Hi, this is Jacob Sapochnick, an immigration attorney in San Diego. In this video, I want
to talk about a common question we get from F1 students. What do they have to be aware
of as they arrive in the US and how to make sure that they have no problems when they
enter the US crossing through the Customs and Border Patrol? Well, as you know, F1 visa
students who obtained their visas at the home countries, the entry to the US is never guaranteed.
The CBP officer at the port of entry has the discretion to allow the student to enter the
US. And if they feel that they're not a bona fide student, they may just easily send them
back. So, the first thing we always tell our students is, remember, make sure that the
I-20 is properly filled and signed. And you should not be entering the US more than 30
days before the start date on your I-20. If you do that, the CBP officer has the discretion
to send you back because you come in too early before the start date of the course. The second
thing we always suggest students as they arrive, make sure you carry your documents, your I-20,
your passport, the admission documents with you at all times and not in your luggage.
Many cases, when luggage is lost and students had all the documents in the luggage, they
were not able to properly verify their documentation and in many cases, had delays and in extreme
cases, were sent back because they had no proof that they were coming to school. So,
make sure that always carry those documents with you, never in the luggage. As you enter
the airport going through to be checked, make sure you have those paperwork handy. The I-20,
your passport has to be valid for six months before entry and also carry all the financial
documents, service receipts with you. Sometimes, CBP officers will question you, make sure
that you have the financial funds to go and able to start school and you should be able
to document that you have those handy with you. Another important tip is when students
are questioned at the port of entry, sometimes a secondary inspection, the officers would
like to know if the students are aware, where are they going? Where's the school? Do you
know where the location of the school, the name of the school? Who is the DSO, what are
you going to be studying? What is your major? Too many cases happen with students who are
not familiar where they're going, they just knew general information, general ideas about
the school, they don't like that, the CBP, they feel that there is some kind of uncertainty
on the student’s side. And they are able to deny entry just because of that if they
cannot verify that the student actually is going to school. For people, for students
that lived in the US before, either as interns or in a different status, it is very important
to understand that if you convey to the officers, the fact that you worked here or the assumption
of employment, that alone could be a reason for denial, where an interesting case, where
a student came with the proper visa, but before that, she was doing an internship in a company
without pay. When she explained that to the officer after questioning, the officer determined
that she was working here legally and that alone was a reason for her to be sent back
and cancel her student visa resulting in her losing her opportunity to go to an MBA program
just because of that verbal discussion. So, make sure that you understand what you're
telling the officer and not say things that could hurt you. Finally, it's important to
make sure that you carry the proper documents with you and have all the dates in place.
Where the I-20, properly dated and signed, the service forms, everything has to be matched.
There cannot be anything that is not consistent because CBP officers can search for a document
and if they find that there's something inconsistent, it could be resolved in denial of admission.
If you actually get denied admission, it's not the world. Make sure that you understand
what happened. Get a copy of the documents that you signed, containing your interview
notes, allowing you to file the case or reapply the next time you should get a qualified attorney
to help you. Once again, if you follow those steps, we feel that you're going to be able
to enter the US smoothly as a student and wish you all the best in your upcoming studies
in the US. If you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comments below. And
we'll look forward to seeing you in the next video. Thank you.