What should American students pay attention to when they enter the airport for the first time

China students who arrive in the United States by plane must do it at the airport where they first land; 1, entry inspection procedures; (1) Passengers are guided to the entry inspection room according to different entry visas; (2) When it's your turn to be inspected, bring your passport, I-20 or IAP-6; (3) Traditionally, immigration officials will ask you some questions. (4) Immigration officials will ask questions at I-20 or IAP；; If you hold a (F- 1) visa, the United States will allow you to stay in the United States until you study abroad; If you have an exchange scholar (J- 1) visa, the United States only allows it.

When China students arrive in the United States by plane, they must first go through the entry formalities at the landing airport, that is, they will be inspected by immigration 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, immigration inspection procedures

(1) Passengers are guided to the entry inspection room and queued for inspection according to different entry visas. Non-immigrant visa holders (F 1) 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. The immigration officer 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) Immigration officials will sign I-20 or IAP-66 and I-94 after asking questions, indicating the date of entry, the status of signing visas and the time limit for legal re-entry.

If you hold a (F- 1) visa, the United States will allow you to stay in the United States for the necessary number of years to complete your studies. 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 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, and some trolleys at the airport are free. You can also ask a porter to do it for you. Tip 1 USD.

(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.

(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. According to American law, customs officers have no right to open your luggage without permission, but if they ask you to open it and you refuse, they have the right to open your luggage.

(7) If prohibited items are found in the luggage, confiscate them on the spot and use the original packaged luggage.

It's a mess It takes some effort to put things back. But sometimes if you are lucky, you can get through customs quickly. Take good care of your luggage, no more or less, and don't take any luggage through customs. Beware of others using you to smuggle drugs.

(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.

Step 3 Replace the machine

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.

4. How to deal with baggage emergencies?

What if the luggage is damaged?

If you find your luggage damaged in the cargo hold, you should handle it on the baggage conveyor belt or at the special counter set up by the airline. To deal with luggage damage, passengers must fill out a luggage damage report, and the airline will arrange for someone to repair the luggage, or the passenger will send it to the airline for repair, and then send the receipt back to the airline for claim settlement.

If the damage cannot be repaired, some airlines will pay for a new suitcase, while others will pay cash compensation at the depreciation rate of 10% per year according to the year of luggage purchase.

According to the regulations of the International Aviation Association, if the luggage is damaged during international transportation, a written complaint should be made to the carrier within seven days after the damage. However, the airline said that it is best to respond at the airport, otherwise it is necessary to fill out a report afterwards, explaining why the luggage was not found damaged immediately.

How to avoid the loss of luggage?

The large luggage transported by the airline was taken away on the turntable. Due to the large quantity, it is likely that the luggage was taken by mistake or stolen, and the luggage disappeared during the transfer. When you find that you can't find your luggage, don't panic first and see if there are any similar suitcases around you that have been taken by mistake. If you really can't find it, you should ask the staff of the terminal for help and register at the lost and found office with your luggage tag and ticket.

If you use a new suitcase, remember the characteristics, color and size of the suitcase, otherwise you won't know how to find it when you claim it. In order to avoid the loss of luggage and the damage of checked items, there are several ways to avoid accidents:

Be sure to write your English name and school address on your luggage, so it is easier to find it at the airport. Airlines will provide luggage tags for customers to write down their contact addresses and telephone numbers. Once lost, the airline can return the luggage according to the luggage tag.

The more detailed the description of the luggage, the better. If you can identify the special label on the luggage, it will make it easier for the seeker to find it. You can stick eye-catching stickers or pictures on your luggage so that you can find them (it's a good idea for some students to stick pandas).

If it's fragile, it's best to put it in the right place, or don't put it in the luggage at all, because some airlines are not responsible for fragile, valuable or perishable goods.

Passengers who buy air tickets with a card can't find their luggage for more than six hours after arriving at their destination. Cardholders can get a credit card of $250 to buy daily necessities, and those with family members can get a claim of $500. If the luggage is not found for more than 48 hours, it is judged as lost. Gold card holders have a credit line of $65,438+0,000, and ordinary cards have a credit line of $750, which is used to purchase daily personal items. Even if the luggage is found in the 49th hour, you can still apply for a claim, but you must apply for a claim with your air ticket and boarding pass. Passengers should try to carry valuables with them.

Go through the formalities of reporting the loss

When you find your luggage lost at the airport, please report it to the lost and found office at the airport immediately. The clerk will fill in the "Baggage Accident Report" for passengers, including the flight distance and how many pieces of luggage to carry, and take photos of all kinds of luggage for passengers to identify, input the information into the computer, and find the lost luggage through the international baggage search network.

The name of the station. If it has not been found for more than 2 1 day, the last stop airline will be responsible for the claim. According to the airline's "Terminal Compensation Law", passengers who transfer for many times are responsible for the claim by the airline that takes the terminal.

On the amount of compensation

According to the regulations of the International Aviation Association, the compensation limit for checked baggage is about US$ 7 per pound in 9 yuan (US$ 5 per kilogram, German Airlines is 53.5 marks per kilogram), and the compensation limit for carry-on baggage is US$ 2 per passenger. For all journeys between points in the United States, the relevant laws and regulations stipulate that the compensation limit of airlines shall not be less than $65,438+0,250 per passenger.