after your visa

8/10/2019 After Your Visa

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After your visa.

AFTER VISA WHAT DO I DO??

AFTER VISA THE FIRST THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO DO IS?

First and Foremost There are certain things that have to be done in advance, i.e., as soon as

get you your visa - much before the flight.

Learn typing

Learn driving and get the driving license and an International Driving Permit. This usually

takes 40 days. So its better that you start off early.

Learn to cook.

Apply for a bank loan (if necessary)

Make your passport valid for 6 months more thanyour stay indicated in your I-20.

Immunization:Find out the necessary immunization info and get everything done. Generally

there are some vaccines like Hepatitis B, which require 3 doses once each month. So do it

early. These vaccines are very costly in US and you certainly do not want to start spending

money the moment you land in US. Get requisite immunization done (especially MMR)

Tickets:Hey man, go and block the ticket first. You need not pay anything while blocking, its

free!

You can pay later (generally 10 days before departure) after your ticket and schedule is

confirmed. Block flights with many airlines.

Try and book a direct flight to your place, even if you have to take a local airline it is better

and safer than greyhound, which usually has its stops in the shadiest area of towns. Buy a

single ticket all the way through add on are very expensive. Avoid change of airline. A

direct flight is the best.


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If change of airline can't be avoided' leave at least 4-6 hrs gap between the scheduled

arrival of one flight and the scheduled departure of the connecting flight.

Baggage is usually safe with a single airline - change of airline sometimes leads to misplaced

luggage. Some airlines don't take care of baggage transfer - you may have to personally

carry it (check this while booking) and cross check everything you are promised by the

Travel agent with the original air lines. Even if you have confirmed ticket in your hand.

And remember to ask for student concessions...Generally all the airlines will come up with

one or the other discount offer for students...so check all this out before you pay the

money.

Typical expenses: Rs.27, 000 - Rs.35, 000/-

Health Checkups:

Get a medical check-up done

Dental check up

Fresh check-up, especially if you have a major ailment

Is Dental Care necessary?

After extensive survey and upon seeking the opinion of seniors abroad a conclusion on the

need for dental treatment while in India has been made.

Mouth is the mirror of human health. Taking care of oral cavity is a prelude to keeping

Overall health fit.

The rationale behind taking dental check up and treatment while in India is:

To avoid possible dental treatment abroad as it is a well-known fact that dentist in U.S

charge exorbitantly high.

Under inevitable circumstances if you are required to go for dental treatment you need

prior appointment of two to three weeks in U.S


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Even Students are required to bear the huge expenditure, as dental care is not covered

under health insurance in the U.S.

It is ironic that the materials we use in India are the same used by dentists in U.S, but the

payment made for the dental care is in dollars while the number being the same in India.

Eye Check Up:

Get your eyesight checked - get a new prescription. Buy at least one extra pair of glasses or

a pair of contact lens. Get requisite immunization done (especially MMR) Get prescriptions

& medicines for all common ailments (the technical name of the medicine along with

Indian/US brand name)

Important: Complete the health documentation that you may have to submit when you

arrive in US.

Medicines:

LIST OF MEDICINES RECCOMMENDED BY A DOCTOR

Crocin tablets (paracetamol 500 mg)- 3 strips For fever, body ache, and headache.

One tablet three times a day as necessary.

Above 60 kg please use 650 mg tablets (thermol/dolo).

For fevers, mild pain relief Actifed tablets2 strips (side effect drowsiness)

A costlier but much better alternative is Alerid (cetrizine) or Neoloridin(loridine) less

sedation and next to no side effects

Azithromycin 500 mg tablets (aziwin) - 3 strips. One tablet once a day for atleast 3 days ...

use if you have a bacterial cold or Respiratory infection ... (most common symptom being


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dark yellow colored mucus, fever, etc.).NOT NEEDED FOR ordinary cold (white mucus,

watery secretions)

Sporidex 500mg capsules-2 strips. One tablet twice a day when necessary as advised (please

dont use on your own. This stuff needs a prescription to be used properly ... meant only for

persistent troublesome infections)

Avomine tablets- 1 strip for air/ motion sickness. One tablet as necessary.(causes

drowsiness)

Lomotil/Andial tablets- 15 (for diarrhea) But remember the best treatment for diarrhea is

plenty of fluids, some good rest and bland food.

Omeprazole 20 mg .For gastritis.Can be take once or twice a day

Digene tablets- 20 mg. For stomach discomfort .One each three times a day.

Spasmoproxyvon capsules- 3 strips for abdominal colic pain, backache, menstrual pain etc.

One tablet every 6 hours or as necessary.

Domstal tablets- 10. For vomiting .Has to be taken atleast half an hr before food

Electral powder - 2 packets. One teaspoonful mixed with drinks to make up loss of

electrolytes after vomiting & diarrhoea

Novalgin - 2 strips for headache & bodyache. One tablet as necessary.

Brufen 600mg tablets - 2 strips. For arthirtic joint pain. One tablet three times a day after

food.

Avil Tablets- 1 strip for allergy (use cetrizine/loridin for less sedation), One tablet as

necessary.

Relaxyl ointment - 1 tube to be applied as pain balm.

Band Aid assorted- 12

Soframycin skin ointment- 1 tube

Nimesulide tabs. For the severest of headaches and pains. (But banned in the US).


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100mg upto 3 times a day

Ciplox capsules 500 mg. 2 strips.1 capsule twice a day. For Infective diarrheas

Vitamin B-complex capsules.Just in case your starving yourself out there.

Kayanchurna-(for Motions)

SHOPPING TIME BUDDY!!

There are so many things one needs to carry, as this is the first time you are going abroad. If

you have a friend who is going to the same university, for the same semester, it is better to

share few things. This saves space as well as money. In this section, we have listed the most

common things that your seniors have carried and suggest you to do. We not only tell you

what to carry?, but also how much to carry vis--vis the quantity of each item. Many

commodities like clothes, foot ware, leather items, and other miscellaneous things are

expensive in US. Therefore it is a must that you go through the entire section and make a

note of these things in the form of printout before you begin shopping to ensure that you

dont miss something. Get started with clothes....

CLOTHES:

Jeans: 4 to 6 pairs

Shorts: 6-8. Get those ones, which are, long and go a 2-3 inches beyond knees.

T-shirts: 6-8

Cotton shirts: 4-5(no multicolored patterns, they are not in vogue in US). Cotton clothes are

good in warmer places.

Night clothes: 2-3 pairs

Formal suit & Ties- 1-2 pairs. You rarely need them...once in a year or so on occasions like

Convocation ceremony and interviews.

Undergarment- A lot of them...10-15 pairs we stress upon this because you may go to the

laundry once in two weeks!!


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Socks- 4-5 pairs you can bring even more because you would be wearing shoes most of the

time. Do not take nylon socks. Cotton ones are better.

Sweaters- a couple - full sleeved advisable

Get a muffler and monkey cap and woollengloves and windcheater.

Leather jacket- 1 they are rather poor protection in the north. But you may consider getting

one woollen Jacket.

Handkerchiefs-1 dozen

2-3 beltsone formal leather belt and others as you please. But you might want to know that

one rarely tucks in the casual dresses.

Kurta-payjamas-These would be good during Cultural meets etc. If you have fancy for one,

don't forget extra naadi then.

2 Turkish towelsand two napkins.

2 thin single bed sheets.

1 air pillow

Summarizing your clothes list:

1) Sunglasses 2 no.

2) Cap 2 no.

3) Umbrella 1 no.

4) Wind sheeter 1 no.

5) Under garments 18 no.

6) Shirts 4 formal + 4 half sleeves

7) T-shirts 12 no.

8) Bermudas 6 no.


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9) Trousers 4 no. (formal)

10) Jeans 6 no.

11) Handkerchief 18 no.

12) Socks 15 no.

13) Belts 3 no.(one for jeans and 2 formal)

14) Sweater 2 full + 2 half sleeve

15) Leather jacket 1 no.

16) Wallet with more pockets for credit cards 1 no.

17) Thermal wears 2 no.

18) Ties 2 no.

19) Blazer / Suit - Blazer + matching trouser

20) Kurta Pyjama 1 white

21) Chudidar 1 no.

22) Chudidar jacket 1 no.

23) Night dress 2 no.

24) Gloves 2 pair

FOOTWARE:

Shoes:

SPORTS SHOES: 2 pairs Sports shoes are real cheap in US. Moreover in sales of Christmas

etc. So do not spend too much money for these. Get some moderately priced and good ones

so that you need not buy them immediately after coming to US.


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LEATHER SHOES: Get good and strong leather shoes, shoes that have good grip are

preferred. This is for snowy regions. Its difficult to walk on snow with shoes of flat sole.

Firm grip helps to keep fit, prevents breaking head, bones.

Chappals:

You can buy leather footwear... But we advise Sandals. Get two pairs of them.

Slippers -two pairs, you don't get the India type slippers in US. Kolhapuris, they serve good

purpose in the summer.

Personal accessories:

Hangersfor clothes,

Wallet- one that has space for cards - you normally don't carry much cash with you.

Shaving kit & Blades(get a good stock, they are costly In US).

Brush & toothpaste(these are also expensive in US).

Soap(get a couple of bars of bathing soap till you go for the first groceries in US).

Combs & hair oil(if you use hair-oil get a years supply of your favourites).

Small mirror (just in case even if you are not a narcissist!).

Nail cutter.

Small scissors, Safety pin bunch. Mini-sewing kit with some buttons.

Summarizing your Personal accessories list:

1) Soap 6 no.

2) Shampoo 3 bottles

3) Towels 2 no.

4) Napkin 6 no.

5) Body spray 3 no.


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6) Perfume 2 no.

7) After shave 1 no.

8) Tooth paste 6 no.

9) Tooth brush 6 no.

10) Shaving tube 2 no.

11) Mach 3 razor 2 no.

12) Blades 20 no. (mach3)

13) Blanket 1 no.

14) Duster 4 no. (For cleaning)

15) Scrub 2 no.

16) Sponge 2 no.

17) Bed sheets 2 thick + 2 thin

18) Pillow 1 no.

19) Comb 2 no.

20) Nail cutter 2 no.

21) Rubber band 1 packet

22) Scissors 1 pair

23) Calculator 1 no.

24) Pass port and stamp size snaps 36 each,

25) Photos of your family

26) CDs of songs

27) Medicines + first aid kit


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28) Digital diary

29) Books

30) Back pack

31) Key Chains

32) Torch Alarm clock.

33) Camera & Camera roll 6 nos

34) Mirror

35) Soap box

Utensils:

Depends on whether you guys plan to cook alone or with your housemates, since most

people don't get time to cook daily, stuff is generally prepared for two days at a go - so keep

this in mind when you buy vessels, etc.

Typical stuff you may want is:

2-3 plates, Glasses, Cups and bowls, Forks (2 each), Serving spoons, Couple of cooking

vessels, Pressure cooker - 3 litres, Cooker containers and spares (rings and valves),Non-stick

frying pan with turner, Tongs and knives, Cutting board for vegetables, 2-3 patellas that fit

into each other and that preferably have handles,1 pressure pan (Prestige), ask your

prospective roommate to get one too Utensils holder Plates (2-3 steel plates, beaker size

and 2-3 plastic plates of both beaker and normal size), 2-3 plastic bowls (katories), 6 spoons

and a couple of steel glasses, Serrated knife.

Summarizing your Utensils list:

1) Cooker 1 no. + spares

2) Cookers Containers 2 no.(with their lids)

3) Kadai 1 no.


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4) Non stick tawa 1 no.

5) Spoons 6 no.

6) Grip 1 no.

7) Chapati fork/tong 1 no.

8) Laddle for poori 1 no.

9) Spatula types used while making roti) 1 no.

10) Knife 2 no.

11) Peeler 1 no.

12) Serving spoons (for dal, curry and rice) 3 no.

13) Knife& Fork 6 no.

14) Sauce pan 2 no.

15) Steel containers to heat food 2 no. (with lid)

16) Rolling Pin/ Belan (to make rotis) 1 no.

17) Plate 1 no.

18) Katori 3 no.

19) Glass 2 no.

20) Cutting board 1 no.

21) Eating knives 2 no.

22) Coffee spoon for salt etc 3 no.

23) Small size plastic spoons for masala 1 no

Food Items:

Some of the common food items that students carry are:


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Spices, Tealeaves, Masalas, Haldi, Dhania, red chilly, Instant masalas, etc. Mustard packet.

Tamarind paste Different dals in small quantity for initial use. Asafoetida powder.

Indian instant coffee + Indian tea (it takes time to get used to the American stuff)

Elaichi, clove, cinnamon

Masalas and tea/coffee powder, if you are a regular drinker (until somebody shifts to beer.)

Get a couple of bags each of haldi, red chilly powder, Garam masala, Dhania, Pickle bottles

(if you have enthu, but preferably get sealed ones), rice, Moong Dal. Bring approx. 1-month

supply of masalas. Most Indian foodstuffs are available even in small cities. Don't come

loaded with foodstuffs as you may have problem with customs. Try to get "instant" stuff, as

people don't have much time for cooking in the US.

Summarizing your Masala list:

1) Dhania& jirra kg

2) Chilli powder kg

3) Haldi kg

4) Full jira 200 gm

5) Mustard Seed 200 gm

6) Garam Masala home made 200 gm

7) Pav bhaji masala 2 packets

8) Salt 500 gm

9) Sugar kg.

10) Hing powder one bottle

11) Papad


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Music:

Get all the cassettes recorded which you might like to take with you. Though you get most

of them in US, why spend money for luxurious things. If you are leaving your beloved, dont

forget to take those kishore Kumar blues.

Stationary list:

1) White sheets 50 no.

2) Pencils 12 no.

3) Erasers 4 no.

4) Blade 2 no.

5) Stapler 1 no.

6) Stapler pins 1 packet

7) Pens 12 blue + 12 black (ball pens)

8) Scribbling Pad 2 no.

9) Glue stick 1 no.

10) Pencil Box 2 no.

11) Ruler - 12" 1 no.

12) Stick on pad 2 no.

13) Cello tape 1 no.

14) Ink pen 1 no.

15) Needle 1 packet

16) Thread Black 1,White 1 reel , Blue 1 reel

17) Safety pins 1 dozen


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Luggage:

Luggage is the essential thing one has to buy. This has to be done after proper planning as

luggage is an expensive item and is to be retained for years, now that you will be doing lot

of traveling in flight.

Bags:

2 large size suitcases

Packing:

Start your packing well in advance.

But two good boxes - they should be able to withstand a lot of mishandling. They should be

as large as possible within the size limitations (however most airlines are not very strict

about baggage size). Put identification marks and labels on both the inside & outside the

boxes) apart from this, the airlines will also provide you with adhesive labels).

Boxes with independent top & bottom are preferable.

Box specification: As an example of Air India economy class baggage specifications to the

USA are given below. Note the specs. may be different for other countries/airlines.

2 pieces of baggage with total liner dimension (L+B+H) not exceeding 270cms (106").

Moreover the total linear dimension of each piece should not be over 158cms (62"). The

weight of each bag should not be exceeding 32kg (70lb) [note: Sometimes they are not

particular about this]

Carry on baggage: In addition you can carry a bag with linear dimension not exceeding

115cms (45") on board fits beneath the seat.

Things to be kept in the boxes:

Copy of all the certificates/documents (originals in hand baggage)

Important application materials (SOP, Reco, etc.)(Soft copy)


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Necessary book/notebooks (some suggested books are - Clarks Tables, a good

dictionary/thesaurus, a booklet for units conversion) [note: there should be no legal hassles

taking Xerox copies of books - but don't flaunt them to Americans/profs]

Copy of address book/telephone book/diary

Some stationary and related items suggested (not absolutely necessary) - just for the first

few weeks are: common items + rubber stamp with house address + air mail covers + few

Indian razor blades for cutting work + screw driver.

Medical history files

Gifts (suggested: roll able pictures, handicrafts, etc.)

Non-technical books (fiction/religious). [Note: second-hand storybooks are cheap in the US]

Don't take Indian files (empty) or punching machines - filing system is different in the US

(3holes, A4)

Don't take paper

Don't take raincoats.

Don't buy purse (wallet for carrying cards can be bought in the US) Carry an organizer

Wear your shoes to save space in the box. If needed buy only leather shoes (other types of

shoes are cheap in the US). For some weather conditions, Indian leather shoes may crack.

Don't worry yourself if you can't bring any of the stuff listed above - most of the items are

available pretty cheap in the US (Made in China). Exceptions are leather goods, formal wear.

In a month or two you will be able to get anything you want.

Things to be kept in hand baggage:

1) Some medicines (including for air-sickness)

2) Novel/mags/books for in flight reading

3) Sweater

4)

Original important documents (I-20, visa, tickets.)


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5) Enough money (little cash, traveller's' checks)

6) Address book/phone book (Indian & US)

7) Copies of your photos (passport size)

8)

Enlisted steps to be followed in case of emergency (accident, theft, etc.)

Things to be kept in person:

Shorter extract of contact addresses - especially of people coming to pick you up.

Receipt got along with traveller's' checks - in case you lose the TC's.

1 handbag to carry in flight stuff with you (buy a good quality, spacious one 'cause you

might have to use it for carrying clothes to the laundry later).

1 backpack (get a good one; you will use it almost all the time in US).

Books:

1) Most books used in US are vague. Heard one professor-using book in electronics by an

Indian author to teach his students! Ha ha ha. These books are easy to follow.

2) Contact students at your Univ.

3) A good dictionary

4) Your calculator

5)

Your entire fundamental course texts and notes (for reference of basics).

6) Standard mathematical table and formulae handbook. Might also want to buy an alarm

clock.

7) Good story books if you have a penchant for reading, though you may not find time

during the first semester.


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Money to be taken with you:

Other than you fee requirements you may have to take $1000-$2000 depending upon

where you are going (you can get this info from your seniors over there). This you can get

from Thomas Cook/American Express and of course any Foreign Exchange bank like SBI, SBH

IOB etc. Do this after you buy your ticket. And remember! Take major part of the money in

DD or TC's. The typical combination is. DD for the entire fee you have to pay, $1000-$2000

in TCs, and $100 in cash...a combination of notes and coins....

Getting permit for us$750:

This can be got from any bank authorized to do so (need not go to RBI for this). You can get

this within a month of the date of the flight. The following documents have to taken along

to get the permit:

Passport + copy, air ticket, I-20 Student Copy + copy, grade cards + copies, p.c. + copy, xii

standard pass/mark sheet + copy, aid & admission letters + copies, bank advance/any other

form of payment. You may take part of the $750/- in the currency notes up to $50 is okay

(legally up to $100 allowed). Money you may need to pay after going there: Other than your

fee, you may have to pay the security deposit for the house, rent for the first month,

groceries for the first month... basic utilities like toaster, rice cooker etc. which may come

around to $500 approx....

Documentation:

Carry all documentation safely, and have photocopies to back you up - letter from Univ.,mark sheets, etc. (the visa stuff basically). Things to get photocopied: Make three sets of the

following copies, keep one set at home and take the remaining two sets with you.

Visa

Xth, Inter (10+2), Degree marks sheets, Convocation Certificate of Under graduation.

I-20 and acceptance letter from the university.

Take all the I-20's with you if you have more than one.


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Important things to do before you leave:

Give power of attorney (authorization letters) to your father or brother or to someone on

whom you rely Put your signature on a 10 plane papers, write you name below it, keepthese at home, they may need it for any purpose like authorization to collect marks sheets,

Provisional certificate, Transfer certificate, Bonafide certificate, Degree certificate,

Migration certificate from the university, applying for the refund from the college etc.

Make all bank accounts joint

Things to be left at home:

1) List of addresses/phone numbers at which info about you can be obtained.

2) One copy of all your important documents.

3) A copy of all relevant parts of medical history files.

4) Arrange to collect/redirect mail from your room/hostel.

5) Arrange to apply/collect/mail your transcripts (about 20 in number preferable)

6) Youretailoring measurements.

A Review & Miscellaneous:

1) Get a driving license and a IDP (international Driving Permit)

2) Get at least $750 if you get paid within one month of arriving and at least $1500 if you

get paid after a month and a half of arrival. If you have a very good friend well settled at

the place where you are going to, you may take some less cash with you as you can

borrow from him and repay later. You'll have several deposits to pay for the first monthof stay like gas, telephone, and electricity. You'll have to pay a months rent as deposit

and a months rent advance (around $250 per person/month).

3) Get your application material if you wish to reactivate your applications at a better place

for the next quarter/year. Get a set of transcripts in case you apply all over again for a

PhD. B.Tech. Degree certificate (laminate it in thin plastic is possible).


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4) Get 2-3 passport size photographs.

5) Get an address/phone number diary.

6) Have a set of copies of visa, passport, I-20 in each piece of luggage.

7)

Depending upon the weather in your area get a folding umbrella.8) Carry Rs.300 - Rs.500/- for airport tax and Rs.600/- for the $20 you'll get inside the

airport.

9) If you are having a camera then get it endorsed on your passport.

10)Have a RBI permit ready for the dollars you are carrying with you.

11)Take all your Hindi songs cassettes.

12)Get a good leather purse that has several sections of "visiting cards" size, you'll need

those for the bunch of credit cards/key cards/ID's, etc. you'll accumulate in no time in

US.

13)Carry medical prescription for all your medicines you bring.

14)If you have glasses, get a through eye-check-up before and get 2 extra pairs of glasses.

15)Keep passport, visa, I-20, and other admission documents in the handbag you'll carry on

your shoulders all the time.

16)Confirm your ticket a couple of days prior to the flight directly through the airlines you

are flying no matter how reputed your travel agent is.

17)Let me repeat this, get a driver's license and an IDP.

18)Get lots of Indian stamps and inland letters and postcards. You'll need them to write

letters, which you can send with anyone who is going to India.

19)Hindi film songs cassettes.

IN THE LAST WEEK:

Call up and find if there is any change of the schedule of the plane (inform the people

coming to pick you up of any such change).

Get ready to face the long journey.

Bid adieu to all concerned.

Find out the name of the person who is coming to pick you up at the airport. Remind those

people of the flight timings, airline no, your name. inform all these to your people at home.


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Relax the day before journey, and check all the documents you are taking with you once

again.

Arrange for the conveyance if you dont have a car. You can book with any private transport

facility like City cabs.

ON THE DAY OF THE FLIGHT AND ON BOARD:

Since it is going to be a long flight wear something comfortable (cotton dress + full hand

shirt). Wear your shoes - in flight you can remove them (some airlines give in flight shoes -

else relax in socks).

Check all the documents once again and keep them at appropriate places.

Be at the airport 3-4 hours before the departure.

Collect $20 at the airport (part of it in $1).

Relax during flight, sleep as much as possible.

For vegetarians - watch out before you eat - you may get non-veg even if you had asked for

veg. Veg food is generally bland - fruits/juices are good choices. (Before ordering anything

on board check if, you have to pay for it separately). Don't hesitate to ask questions.

Once out of India be very careful (from sheer experience of seniors). Don't trust anyone.

Don't hire a taxi (unless emergency) till you reach your destination. If required don't

hesitate to spend money.

ONCE OFF THE PLANE:

You are now in the USA! Once you are out of the plane go straight to the immigration

counter -rush for them to beat the queue. It might take 0.5 - 1 hour here. Keep your I-20,

passport, admission & aid letters ready. They might ask a few questions like

Is this your first time in the US? Student? F-1 Visa? Which Univ.? They will attach an I-64

card to your visa.


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Then go to the baggage counter to fetch your luggage. Pick up a cart (you get this at a

machine for $1) to carry the bags. Then pick up your bags as they come out on the conveyor

(suitable eye-catching labels help here) we suggest you tie your baggage with rope of a

bright color that is visible from a distance. All this is to make your baggage appear distinct. Ifyou don't get your baggage, inform the inquiry section - you may have to wait 0.5 - 1 hour

here.

Cart your baggage to the nearby customs. If asked tell them that you are a student, F-1 visa,

school, dept., coming to US for the first time if asked to open your baggage do so slowly - do

not mess up the place. If asked about the "masala powder (podi"'s) tell them that they are

"dried Indian spices" to make traditional Indian food like curry. Rarely they might ask you to

go the agris dept nearby - its a pain. If asked about "vibhuti" tell them that it is a holy Hindu

powder.

Note: In most cases, you will not be asked to open your boxes at all & you will be simply

waved through.

Now go & wait at the nearest exit for the guys who are supposed to pick you up. If nobody

turns up after some time (say 0.5 hour) make a collect call (at public phone dial a "0", get

the operator & ask for a collect call) else call Your Prof., Department, International Students'

Office, Admissions Office

Any Indian guy in the directory Go and ask for an announcement to be made over the PA

system. Get a card, write your name & hold it up.

Never leave your baggage unattended. Don't go out of the airport until somebody comes &

picks you up. If you have doubts about the guy who comes to pick you up, don't hesitate toask for his ID. (All this is of course being a little extra cautious). Make sure you are pleasing

while you identify his identity. Lest you offend the person who has come to help you.

Once you reach your friend's house (or your intended destination) call home & inform them

of your reaching safely. If you get your hand on Internet, do type few words of your

experience and email it.

FIRST FEW THINGS THAT YOU NEED TO DO IN AMERICA:


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There are certain primary things to be done on reaching US. They are discussed in this

section Your first task is to meet the foreign students or the advisors in the International

students' office (ISO) or Grad Advisor or administrative secretary. Keep a record of your

details (passport, visa details etc). When you leave the US (temporarily or permanently), youhave to go there again.

Meet your prof if you have got an RA or a TA.

Open a bank account immediately. Ask seniors for a good bank.

Find an apartment and/or roommates.

Complete all the official procedures at the school like

Attending the orientation

Getting your student ID

Getting your Social Security Number.

Paying the Fee

Registering for the classes etc..

Generally your seniors or your dept through all these will guide you. So don't worry about

that.

A new chapter of your life unfolds here! Work hard to make your dreams come true! I wish

you success in all your future endeavours!


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After VISA useful information

Q: What can I bring when I come there, and what not?

Below is a consolidated list of things to bring. Remember to maintain your baggage within

the weight limits as required by the airlines you travel. Otherwise you may have to pay huge

sum after you arrive here (at the port of entry). Usually, the limit is 23 kg (50 pounds to be

exact) each, in two suitcases, and 8 kg in a cabin bag. (There are fixed standards for the size

of this bag too!) It is always recommended that you should check with the airline authorities

to know about particular luggage limitations, since these are frequently changed by several

regulations.

Remember always: BE CAREFUL with ALL your documents all through your travel. The

following documents are quite important for a peaceful stay in the U.S.A:

Original Form I-20.

Original Passport with valid F-1 Visa.

Original Form I-94 (Do not ever remove it, it is stapled to your passport! This

document is more important than the passport itself!).

Demand drafts, Travelers Checks, and currency.

Any sealed documents that the US Consulate gave you.

Other important documents, such as previous academic records.

Vaccination Certificate.

Letter of admission/financial aid (if applicable)

You must keep them with you at all times during the flight. Also, make copies of the

relevant documents and keep one set at home. Carry one set and the originals with

you along with essentials including a pair of clothes in your carry-bag in case the

luggage is delayed at the airport.

Q: I plan to get my mobile phone from India. Is that advisable?

Do not plan to bring your mobile phones here! Please be informed that not all

mobile phones from India work here since the operating frequency might not be

supported! Also, in the USA, prepaid mobile is a lot expensive, and limited, option,


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the year. Hence, plan properly rather than miss your connecting flight and cause

trouble and tension to yourself and others.

Remember to carry your baggage all by yourself (not literally, of course) from your

port of entry to your final destination. You may have to spend $1 to $3 for a

cart/trolley (Smart-Carte, it is usually branded as) at the port of entry have $1

currency notes handy.

Q: What is this Immigration Clearance at the port of entry?

The first thing you need to go through at the port of entry, after landing, is the

immigration and customs clearance, after which you may board a domestic flight to

reach your final destination. Before getting down at your port of entry, while you are

still in the plane, you will be given two forms to fill up Form I-94 (a long, white

form) and a customs declaration form. Please keep the Form I-94 document very

safe. It is more important than your passport, and you are required to keep it safe as

long as you are in the U.S.A. On alighting from the plane, you may ask people or

follow signs to get to the Immigration Clearance. Keep handy your passport, and the

customs clearance form and the Form I-94 that you filled inside the plane.

Generally, you do not have to declare anything. (That is, you write that you are

getting dutiable goods of zero value; of course, if you are getting any dutiable

goods, declare, and if you are not sure, ask someone.) Once you hand over the

customs clearance form before reaching the counter for Immigration Clearance,

keep your Form I-20 handy, along with your Form I-94 and the passport. There can

be a long queue at the Immigration Clearance counter.

If you do not have a lot of time for your next flight, request the people in the queue

or the Department of Homeland Security staff at the queues you may be able to

bypass the queue. (If you are a group of people, it is, of course, not fair to ask to let

the whole group by pass!) At the counter, present your passport, Form I-20, and

Form I-94. Both the Forms shall be duly stamped and returned to you. Only one part

of the Form I-94 will be returned, and this is the part of the Form that you need to

carefully keep with you until you leave U.S.A!


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You might be asked some questions about what things you are bringing, etc. Do not

lie. Give factual information to the Immigration Officer. Remember to identify,

collect, and check out your baggage at the port of entry.

You might essentially need your Passport, Admission Letter, Form I-20, Form I-94

(after you receive it), and Vaccination Certificate (issued by your doctor) when you

disembark at the port of entry. Keep them all handy, on your person. It is safe to

carry by yourself your cash and monetary instruments (drafts, checks, etc.).

Q: Now, how do I make a phone call?! Is there some place in the airport that I can call from?

All airports have public telephones at various locations. You would need money in

small change (coins) to make a phone call. If you have currency notes, you can

probably get some change in any store in the airport or at counters that sell foreign

exchange. Some airports also have wall-mounted machines that give you coins if you

deposit currency noteslook around, or ask someone.

Even if it might cost you a bit, please understand that you would save a lot more

money (see above) if you call! If you have friends/family in the U.S.A, you may ask

them to buy you a calling card for calling within the United States, and ask them for

information on using the same to place a call. Remember to get the calling card

before you leave India, and carry the details of the calling card with your essential

documents (and do not just leave it stored in an email!)

List of things to be brought

The following list has been generalized to meet the requirements of students hailing

from various geographic locations of India. Specific comments are made as and when

necessary. Needless to say, our family can be a good guide for us in such matters as

this. Remove the batteries from all your electrical appliances such as calculators,

clocks, shavers or you will be forced to do it at the airport

Where to put stuff:

All your original documents must be in your carry-on luggage in a harmonium folder.

Photocopies of all original documents must be in each of your check-in bags.


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Expecting the worst, you should have enough stuff in your carry-on luggage to

survive for a day if both your checked-in bags get lost.

Leave sufficient photocopies of all documents especially i20, passport and mark

sheets at home.

Most important - Textbooks

Fill up all your text books first before anything else. These are the most important

and also very expensive here.

Don't compromise by leaving your books behind..

Most students here prefer to borrow books from their school/department library in

order to cut down on costs.

In the US, many universities also have tie-ups with other schools, and you can

borrow books from other universities through thsi system. This is called as an Inter-

Library Loan in most places.

Even so, if you feel the need to buy a book for some reason, and are staying with

people from the same course/program, buy a book in common. Not recommended,

but can be done to save up on costs. That way, if there are 4 books you need, each of

you can get 1 or 2 of them and distribute the book load.

1) Kitchen & Food

In most cases, mothers would be the best judges for this section, fortunate for

us.

a) Pressure cooker (3litres/5litres): I f you have decided about your roommates

in advance, plan to get ONLY ONE OR TWO (two being the maximum)

pressure cookers for the apartment. Almost all students tend to buy an

electric rice cooker in the U.S.A. soon after they land; it is not veryexpensive, and it proves to be a good and reasonable investment. A pressure

pan/cooker which can accommodate an idly stand might be an ideal choice

for students who might want to make idlies. Do not forget to get 2-3 spare

gaskets and/or safety valves or other wearable/replaceable parts that suit

the pressure cooker you may bring.


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b) Utensils:

You can buy a good set of steel/nonstick utensils (that can be used for cooking) in

the U.S.A. for a reasonable price. If you prefer to get some utensils from India

anyway, get at least some vessels of various sizes to store and to cook food (1

small/medium kadhai), and (meals) plates (Melanin microwavable eating plates,

important - can buy here also) and tumblers. You may also get at least, but not more

than, a few spoons (2-3 small size, 2 big spoons/serving spoons), 2 wooden stirrers, 1

serving ladle, 1 strainer spoon for deep frying, plastic soup bowls, coffee mugs and

some forks. If space/weight is a constraint, reduce the number of utensils you carry

you may buy them after settling in.

Avoid getting steel utensils since they are painful to clean, most students here usenon-stick pans which cost about $20 here. Non stick utensils can be purchased from

WALMART store at a nominal price of 10-20$. It would be a good idea to get in touch

with your future roommates and decide upon the utensils. Almost everything else is

available and it would be a sheer waste of space packing in too many utensils.

c) Raw materials for cooking (ask your mother or whoever might cook):

(Please note: When it is said as per preference, it means that the items enlisted are

unavailable except in Indian stores; see the note above.)

i) Do not bring rice, not even in small quantities.

ii) Sambar/Rasam powder may be brought as per preference, quantities ~1 kg each.

iii) Tamarind (1-2 kg, preferably seedless) and/or tamarind paste might be necessary.

iv) Haldi/Turmeric (250 gms), hing/asafetida (20-30 gms), etc. might be necessary for at

least a few students.

v) Mustard seeds (raee), cumin seeds (jeera), etc., would be among the necessary

commodities for a few sections of students. Around 0.5-1 kg of each should meet a

moderate requirement.

vi) Dried curry leaves might be a good choice for some; they do not take up much space or

weight. If you are bringing this, make sure the leaves are thoroughly dry before you pack

them, as even little wetness can attract fungus. (Coriander can be bought locally!) vii) Some

students may also want to get coriander and cumin powder(s) (available as a mixture of

both too), quantities ~1 kg, and cardamom (elaichi), cloves, papads (2-3 packets), etc.


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viii) Get all the pickles (if you bring this, make sure that the packing is good and leak-proof),

chutneys, or edible powders and 5-6 packets of masalas (Garam Masala, Meat Masalas,

whole spices or Khara Masala, Chole Masala - recommended, because chole is cheaply

available here and is cooked frequently, Pav Bhaji Masala - recommended, because fast tocook) as you can. (There is always a risk of they getting left out at the port of entry or

somewhere in the transit because of restrictions on the type of luggage you bring in, but

that is really very rareyou do not need to declare any food items such as these.)

ix) Get rava/suji/poha and small packets of salt, sugar and red chilli powder, since they are

very useful in the beginning.

x) Do not get noodles. Students following vegetarian diet might prefer to carry a few packs

of masala("Tastemaker" as referred to by Maggi) though, as vegetable noodles are not

common here (Maggi or Top Ramen noodles can be bought from Indian stores), but the

masala can be added to any locally bought noodles.

d) Miscellaneous:

Grater, a small chopping board, a pair of kitchen tongs, sieve (for atta/flour), tea/coffee

filter (personal choice), and knives (good ones can be bought here as a set, esp. if you also

use knives for non-vegetarian food) can be considered as optional stuff you might want to

get. A peeler can prove to be useful anyway.

e) Make sure you do not carry any knives or peeler in your cabin baggage! Do not bring any

electrical appliances, as they do not fit in the electric sockets here and do not work at 110 V.

f) You might need deep fry pans or flat pans for your use in the kitchen. (Nonstick cookware

is the best choice!) Remember that all your cookware should be useful to cook for 4 persons

at a time, without mentioning any guests. You may buy one after you land here, if you

cannot accommodate one in your baggage.

g) Sweets & Savories:

Remember that you cannot really store such fast food for long, not because of the weather

conditions but because of the temptation to eat them off. Of course, students might stillwant to get some, and more commonly parents might want to send some! Keep them


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coming, you would find many thankful souls too. But save your luggage space for something

more lasting, say, pickles. And, also be informed that sweets or any foodstuff may be

disallowed anywhere on the transit when your bags are scrutinized.

h) Bringing a cookbook will be of help.

i) Most of the spices and lentils (dal) that we use in India are available here at the Indian

grocery stores.

j) It would be a good idea to bring with you some ready mixes (eg. Idli, dhoklas, gulab

jamun).

k) Don't go overboard in stuffing your bags with food items.

General Wear:

a) Get more casual dresses, like T-shirts, jeans, cargos, khakis, etc. (Regular fit is the best for

guys. Avoid tightfits/ bell-bottoms if you do not want to stand out from others!). 10-15 T-

shirts/casual shirts, and 5-8 trousers/jeans are a minimum suggested lot.

b) Students tend to buy more apparel locally over time, for nominal expense at clearance

sales and/or discounted prices.

c) Formals are rarely worn! Plan on bringing full sleeved and half sleeved formal shirts

depending on your personal choice. You need not get more than a few pairs of trousers. A

suggested maximum is 5 pairs.

d) Get 1-2 ties; a blazer/suit is optional. (Either a blazer or a suit is recommended.) If you are

getting a blazer, get a matching tie and suitable formal trousers that can go with the blazer.

If you are getting a suit, get a matching tie. Take care that your formal shoes would look fine


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with the rest of the formal attire. A businessstyle black suit is recommended, if you are

considering bringing one.

e) Shoe polish and shoe polishing brush for formal shoes.

Seasonal Wear:

a) A leather jacket is not suggested for protection from weather. Get a stuffed jacket, but

without fur on the outside (rather, the "inner" outside)! (These might be bought from

Nepali/Tibetan sellers by the roadside in bigger cities, or even in showrooms, of course!)

The bottom line is get something to serve for both cold and rain cause here it rains and

becomes cold. Not much snowfall (unlike a not -very expensive leather jacket or a fur-

covered jacket. Gents do not wear fur coats anyway, particularly in these parts of the

country! Fur tends to get damp in winter/rainy climate.) Wear the jacket in the flightit not

only increases your luggage carrying space but also might be necessary for somewhat low

temperatures you would feel inside the flight!

b) (Specialized) Thermal wear is NOT necessary. Get a sweater or two. Get a monkey cap

that covers a majority of the faceit is definitely a requirement on some cold windy winter

nights. Get a pair of gloves too; you may want them to match with your jacket (NOT woolen

- You can buy them here for approx. $5).

c) Windcheaters may not be necessary, especially because rain/wind is generally cold and

these can be substituted with the jacket you would bring.


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Miscellany:

a) Get at least 1-2 pairs of traditional (Indian) dress. Remember that there would be more

than a few occasions a year where you might have to represent your culture. And you might

prefer not to repeat the same attire on all such occasions.

Most students do their laundry once in a fortnight, or even less frequently! Apply this

estimate to all the garments you bring, including miscellaneous items like socks, kerchiefs,

undergarments, etc.

a) Get a pair of formal leather shoes (black, preferably, but choose the color according to

the shades of formals and/or blazer/suit you would get; we recommend that you bring it

from India, they might be expensive here) and/or a semi-formal pair of shoes that can serve

dual purpose. Apart from that, get a pair of sneakers/sport shoes for regular use. Sprint

shoes, canvas shoes, or other special purpose shoes may be bought here as per personal

preference. We suggest you get 1-2 sets of slippers/sandals to be worn on your ethnic dress,

and 1-2 sets of regular slippers.

b) Get 2-3 belts that might be necessary for all your pants/trousers - broad ones for jeans,

narrow ones for formals, black, brown, etc. as per preference. Offering a comparison, good

leather belts in U.S. cost a minimum of $10 each!

Assorted Hobbies:

a) Do not neglect your hobbies; you would regret later when you feel bored, and that is

going to happen too often, particularly when the school is not in session!

b) Get any portable (literally as in able to be carried) sports/games-related items like chess

board and coins (Chess boards and coins may also be bought in the U.S.), swim

shorts/swimsuits and swimming goggles (absolutely essential if you want to swim chlorine

in the pool is in higher content than in India) and swimming cap, table-tennis/tennis

racquets, etc.


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c) For other hobbies like painting or music, bring stuff that you cannot get here easily or

inexpensively, which includes the likes of paintbrush set, paints, mixing template, charts

(yes, if you can roll them up in a carrying case!), etc. (You can buy pencils and erasers here,

of course!) or flute (a set of flutes, ratherwhich flutist would carry only one flute?), a smallviolin, etc. Collectors of stamps, coins, currency notes and the likes may want to display

some Indian stuff to foreign friends you might soon make here. You may also put the

collection to display on more than one occasion a year, when there are international events

on the campus.

d) If you have any certificates pertaining to your hobbies, at least get a few prominent ones;

sometimes, they might fetch you some kind of funding in remote places such as the School

of Art.

Stationery:

a) Get Reynolds pens or any pens (in bulk quantities, and remember to preserve them!) that

you might prefer to use. (Reynolds might be called "The pen that the world prefers" but is

not seen much in the U.S.A, unfortunately!) If BiC or Paper Mate are your choices, you

would, of course, not need to get any, as they are U.Sbased brands!

b) The punching used for papers (for filing) is of 3 holes here unlike 2-hole punching in India.

Thus, avoid getting files and punches, and you can buy the corresponding things here! Of

course, you may get zipper folders in which you do not necessarily punch and file your

documents!

c) Stapler, staples, glue stick, adhesive tape, bonded/clutch pencils, lead box (0.5 mm),

erasers, steel ruler, etc. may be carried or may be bought here for a comparable price.\

d) Notebooks would not be necessary to be brought from there, unless you prefer for some

reason; they are reasonably priced here. Plain papers for fair/rough work are absolutely

unnecessary. You would get them for comparable prices here.


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Toiletry

a) Get a mug for use in the bathroom. You may not need a bucket anyway, and if need be,

you may buy a pail here

.

b) Get soapboxes. Soapboxes are not very uncommon in the stores here, but the soapboxes

in the U.S.A. do not generally have drain outlets for remnant water after use!

c) Tongue cleaners may be classified among things that are not available in the U.S.A. Get

about a half a dozen to dozen tongue cleaners, depending on the type/material of tongue

cleaners you prefer to use. Do not carry metal tongue cleaners in the cabin baggage if it is

sharp, it can be considered as a security threat! (Yes, there were such cases in the past!)

d) Talcum powders and hair oils are among the rare commodities here, unfortunate for

some! Get your choicest ones, even if it is the seemingly "most common" Parachute

Coconut Oil or Denim Talc. (Well, actually, you would not get coconut oil for your hair

anywhere than in an Indian store, though something similar might appear with a strong

odor in local stores!)

e) One can buy ones bath soaps, shampoos/conditioners, toothpastes, toothbrushes,

shaving foam (or a shaving gel/cream), razor/cartridges, nail cutter (dont forget this!),

talcum powder, deodorants/perfumes, etc. here or there. The costs are not very different

(Though in most cases, prices for all these might be just a bit cheaper in India even if for U.S-

based brands!). If you have been loyal to particular brands, you might want to carry a few

numbers of each of those for initial use. You may not ever need a detergent cake while you

are here, though you might want to carry one. Do not carry detergent powder; liquid

detergent is cheaper here!

Miscellany:

a) Get at least 2-3 pairs of prescription spectacles if you use them; as a comparison,

prescription glasses cost about $100 per pair in the U.S.A.!


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b) Get any portable (literally taken) relics/memoirs that might represent your culture, which

can be useful for display on relevant occasions. As mentioned above, stamps and/or

currency can be a part of these too. The items can be specific to a remote place in India orto a remote culture, or even common culture or place, of course! Almost anything is

welcome, but do plan to get something at all. Statuettes of gods and goddesses,

photographs of interesting places to visit, handicrafts, etc. may also be brought for this

purpose.

c) Get general medication that can serve as a makeshift first-aid kit. The best guide would be

a medical shop attendant or a general physician (or a family doctor, of course). A sample list

of medication that you might finduseful is presented here:

Crocin/Dispirin/Erythrocin/Sporadix/Cosovil/Febrex Plus (fever, and related ailments such as

cough, cold, and body-/head-aches), Baralgam (abdominal colic pain/backaches), Avomin

(air sickness), Avil (general allergies), Eldopar (to prevent loose motions), Zandu

Balm/Amrutanjan (body-/head-ache), Soframycin (superficial wounds), Lotomil/Digene/Eno

(digestion/gastric trouble), Band Aids, nasal inhaler (Vicks), pain relief spray, antiseptic

lotion (Dettol), painkiller tablets (Combiflam/Brufen), burn ointment (Burnol), B-complex

tablets and moisturizing lotion (Vaseline/cold cream - highly recommended for winters).

d) International credit cards might be carried as a financial backup, but might not be useful

for all your purchases and payments. American Express card cannot be used to pay fees,

though it can be used for other purchases and expenditure. Please note that a Visa Electron

card (such as Viswa Yatra from State Bank of India) is not regularly usable here, since there

is a pay-per-use transaction fee for the same. Some may still see the card as a safer way of

carrying money; you may use it only once to transfer all the money into your local bank

account that you open here.

e) Do not bring any electrical appliances because the appliances here run with a different

electric socket/plug and at 110 V @ 60 Hz.


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f) You may get as many audio/video CDs (of Indian movies or music) for your use. This

includes mp3 CDs that you might have burnt on blank CDs. Copyrighted or not, CDs are not

generally questioned about (by the U.S. Customs). However, do not declare them unasked,

and be informed that you may have to forego the collection if questioned (You may try toconvince them that is just a collection of all your legally owned music/software.)

Audiocassettes are okay, but videocassettes have a different format in the U.S.A, as you may

already know.

g) Get a headset (headphone, preferably stereo, with microphone) for voice chat with

parents and friends back home or just to listen to songs (even if you do not plan to voice

chat, get one with a microphone). Offering a comparison, a similar appliance may be bought

here for prices $12 and up.

h) Get 2 wallets that have enough pockets to hold credit cards that you have to carry in

future.

i) Get a college bag to suit your daily needs. Remember that the bag might have to

accommodate bulky books that you may carry from/to library or even large quantities of

printed out papers sometimes! College bags cost $10-$20 here. A wiser idea might be to get

a laptop bag instead, so that it can serve the purpose of a college bag, and it can help you

carry a laptop when you might eventually buy one. Make sure that the bag can fit a 15.4

laptop (though you might prefer a 14.1 laptop anyway).

j) Get your photos. I do not mean passport-sized photos that you might seldom need while

you are here (until the time you are applying for jobs). You might want to cherish the

memories of home and family (and get nostalgic, sometimes).

k) You may want to get trivial things like extra buttons for your clothes, needles and threads

(black/gray, white, brown, etc. universal colors are enough), safety pins, nail-cutters,

scissors, mirror (a classic hanging mirror - a small one, about 8 x 4 should do), etc. Except

the buttons, most other things can be bought locally too.


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l) Get a couple of bed sheets/ pillow covers. Get slippers to wear around in the house.

DON'T get rugs/ thick blankets. You get good blankets (comforters/ rajais) here for

reasonable prices.

m) DO NOT carry hangers (they occupy a lot of space and anyway they are available here for

almost no cost)

n) Whether you plan to transfer or not, get extra sets of transcripts, letters of

recommendation, etc. that you might need if you need to apply to a different school.

o) Please bring all your original certificates of your Bachelors degree (and above). If you

have a consolidated marks memorandum, you may not need to bring individual marks

memoranda. Similarly, if you have your original degree certificate, you need not bring your

provisional degree certificate. You would not really need the certificates prior to your

Bachelors degree, but you may want to carry them anyway just so that you do not forget

where you put them in India.

p) Photocopies of books is piracy. Get them at your own risk.

q) Copy of address book/telephone book/diary and contact list.

r) Medical history file

Money:a) Get travelers checks (travelers cheques, to sound more "Indian", or TCs) totaling to

around $2000. A suggested breakdown is as shown below.

$1000 x 1 = $1000

$500 x 1 = $500

$100 x 4 = $400

$50 x 1 = $50


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$20 x 1 = $20

$10 x 3 = $30

b) Get currency of $500; you would not need more than this amount initially, before youopen a bank account. If you will, you may carry some more money in travelers checks,

which is as good as cash most of the time.

c) Try to get as many $20's, $10's and $5's as you can. They don't take $100 bills at some

places. And lower denominations will help you convert them to quarters (25 cents), dimes

(10 cents) and nickels (5 cents) at the airport. It will also be easier to pay at your transit

airport (London/Paris/Frankfurt), in case you want to buy some food, or call up your parents

using a pay-phone.

d) There, apparently, is no practical limit of any kind on the amount that can be carried in

various forms, except as currency. However, if you are carrying more than $10,000 in all

currency and other monetary instruments, you are required to declare it when you land.

Do not forget to ask the flight attendants and/or the Department of Homeland Security

about it, if you are carrying amounts larger than $10,000. There could be similar

requirements set forth by the Reserve Bank of India, in order to allow you to carry the same

ask your bank about it..

The Day of the Flight:

As it is going to be a long flight, wear something comfortable - preferably cotton - a

full-shirt and trousers. Wear your shoes and a jacket.

Be at the airport at least 2 hours before check-in time.

Relax during flight, sleep as much as possible.

For vegetarians, watch out before you eat - for you may get non-vegetarian food

even if you had asked for vegetarian. Always ask about the food before eating - if

you are particular.


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It you want something vegetarian specify that you want "No Meat". They may not

understand if you say "Vegetarian" or "Veggie".

Never hesitate to ask questions. People are friendly and helpful.

But Trust No One. Be wary of strangers who appear to be extra friendly.

Drink lot of fluids to get over with the jet lag as soon as possible.

Walk around the aisle every two hours to prevent leg cramps and deep-vein-

thrombosis.

Do not joke irresponsibly on the flight.

In case your baggage does not arrive when you landed, do not waste too much time

hunting for it. Mention it to the airline representative and give them a forwarding

address with phone number where you can be reached.

They will take care of your luggage. In any event, do not miss your connecting flight.

In case your flight landed late, or the onward flight is cancelled, it is the

responsibility of your airline to arrange for another flight. If the delay involves an

overnight stay, the airline will pay for your stay as well as for your meals

.

Note: Please don't panic if it so happens that your flight arrives late and the time for the

connecting flight is too near (say, within the next 10-15 minutes) for you to make it due to

Immigration and Customs delays. Simply follow the same actions outlined above and get

your airline to arrange things for you. Don't be rude, but be firm while dealing with the

airline representatives.

Things to be carried in cabin luggage:

Original I-20, copy of passport, copy of ticket, financial documents (CA certificate,

Bank Statements), admission letter, affidavit of sponsor, all college or school mark

sheets and related certificates.

Original documents except (passport, tickets) (see below).

A book for in-flight reading.

Portable hard-disk (if required). Address book/phone book.


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Copies of your photo (passport size).

One complete set of clothes, in case you need to change.

Distribute your money - keep a certain amount in each piece of luggage, rather than

keeping it all together.

In your cabin baggage, keep clothing for 2-3 days, just in case your checked-in

baggage arrives here later than you do.

Have your name and destination and route and flight and date in all bags. Have them

prominent and bold enough so that you can identify them easily from an ocean of

similar ones. Some guys even put fluorescent labels, ribbons

Do not get too many clothes hangers (you might get a couple for starters, but they

are of a different size here, and are available very cheap). Do not overload your

baggage with blank notebooks, file folders etc.

Things to be carried on your person (pouch):

All your money, change, travelers checks, etc.

Original passport.

Original boarding pass.

Few Re 1 coins to make calls from the airport (India)

AFTER YOU COME TO USA

Open a bank account. There are primarily two types of account, checking (like

current) account and saving account. Most students maintain only a single checking

account since interest rates on savings account are really low in the US. You will

need 2 forms of photo ID (passport and visa should be fine). You can request a

student free checking account (free implying no monthly fee; yes, there are monthly

fees to maintain most checking accounts in the US). Also recommended is that you


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apply for an ATM card. The safest and most convenient way to pay tuition fees is

wire transfer. For this, you need a routing number which is provided by your bank at

the time of opening an account.

Once you open a bank account in a US bank, you can wire transfer the money to

this account or you can transfer it to UNCC directly. You may also bring a demand

draft however they may take several days to be processed. Check your Bursar

statement to determine the exact figure.

Deposit most of the Travelers checks and extra cash into your bank account.

Pay up your fees in time (Students with financial aid can ignore this).

Once your permanent accommodation is decided, you can apply for a telephone

connection and change electricity and heating to your name (from the name of the

previous guy/girl who stayed in the apartment).

Move into your apartment; contact a phone company such

ashttp://www.ameritech.com/ for local phone connection. It is up to you to decide

your long distance carrier for making long distance and international calls.

You may tell the operator the name of long distance Phone Company you want, at

the time of applying for local phone. However, it is very much advisable to ask your

seniors which phone company is best suitable and how to sign up for long distance

savings plan.

If you get funding after coming here, you have two options: Return the dollar draft

back to your folks in, or Submit the DD to the university and get a refund of your fees

in USD

Leave a copy of these things behind:

There are certain things that you need to keep safely at home along with your parents.

These are:

List of addresses at which information about you can be obtained.

A copy of important documents (passport, I-20, transcripts, admission letter)

The numbers of your travelers checks and demand draft.

The numbers of your travelers checks and demand draft.


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A copy of all relevant parts of Medical History files.

Arrange to collect/redirect mail from your room/hostel.

Arrange to apply/collect/mail your transcripts (about 10 in number preferable).

Your tailoring measurements.

A few blank signed papers - so that your parents can be authorized to look after

anything on your behalf

American Currency Terms:

Penny = 1 cent

Nickel = 5

cents Dime = 10 cents

Quarter = 25 cents

Half Dollar = 50 cents

Silver Dollar = 100 cents

after your visa

Documents