Arriving in the U.S.

International Services Office

You may enter the U.S. up to 30 days prior to your program start date in the case of the F-1 and J-1 visa holder. In the case of the H-1B, O-1 or TN visa holder, you may enter no earlier than 10 days prior to your start date. Although you may enter the U.S. early, you may not begin work at Scripps Research until your official start date and after you have checked in with the ISO. Please note the start date on your documents and plan your travel accordingly.

You must carry the original visa documents and your passport with valid visa stamp on your person. Do not pack these items in your checked luggage. Be prepared to present the following documents to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer:

Original immigration document (DS-2019, I-20, I-797 approval notice)
Valid passport with visa stamp
Scripps Research offer letter
SEVIS fee payment receipt ( F-1 and J-1 visa holders only)
Financial documentation (if not paid by Scripps Research)

It is important that you specifically ask to be admitted into the U.S. in the appropriate visa status when you speak to a CBP officer. Be sure to present to them your original visa documents (DS-2019, I-20, I-797 approval notice) and open your passport to the page that has the new visa stamp. Prior to leaving the CBP inspection area, check your passport and make sure it has been stamped properly.

This is what to expect when you enter the U.S.:

You will wait in line to show your passport to a CBP officer. You will not have a chance to get your luggage before this, so you will need to have your original documents in your carry-on luggage.
Enter the line for non-U.S. citizens to be seen by a CBP officer. This is where you will show your visa and passport.
The CBP Officer will ask you some questions such as, “Where are you going? What will you be doing there? What do you plan to do when you are done with your research?”
It is also possible in some cases that the officer will ask you to unlock your electronic devices (cell phone, iPad, etc.) and show him or her your Facebook page or other social media.
At some airports, the line can take an hour or more. Consider a stop at the restroom before getting in line. Once you have cleared CBP, you will go to another room to collect your luggage.
With your luggage, get in another line to pass through another checkpoint. The second checkpoint relates to the items that you are bringing with you into the U.S.. For a list of items that are prohibited, please see the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website.
Once you pass through the second inspection point with your luggage in hand, you can proceed to your connecting flight. When you exit from the second checkpoint, there is a place for you to re-check your baggage with the airlines if you are boarding a connecting flight.

After you have entered the U.S., you should review your I-94 “arrival record.” Click on the link “Get Your I-94 Admission Number” and enter your personal information. You can only access this record after you have entered the U.S.

Report Your Arrival to the ISO

It is important to inform the ISO once you have a visa, a plane ticket, and you know your arrival date. When the date is confirmed, please email your international advisor or tsriglobal@scripps.edu. Once you confirm your arrival with the ISO, a check-in appointment will be scheduled for you and you will be sent an email with all the details. This appointment is necessary to review your immigration documents and to complete certain forms that are necessary if you will be paid by Scripps. You will also be given information about your first steps in the US, such as applying for a social security number and using our health care system.

For international scholars arriving in California, check-in appointments are available only on Mondays and Wednesdays each week.

International students who will be enrolled at Scripps will get specific instructions about their check in date once they confirm their arrival date.