What to expect at the border
Perhaps you are flying into JFK airport, or arriving by a cruise ship at the seaport in Miami. Or maybe you and your family are driving a car from Canada into New York. There are numerous points of entry into the United States and regardless of the place you choose government officials will inspect everyone arriving in the United States. There are four types of inspection that can take place: public health, customs, agriculture and immigration. Sometimes separate officers complete these inspections; sometimes they are combined into one inspection. Upon arrival at a border you will be required to provide a current passport and valid visa, unless your home country participates in the Visa Waiver Program with the United States where citizens of certain countries do not need a visa to visit the United States if the stay is for fewer than 90 days.
If you plan to arrive in the United States by air, the airline will provide a form I-94 during the flight that must be completed and turned in upon landing at the airport. A similar process might occur if you arrive at sea. The form will ask for personal identifying information as well as the address where you plan to stay while in the United States. Upon arrival at the airport or seaport you will need to wait in a line to speak to an immigration officer who might ask why you are coming to the United States and ask how long you plan to stay. If you are permitted to enter the United States, the immigration officer will stamp your passport and provide you with a torn off portion of your I-94 containing the date you entered and the date by which you must leave the United States.
It is important to remember that the dates on the I-94 contain the dates during which you may remain in the United States. The dates in your visa do not contain this information. A visa permits you to apply to go to the United States, but the I-94 contains the permission for you to be in the United States. If you want to stay longer than the date on which your I-94 expires you must apply for an extension. Some I-94 cards might have a notation of “D/S”, which indicates “duration of stay” so long as you remain in the school or business which brought you to the United States.
If you arrive at a border checkpoint on land, you and your vehicle will undergo an inspection and require permission to proceed. It is possible that the officer will send you to an additional inspection, such as for customs or agriculture, before permitting you to enter.
If not permitted to enter the United States you might be held in a detention center or temporarily held until a return flight can be arranged. Also, your visa might be canceled which means you will need to be able to re-apply for a new visa before seeking permission to come back to the United States. If you have a valid visa and are denied entrance into the United States you can request a hearing before the Immigration Court, and if dissatisfied with that decision you can appeal to the Board of Immigration Appeals.
It is important to be prepared when coming to the United States with appropriate documentation and information. It is also important to always be truthful about your identity and your plans in the United States.