WASHINGTON – As international travel increases and students across the country prepare to study abroad this summer, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is encouraging students to research before traveling to the United States or home from their studies to return.
CBP encourages students to plan ahead to ensure a smooth and efficient travel experience. This includes having the appropriate passport and any other related travel documents ready when you contact a CBP officer for processing or to visit a foreign country. In addition, students take a photo to identify their identity through the non-contact biometric process of the face known as Simplified arrival upon entry to further secure and streamline travel to the United States. For information on travel resources, visas, and other country-specific information, please visit the Department of Foreign Affairs website.
Non-U.S. Residents traveling to the United States for educational purposes can also download the free CBP One Mobile app from the Apple App Store or Google Play and an electronic I-94 up to seven days before departure. The feature provides travelers with a more convenient way to apply for an I-94, review their previous travel history, check the expiration date of their I-94, and get proof of their electronic I-94 from their mobile device. The I-94 is the entry and exit protocol issued to visitors or transients in the United States, with the exception of US citizens, returning foreign visitors, foreign visitors on immigrant visas, and most Canadian citizens. Students who need to prove their legal attendance at schools or universities can access their CBP arrival / departure records from CBP One or the I-94 website.
Though one approved Electronic system for travel AA permit is not required to enter the United States across a land border for citizens and nationals of Visa Waiver Program Countries must have an active ESTA in order to use the CBP One I-94 Apply feature. CBP encourages these travelers to apply for an approved ESTA in order to take advantage of the time saved by using CBP One or the CBP I-94 website. With an ESTA, these travelers can apply for their I-94 prior to arrival and avoid completing the I-94W form at a port of entry.
Once students arrive at their study location abroad, CBP does not recommend bringing any food products, especially pork and beef, into the United States. This can have a negative impact on US livestock and food supplies. Foreign agricultural products, including soil contamination on shoes from a farm visit or an open air market, can carry Foreign Animal Diseases (FADs) like African Swine Fever or Foot and Mouth Disease, or plant pests like the Asian Gypsy Moth, which are not in the US. The introduction of these FADs and crop pests can lead to higher food bills, food shortages, and devastating losses for US farmers and ranchers.
While students are not prohibited from visiting farms or open-air markets, CBP recommends cleaning their shoes, clothing, and any purchases made during the visit. Some groceries can be taken into the United States but must be declared on a customs form. Failure to comply could result in high fines. Students can verify with the U.S. Department of Agriculture which foods can be imported into the United States website. For example, meat and some cheeses from cattle, pigs, sheep and goats cannot be imported into the United States.
On a typical day, CBP agriculture specialists discovered and confiscated 3,091 banned plants, meat, animal by-products, and soil, and intercepted 250 insect pests at U.S. airports, seaports, and land border ports. If only one of these banned items had gotten to the US, it could have caused a catastrophic outbreak and cost billions in revenue. African swine fever, for example, can result in a loss of $ 8 billion in pork and $ 3 billion in beef revenue, in addition to $ 4 billion in corn revenue and $ 1.5 billion in soybeans.
As international travel increases, travelers should expect heavy traffic. Planning ahead and adopting these travel tips can save time and reduce stress so that students have a more meaningful and enjoyable study experience.
