Entry instructions for American airports

When foreigners arrive in the United States by plane, they must first go through the entry formalities at the airport where they land, that is, they are inspected by immigration officers and customs officials at the airport. The former checks the qualifications of passengers to come to the United States, that is, whether they can enter the country; The latter checks whether passengers' luggage should be subject to customs duties or whether prohibited items should be confiscated.

1. Entry inspection procedures

(1) Passengers are guided to the entry inspection room and queued for inspection according to different entry visas. Non-immigrant visa holders should be non-residents, and immigrant visa holders or green cards should be citizens/residents.

(2) When it's your turn to be inspected, hand in your passport, i-20 or iap-66, i-94 and customs declaration form to the immigration officer for inspection. You know, holding a passport and visa does not guarantee entry. Because the visa only gives the holder the right to enter the country, it is up to the immigration officer to decide whether to allow entry. Immigration officers will check the "blacklist" to see if the foreigner is on the list. If he has a bad record in the immigration department in the past, it will be difficult for him to enter the country if he is deported.

(3) Traditionally, immigration officials will ask you some questions. The most important of these problems is to determine where you live after coming to the United States, the purpose of coming to the United States, and how much money to bring. Don't be nervous, just answer calmly.

(4) After asking questions, immigration officials will sign on i-20 or iap-66 and i-94-stamp to indicate the date of entry, and sign to indicate the visa status and the period of legal re-entry. If you hold a (f- 1) visa, the United States will allow you to stay in the United States until you have completed the necessary years of study. Therefore, usually the immigration officer will stamp the column of i-94 with the d/s seal. If you have an exchange scholar (j- 1) visa, the United States only allows you to stay for a certain period of time. You must study the courses specified in iap-66 to maintain your exchange scholar status. No matter whether you have an f- 1 or j- 1 visa, you should note that your passport must always be valid for more than six months when you enter the United States.

(5) The immigration officer will tear off the exit part of i-94, nail it on the passport and return the third page of i-20 or iap-66 to you. You should immediately confirm that the information added is correct, and if there are any mistakes, please correct them immediately. Going back to ask or ask questions after leaving the counter will only increase your troubles. You must note that i-94 is the only document that proves that you entered the United States legally. Although it is only a small piece of paper, it must be put together with your passport during your stay in the United States. If you lose it, you must apply to the nearby immigration office for a replacement.

2. Baggage claim, customs declaration and customs clearance.

(1) Follow the instructions on the aisle to the baggage claim area of the terminal, and find the baggage claim desk of your flight according to the computer screen or notice.

(2) Take the luggage off the turntable and check the luggage number carefully, because many suitcases look exactly the same.

(3) There are trolleys at the airport, each for one yuan. You can also ask a porter to do it for you, with a tip of one yuan each.

(4) The international airport is very large, so it is easy to find the wrong turntable when picking up luggage, and sometimes airlines will neglect the operation. Don't be nervous if you can't find your luggage. Check with the airline with the baggage registration stub on the boarding pass. If you still can't find it, you must fill out a loss report form and write down the name and telephone number of the airport service personnel for future inquiry. A classmate once encountered a similar situation and wanted to claim thousands of dollars from the airline. As a result, the airline found it the next day and sent someone home for free. )

(5) When queuing for customs clearance, you may wish to choose the shortest line to queue up for inspection. Don't glance left and right, hesitate, and don't look at the rapid and temporary changes in the other line, resulting in doubts and careful investigation. Smile, be sincere, answer questions, but don't talk too much, lest you ask for trouble.

(6) hand in the certificate when checking the baggage. If the customs requires unpacking inspection, open it immediately, don't hesitate. Don't doubt that the customs officer motioned to pass, and immediately put forward the luggage to leave.

(7) If any prohibited items are found in the luggage, they will be confiscated on the spot. The original packed luggage is in a mess, so it takes some effort to put things back in place. But sometimes if you are lucky, you can get through customs quickly.

(8) Pay attention to your luggage documents at any time and don't leave your body to avoid being stolen by others.

(9) If the amount brought into the country exceeds 1 10,000 USD, you should take the initiative to declare to the customs and fill in the 4790 form.

Replace the plane

If you want to change planes after entering the country, you have to estimate the time and report to the airport counter of the airline you want to change as soon as possible. Of course, your luggage still needs to be checked again. If the airport is very big, you might as well ask someone for help to avoid going the wrong way. After completing the transfer formalities and finding the confirmed door, you can have a rest period. At this time, you might as well walk around, stretch your muscles or go to the toilet.