Port of Entry Procedures

While flying to the US, you will have to complete your customs formalities at your first port of entry. Ensure that you have sufficient time (at least 2 hours, considering the queue) between your flights at that airport. You should have the following documents available for presentation: your passport, valid for at least six months beyond the date of your expected stay; SEVIS Form (I-20); Arrival-Departure Record Form (I-94); and Customs Declaration Form (CF-6059). (I-94 and CF-6059 would be provided in your flight.)

In addition, it is strongly recommended that you also hand carry the following documentation:
1. Evidence of financial resources;
2. Evidence of student status, such as recent tuition receipts and transcripts;
3. Paper receipt for the SEVIS fee, Form I-797, and
4. Name and contact information for your “Designated School Official”, including a 24-hour emergency contact number at the school.

Here is the basic procedure followed at port of entry:

• Sometime before landing the flight attendant will distribute customs declaration forms & immigration forms as mentioned below. Fill these out on the plane (you will submit them to the appropriate authorities when you land). Do not hesitate to take the flight attendant's help. You can indicate that you have nothing to declare & total value of all your things is less than $ 1500 on the customs form I-94 - fill in the plane. After seeing your documents immigration officer will indicate length of stay, Univ, etc. This will be attached to your passport.


• Important: note the expiry date and D/S (duration of status). Form I-20 ID copy - all transactions regarding your non-immigrant status will be recorded in this form. This should be retained at all times (not surrendered until when you temporarily leave the US). Your admission number will be given - memorize it & note it elsewhere.


• Just before you land the correct local time will be announced set your watch.


• Once you are out of the plane go straight to the immigration counter - rush for them to beat the queue. It might take 0.5-1 hour here. Keep your I-20, passport, admission & aid letters ready. They might ask a few questions like - is this your first time in the US? Student? F-1 visa? Which Univ? They will attach an I-94 card to your passport.


• You are now in the USA! then go to the baggage are to fetch your luggage. Pick up a cart (at some airports you get this at a machine for $1) to carry the bags. Then pick up your bags as they come out on the conveyor (suitable eye-catching labels help here). If you don't get your baggage inform the enquiry section – you may have to wait 0.5-1 hour here. Cart your baggage to nearby Customs. If asked tell them that you are a student, F-1 visa, school, dept., coming to US for the first time.


• If asked to open the baggage do so slowly - do not mess up the place.


• If asked about the masalas tell them that they are "dried Indian spices" to make traditional Indian food like curry. Rarely might they ask you to go to the agris. Dept. nearby - that is a pain. If asked about "vibuthi" tell them that it is holy Hindu powder used for prayer.


• Note: In most cases you will NOT be asked to open your suitcases at all & will be simply waved through. Now go to the counter of your airlines and give them your check-in bags that you will collect at your final destination.


• Never leave your baggage unattended. Don't go out of the airport until somebody comes & picks you up. If you have doubts about the guy who comes to pick you up, don't hesitate to ask for his ID. [All this is of course being a little extra cautious]


• Once you reach your friend's house (or other destination) call home & inform them of reaching safely.

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Things to Carry

There are so many things one needs to carry, while going to the US for the first time. You have to make a new place to live, a "home" away from your home. If you have a friend who is going to the same university, for the same semester, it is better to share few things. This saves space as well as money.

This post lists the most common things you should carry while traveling to US. One must ensure to take along all essential items one would need for a comfortable stay in the United States. Many commodities like clothes, foot ware, leather items, and other miscellaneous things are expensive in US. Also, you would need to take your important academic and legal documents as they may be needed from time to time. Therefore it is a must that you go through the entire section and make a note of these things in the form of printout as a checklist to ensure that you don’t miss anything.


Documents:

• Passport, I-20, visa.
• Driver’s license.
• International Driving Permit, if possible.
• Medical certificates and proofs of vaccination.
• Transcripts.
• Degree certificate or provisional certificate.
• Letters from university.
• Passport size photos.

Money:

• You should have enough money to arrange for housing, etc. and to survive at least the first month (until the first paycheck, from your job arrives).
• Bring $1500 - $2000 in travelers' checks.
• Bring $100 - $150 in cash. $10 bills or the smaller.
• $1 bills will be required to pull out trolleys in the airport.
• If you cannot get cash, travelers' checks can be encashed at the airport for a fee.

Clothing:
Depends on the place where you will stay. Few common advices, no matter where your university is:

• Do NOT bring heavy winter clothes – as you won’t require that in fall and spring and it will occupy a lot of space in your luggage. You'll need to buy winter clothes in late September or early October. Winter clothing is pretty cheap here. You will get a good winter jacket in around $50.
• A raincoat and/or casual jacket, umbrella, woolen gloves, cap would be very useful.
• Get a few of pairs of shorts, towels (3-4), socks.
• You could also get traditional Indian dresses for special occasions.
• It is advisable to get around 15 pairs of undergarments as it helps in reducing your trips to the laundry (though most apartments have laundry machines right in the basement of the building).
• About three pairs of formal wears for career fairs and interviews. Two blazers will do.
• You can get a decent pair of jeans for around $20 to $30 here. T-shirts will cost around $10 to $20. Shirts will cost around $20 to $30.

Food Items:

• Indian spices of your choice, though you can get most of them here.
• Home-made items like pickles etc.
• Bring a few noodle packets. Get a few Instant food packets; these become handy many a times in first few weeks.
• You can bring few groceries – Rice, Dal, Salt, Sugar, Tea/Coffee in case you are going to move to new apartment right away just enough to survive few days so that you don’t have to run for grocery shopping the next day.
• There are many Indian stores around most of the well know universities. Then too it depends on the location. If you are able to find one Indian store around, you will get all kinds of things there. You even get Indian cold drinks and Indian chocolates there, costly though.

Utensils:

• Being with three or four roomies, you will have to cook for atleast 4 people. So try to get large vessels.
• If your roomies are decided, collaborate and bring vessels according.
• Try bringing all the vessels you need, vessels are costly here
• Bring utensils which are preferably microwave safe.

Other Stuffs:

• A few pens, pencils, ruler etc. just to get started. Stationary is pretty cheap here. Do not overload your baggage with notebooks and paper.
• A scientific calculator that you might have used in your undergraduate course.
• A small sewing kit.
• A good book for cooking.
• Don’t get many CD’s of movies and songs. You will get everything online, most of the times for free.

Things not to get:

• DO NOT GET ANY ELECTRICAL APPLIANCES FROM INDIA. It is 110 volts AC/60Hz in the US, so Indian electrical appliances does not work.
• Do not get a digital camera, it’s very cheap here.
• Do not get a laptop; you will get a good deal here.
• Don’t get too many clothes. It’s cheap here.
• Do not get too many pairs of shoes.

Remember..!!

Keep the passport, I-20, all the certificates, Marklists (your folder), medical records etc. in your handbag. Very rarely airlines misplace your luggage. Ofcourse they refund you for the same but as you can see, some documents are too important for any refund.

You will complete your customs formalities at your first port of entry. ENSURE THAT YOU HAVE SUFFICIENT TIME (at least 2 hours, considering the queue) BETWEEN YOUR FLIGHTS AT THAT AIRPORT.

Carry a few quarters (25c coins) in case you have to call anyone from the airport. [...] Read more!