Entering the U.S.

A visa allows you to come to the U.S. border and request entry. A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer at the airport decides whether you may enter and how long you may stay. On this page, you will find what to bring with you before boarding, what happens step by step at the airport, rules for money, food, and medication, your I-94 record, and where to apply if a problem arises.

• Türkiye is not in the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). You cannot travel with ESTA; a visa is also required for tourist visits.
• A visa shows that you have been found eligible to travel to a U.S. port of entry for a specific purpose. Only a CBP officer has the authority to permit entry.
• The visa expiration date is not your authorized period of stay. The period of stay is determined separately at each entry and recorded on your I-94. See 1.5 Visa validity periods.
• If you are found inadmissible, removal proceedings may be initiated in some circumstances. At the officer’s discretion, you may also be allowed to withdraw your application for admission.
• A finding of inadmissibility may affect future entries and may lead to cancellation of your visa.
• If you have concerns about your eligibility for admission, obtain legal advice before traveling. CBP does not provide legal advice.

• Passport and visa. For passport validity requirements, see 1.10 Passport and documents. If your valid visa is in an old passport, carry both passports together.
• Students (F-1, M-1): Keep the Form I-20 signed by you and your school official (DSO) with you, not in your checked baggage. You may enter no more than 30 days before the program start date.
  • Keep your school official’s name, phone number, and after-hours phone number with you.
• Exchange visitors (J-1): The signed DS-2019 form.
• Immigrant visa holders: The A-Number provided by the consulate, the Department of State case number (DOS Case ID), the Immigrant Data Summary, and the sealed immigrant visa packet.
• Medication: An English prescription or doctor’s letter and the medication in its original packaging. As a general guideline, bring no more than a 90-day supply.
• Carry original documents in your carry-on baggage.

1. Passport control (primary inspection): The CBP officer checks your identity, citizenship, eligibility for admission, and whether you have any items that must be declared.
2. Biometrics: Under the rule effective December 26, 2025, DHS may photograph all non-U.S. citizens upon entry and departure. It may also collect other biometric data from people who are not exempt.
3. Entry stamp and I-94: Travelers arriving by air are not given a paper I-94. A stamp showing the entry date, class of admission (for example, B2 or F1), and authorized stay end date is placed in your passport. An electronic I-94 record is created automatically.
4. Secondary inspection: If your information cannot be verified or a document is missing, you may be taken to a separate interview area. This area is for additional investigation without delaying other passengers.
5. Baggage and customs: You declare items by listing them on the customs declaration (CBP Form 6059B), using the CBP mobile application, or verbally informing the officer. Agricultural products may be inspected separately.
6. Special situation for students (Form I-515A): CBP may deny your entry if a document is missing or your SEVIS fee has not been paid. Alternatively, it may issue Form I-515A and grant temporary admission for 30 days.
   • In this situation, send the missing items to SEVIS.I-515@ice.dhs.gov within 30 days together with your school official. If you do not send them, your SEVIS record may be terminated.

• Money: You may bring as much cash as you wish. Cash and monetary instruments totaling more than $10,000 (or the foreign-currency equivalent) must be declared and FinCEN Form 105 must be completed.
  • If a family files a joint declaration, the family’s total funds are considered. Anyone carrying more than $10,000 individually must also complete Form 105.
  • It is prohibited to distribute money among family members in order to keep the amount below $10,000.
  • Form 105 is also required when leaving the U.S. with more than $10,000.
• Food and agricultural products: Meat, fruit, vegetables, plants, seeds, soil, animals, and animal products (including soup) must be declared.
  • Many fresh and dried meat products, as well as some canned meat products, are prohibited because of animal diseases.
  • You may abandon a prohibited item you declare at entry and continue your journey.
  • Undeclared prohibited items are seized. For a first violation involving a noncommercial quantity, the penalty may be up to $1,000.
• Medication: Bring enough medication for your personal use. U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) rules also apply to controlled substances.
  • If you will stay longer than 90 days, your medication may be sent by mail or courier. Keep documents ready showing that the shipment is for your own use: copies of your visa and passport, a doctor’s letter, and a copy of the English prescription.
  • Questions: FDA Import Operations, Imports@fda.hhs.gov, phone +1 301 796 0356.

• CBP may inspect devices such as phones, computers, and cameras upon entry and departure. In fiscal year 2025, searches were conducted on less than 0.01% of arriving international travelers (55,318 people).
• In a basic search, the officer examines the content manually. In an advanced search, the device is connected to external equipment; reasonable suspicion or a national security concern and supervisory approval are required.
• Travelers are required to present their devices and the information on them in an inspectable condition. A device that cannot be inspected because of a password may be detained.
• A foreign traveler’s failure to make a device available for inspection may be considered when deciding whether the traveler is admissible.
• A tear sheet is generally provided before the search.

• After entry, view and print your record at i94.cbp.dhs.gov using "Get Most Recent I-94". The same can be done in the CBP Link mobile application.
• Check the class of admission and the "admit until" date on the record. For students, a discrepancy between the I-94 and SEVIS record may cause problems with processes such as an SSN application.
• Foreign nationals who enter with a visa and receive an I-94 are considered to have fulfilled the registration requirement.
  • People age 18 and older who stay in the U.S. for 30 days or longer must carry their registration document (including the I-94) at all times. Showing it on a phone is sufficient.
  • The penalty for failing to carry it is a fine of up to $5,000, imprisonment for up to 30 days, or both.
• CBP may send a reminder email when you have 10 days or less remaining on your authorized stay. These emails come only from travelercompliance@cbp.dhs.gov. You can check your status under the "View Compliance" tab on the I-94 website.

• Errors made at entry (incorrect class of admission, incorrect identity information, or incorrect period of stay) are corrected by one of more than 70 Deferred Inspection offices in the U.S. or by CBP offices at international airports. Applications by mail are generally not available.
• Extensions of stay and changes of status are handled by USCIS, not CBP.
• Some offices frequently used by travelers from Türkiye:
  • New York JFK: Terminal 5, Jamaica, NY 11430 · Monday–Thursday 09:00–14:00 · Phone: +1 718 553 3683 or +1 718 553 3684
  • Newark (NJ): Newark Liberty Airport, Terminal B International Arrivals, Newark, NJ 07114 · Monday–Friday 08:00–16:00 · Phone: +1 973 565 8000 (extension 8010 or 8011)
  • Washington Dulles: 1 Saarinen Circle, Main Terminal Lower Level, West End, Sterling, VA 20166 · Monday–Thursday 09:00–13:00 · Phone: +1 703 661 2800 (extension 7116) · Email: deferredwashingtondc@cbp.dhs.gov
  • Chicago O'Hare: Terminal 5, lower level, CBP office (opposite carousel 12), 10000 Bessie Coleman Drive, Chicago, IL 60666 · Monday–Friday 08:00–16:00 · Email: i94chi@cbp.dhs.gov
  • Houston: 19581 Lee Road, Humble, TX 77338 · Tuesday–Thursday 13:00–15:00 · Phone: +1 281 230 4600 (extension 1)
  • Los Angeles: 300 N. Los Angeles St., Room 2067, Los Angeles, CA 90012 · Monday–Thursday 08:00–12:00 and 13:00–16:00 · Phone: +1 310 665 4580 · Email: I94LAX@CBP.DHS.GOV
• Other cities (Miami, Boston, San Francisco, and others) are listed by CBP. Hours may change; check the list before going.

• The consulate gives you the A-Number, DOS Case ID, payment instructions, Immigrant Data Summary, and sealed immigrant visa packet.
• USCIS Immigrant Fee: $235 (USCIS fee schedule, October 7, 2026 edition). USCIS strongly recommends paying it after receiving the visa and before traveling.
• You are admitted as a lawful permanent resident upon entry. A temporary I-551 stamp is placed in your passport.
• If the address where you will live in the U.S. has changed, tell the CBP officer the new address. The card will be mailed there.
• The card will not be sent until the fee is paid. If it does not arrive within 90 days after payment or entry, use USCIS’s online help form.
• For what to do during the first weeks, see 10.0 New arrivals: first 30-day checklist.

• CBP Information Center — general questions, complaints, and suggestions
  • Web: help.cbp.gov
  • Phone: From the U.S. +1 877 227 5511 (877-CBP-5511), from outside the U.S. +1 202 325 8000
  • Hours: Monday–Friday 08:30–20:00 (U.S. Eastern Time)
• Student I-515A matters: SEVIS.I-515@ice.dhs.gov
• Medication import questions (FDA): Imports@fda.hhs.gov · +1 301 796 0356

• Assuming the visa expiration date is the period of stay.
• Failing to check the I-94 record after entry and missing an incorrect date.
• Putting the I-20, DS-2019, or immigrant visa packet in checked baggage.
• Failing to declare food and plants brought from Türkiye.
• Failing to declare more than $10,000 or distributing the money among family members.
• Failing to tell the CBP officer the new address after the green card address changes.

• I have a visa. Is my entry guaranteed? No. A CBP officer decides admission each time.
• My visa will expire while I am in the U.S. Will there be a problem? No. You may stay for the period shown on your I-94. You need a valid visa for your next entry.
• My period of stay is written incorrectly on my I-94. Contact the nearest Deferred Inspection office or a CBP office at an international airport.
• How much cash can I bring? There is no limit. You must declare amounts exceeding $10,000 and complete FinCEN Form 105.
• Can I bring food from Türkiye? Declare all agricultural products you bring. A CBP agriculture specialist decides which items may enter.
• Can I use the Mobile Passport Control application? No, not when entering with a visa. The application is for U.S. citizens, green card holders, Canadian visitors, and ESTA travelers.

• I-94 record and travel history
• CBP Link mobile application
• List of Deferred Inspection offices
• FinCEN Form 105 – electronic declaration
• FinCEN Form 105 (PDF)
• Mobile Passport Control