What a Student Can Expect Upon Arrival

What Our Students Say Conditional Undergraduate Admission TOEFL Linguistics/ TESL at Iowa Photo Gallery	What a Student Can Expect Upon Arrival at a U.S. Port of Entry Important documents to carry Inspections upon arrival US-VISIT National Security Entry-Exit Registration System When you receive your non-immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, the consular officer will seal your immigration documents in an envelope and attach it to your passport. You should not open this envelope! The Customs and Border Protection Officer at the U.S. port of entry will open the envelope. When you travel, you should carry some specific documents on your person. Do not check them in your baggage! If your baggage is lost or delayed, you will not be able to show the documents to the Customs and Border Protection Officer and, as a result, may not be able to enter the United States. Here are the documents you should carry on your person: Passport (including attached envelope of immigration documents) with visa SEVIS Form I-20 Evidence of financial resources In addition, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) recommends that you also carry the following: Evidence of Student/Exchange Visitor status (recent tuition receipts, transcripts) Name and contact information for Designated School Official or Responsible Officer at your intended school or program Writing instrument (pen) If you are traveling by aircraft, the flight attendants on board will distribute CF-6059 Customs Declaration Forms and I-94 Arrival-Departure Record Forms for immigration before you land at your initial point of entry in the United States. Complete these forms while you are on the aircraft and submit them to the appropriate Customs and Border Protection Officer upon your arrival. If you do not understand a form, ask the flight attendant for assistance. Upon arrival at the port of entry, proceed to the terminal area for arriving passengers for inspection at one of the Department of Homeland Security stations. As you approach the inspection station, have your passport, SEVIS Form I-20, Form I-94 Arrival-Departure Record, and CF-6059 Customs Declaration Form available for the Customs and Border Protection Officer. If you are entering through a land or designated sea port, the Customs and Border Protection Officer will provide the necessary CF-6059 Customs Declaration Forms and I-94 Arrival-Departure Record Forms at the port of entry. If you do not understand a form, ask the Customs and Border Protection Officer for assistance. Like all entering visitors, you will be asked to state the reason you wish to enter the United States. You will also be asked to provide information about your final destination. It is important that you tell the Customs and Border Protection Officer that you will be a student. Be prepared to include the name and address of the school where you will enroll. (The IIEP's address is The University of Iowa, Iowa Intensive English Program, 1112 University Capitol Centre, Iowa City, Iowa, 52242, USA). Once your inspection is complete, the inspecting officer will: Stamp your SEVIS Form for duration of status ("D/S") for F and J visa holders Stamp the I-94 and staple it in the passport Secondary Inspection Requirements: If your information cannot be automatically verified by the inspector or you do not have all of the required documentation, you may be directed to an interview area known as "secondary inspection." Secondary inspection allows inspectors to conduct additional research in order to verify information. Verifications are done apart from the primary inspection lines so that an individual case will not cause delays for other arriving passengers. In the case your admission/participation needs to be verified, we strongly advise that you have the name and phone number of the foreign student advisor at your school. (Your IIEP advisor is Ms. Maureen Burke, and her phone number at the ESL Programs Office is 319-335-5630.) In the event you arrive during non-business hours (evenings, weekends, holidays), you should have a phone number where this individual can be reached during non-business hours. Failure to provide proper documentation and to comply with entry/exit procedures is cause to refuse a student admission into the United States. In limited circumstances, if a student is mostly, but not fully in compliance, he/she may be issued a Form I-515A "Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor." This form authorizes temporary admission into the United States and requires the student or exchange visitor to take immediate action to submit proper documentation. Noncompliance with the directions contained on these forms can result in denied entry. US-VISIT: On January 5, 2004, US-VISIT, a comprehensive entry-exit registration system was implemented at all international airports throughout the United States, pre-clearance inspection facilities and designated seaports servicing cruise ships. At this time, non-immigrant visitors holding visas will be participating in the program which involves obtaining a scan of two index fingerprints and a digital photograph of an arriving visitor. Race, national origin, and religion are not factors in the US-VISIT program, as it applies to non-immigrant visa holding aliens. US-VISIT is scheduled to expand to land ports of entry beginning December 31, 2004. For more information visit www.dhs.gov/us-visit National Security Entry-Exit Registration System: Some visitors will require additional scrutiny and will have to provide additional information under the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System, or NSEERS. In the future, NSEERS will be integrated under US-VISIT. Anyone could be subject to additional scrutiny and should follow the directions of the Customs and Border Protection Officer if additional information regarding itinerary, length of stay, or other security questions is required. A packet of information will be available at the port of entry explaining the registration procedure. For more information, search for NSEERS at http://www.ice.gov/graphics/index.htm For greater detail on procedures for traveling and arriving in the United States, visit: http://educationusa.state.gov/predeparture/travel/customs.htm Following admission into the United States: Students should report to IIEP as soon as practical and register for courses or otherwise validate their intended participation. Adapted from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Information Sheet, January 15, 2004

When you receive your non-immigrant visa at a U.S. embassy or consulate, the consular officer will seal your immigration documents in an envelope and attach it to your passport. You should not open this envelope! The Customs and Border Protection Officer at the U.S. port of entry will open the envelope.

When you travel, you should carry some specific documents on your person. Do not check them in your baggage! If your baggage is lost or delayed, you will not be able to show the documents to the Customs and Border Protection Officer and, as a result, may not be able to enter the United States.

Passport (including attached envelope of immigration documents) with visa
SEVIS Form I-20
Evidence of financial resources

In addition, the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) recommends that you also carry the following:

Evidence of Student/Exchange Visitor status (recent tuition receipts, transcripts)
Name and contact information for Designated School Official or Responsible Officer at your intended school or program
Writing instrument (pen)

If you are traveling by aircraft, the flight attendants on board will distribute CF-6059 Customs Declaration Forms and I-94 Arrival-Departure Record Forms for immigration before you land at your initial point of entry in the United States. Complete these forms while you are on the aircraft and submit them to the appropriate Customs and Border Protection Officer upon your arrival. If you do not understand a form, ask the flight attendant for assistance.

Upon arrival at the port of entry, proceed to the terminal area for arriving passengers for inspection at one of the Department of Homeland Security stations. As you approach the inspection station, have your passport, SEVIS Form I-20, Form I-94 Arrival-Departure Record, and CF-6059 Customs Declaration Form available for the Customs and Border Protection Officer.

If you are entering through a land or designated sea port, the Customs and Border Protection Officer will provide the necessary CF-6059 Customs Declaration Forms and I-94 Arrival-Departure Record Forms at the port of entry. If you do not understand a form, ask the Customs and Border Protection Officer for assistance.

Like all entering visitors, you will be asked to state the reason you wish to enter the United States. You will also be asked to provide information about your final destination. It is important that you tell the Customs and Border Protection Officer that you will be a student. Be prepared to include the name and address of the school where you will enroll. (The IIEP's address is The University of Iowa, Iowa Intensive English Program, 1112 University Capitol Centre, Iowa City, Iowa, 52242, USA).

Stamp your SEVIS Form for duration of status ("D/S") for F and J visa holders
Stamp the I-94 and staple it in the passport

Secondary Inspection Requirements:

If your information cannot be automatically verified by the inspector or you do not have all of the required documentation, you may be directed to an interview area known as "secondary inspection." Secondary inspection allows inspectors to conduct additional research in order to verify information. Verifications are done apart from the primary inspection lines so that an individual case will not cause delays for other arriving passengers.

In the case your admission/participation needs to be verified, we strongly advise that you have the name and phone number of the foreign student advisor at your school. (Your IIEP advisor is Ms. Maureen Burke, and her phone number at the ESL Programs Office is 319-335-5630.) In the event you arrive during non-business hours (evenings, weekends, holidays), you should have a phone number where this individual can be reached during non-business hours.

Failure to provide proper documentation and to comply with entry/exit procedures is cause to refuse a student admission into the United States. In limited circumstances, if a student is mostly, but not fully in compliance, he/she may be issued a Form I-515A "Notice to Student or Exchange Visitor." This form authorizes temporary admission into the United States and requires the student or exchange visitor to take immediate action to submit proper documentation. Noncompliance with the directions contained on these forms can result in denied entry.

On January 5, 2004, US-VISIT, a comprehensive entry-exit registration system was implemented at all international airports throughout the United States, pre-clearance inspection facilities and designated seaports servicing cruise ships.

At this time, non-immigrant visitors holding visas will be participating in the program which involves obtaining a scan of two index fingerprints and a digital photograph of an arriving visitor. Race, national origin, and religion are not factors in the US-VISIT program, as it applies to non-immigrant visa holding aliens.

US-VISIT is scheduled to expand to land ports of entry beginning December 31, 2004.

For more information visit www.dhs.gov/us-visit

National Security Entry-Exit Registration System:

Some visitors will require additional scrutiny and will have to provide additional information under the National Security Entry-Exit Registration System, or NSEERS. In the future, NSEERS will be integrated under US-VISIT. Anyone could be subject to additional scrutiny and should follow the directions of the Customs and Border Protection Officer if additional information regarding itinerary, length of stay, or other security questions is required. A packet of information will be available at the port of entry explaining the registration procedure.

Following admission into the United States:

Students should report to IIEP as soon as practical and register for courses or otherwise validate their intended participation.

Adapted from U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement Information Sheet, January 15, 2004

What a Student Can Expect Upon Arrival at a U.S. Port of Entry

Secondary Inspection Requirements:

National Security Entry-Exit Registration System:

Following admission into the United States:

What a Student Can Expect Upon Arrival
at a U.S. Port of Entry