommodation handy. Sometimes students may need to land the nearest international airport rather than the airport closest to the university, because port of entry for international passengers is not available in all the airports. Students should be prepared to answer any questions like change of flights or the person who will be picking them up from the airport. Clear, simple, and correct answers will be enough. If a student is asked to go through a secondary inspection, he or she should not panic. The Immigration Inspector will verify documents and check about enrollment with the university. Due to very strict security checks, secondary inspections are very common.
In a secondary inspection, the Immigration Inspector will first attempt to verify the student's status by using SEVIS. In the event that the Immigration Inspector needs to verify information with the student's university, the student should have the necessary contact information available.
Failure to comply with U.S. government entry-exit procedures may result in being denied entry to the U.S. Under certain circumstances, the Immigration Inspector may issue a Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor Form (I-515A), which authorizes temporary admission into the U.S. If this happens, then the student must contact the International Student Office and submit the proper documentation without delay.
Transportation to the University
If the university did not arrange for pickup from the airport they might have guided the student with instruction to reach university by taxi cab. Students may contact the international student office and request for pick up if any one interested. If the distance between airport and the university is more than 50 miles students should consider taking alternate transportation instead of a taxi. Local trains or bus may be the better option. Taxis may also be used from local train or bus stations to reach the university. Fellow students help will the best option to reach the university.
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