What to Expect
- Entering the U.S. on an F-1 Student Visa
See F-1 Student > New Students Checklist & Welcome Packet > New Student Welcome Packet > Entering The U.S. On An F-1 Student Visa section
- U.S. VISIT Program
The U.S.-VISIT program (United States Visitor & Immigrant Status Indicator Technology) is a U.S. government program under the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which is used to help verify the identity of most nonimmigrant foreign nationals (including F-1 visa students) that travel to the United States for work, study or business.
See also:
F-1 Student > New Students Checklist & Welcome Packet > New Student Welcome Packet > Entering The U.S. On An F-1 Student Visa > U.S. VISIT program
- National Security Entry-Exit Registration System (NSEERS)
Those subject to SPECIAL REGISTRATION should note that if you were previously required to go through the NSEERS special registration process either at a U.S. port of entry or as part of a 鈥渃all-in鈥 registration at a district USCIS office, because you are male and/or from one of the 25 designated countries, or a citizen of either gender from Cuba, Liberia, North Korea, Iran, Sudan, or Syria, there is a special exit procedure that you must follow before you can depart the United States and enter Canada or Mexico. Failure to do so can result in your being permanently barred from entering the United States. If you are crossing at a land port by car or bus, be sure to stop on the U.S. side of the border at the Customs and Border Protection to take care of the exit procedure BEFORE crossing into Canada or Mexico. If you are traveling to Canada or Mexico by plane, you will need to go through the exit procedure at the airport in the United States.
See also:
ICE Special Registration page: http://www.ice.gov/pi/specialregistration/
- Importance of Your Arrival Date
U.S. Immigration Service regulations do not allow new students to arrive in the U.S. earlier than 30 days before the program start date (See section 5 of the I-20)
See also:
F-1 Student > New Students Checklist & Welcome Packet > New Student Welcome Packet > Importance of Your Arrival Date
- ICE: Arriving at a U.S. Port of Entry- What a Student Can Expect
http://www.ice.gov/sevis/factsheet/100104ent_stdnt_fs.htm
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Airport Transportation
San Francisco Airport (http://www.flysfo.com/web/page/index.jsp) and Oakland Airport (http://www.flyoakland.com) both serve many international airlines. The Bay Area Rapid Transit system BART (http://www.bart.gov) is the cheapest public transportation option, but door-to-door shuttles are also very convenientSee also:
F-1 Student > New Students Checklist & Welcome Packet > New Student Welcome Packet > Travel To San Francisco
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Temporary Housing
It is important to arrange temporary accommodations IN ADVANCE if you do not have housing. See off-campus short-term housing information at http://www.sfsu.edu/~housing/offcampus/shortterm.htmlSee also:
F-1 Student > New Students Checklist & Welcome Packet > New Student Welcome Packet > the ARRIVAL AT SF State AND TEMPORARY HOUSING
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How to find a permanent housing
On-Campus Housing: SF State Housing Office (http://www.sfsu.edu/~housing/)Off-Campus Housing:
F-1 Student > New Students Checklist & Welcome Packet > New Student Welcome Packet > PERMANENT HOUSING
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