Trip to US (from India)

US VISA,travel and related information official site

Make sure that the name in the ticket and passport matches. (Expand your lastname properly, as most of the computer systems use them for tracking).

Cabin baggage/Carry on bag is the small bag that we can carry inside the plane. Only one cabin baggage is allowed per person. Normally allowed weight is 8kg max. It is better to keep the weight below 10kg as sometimes they weigh the cabin baggage at the airports. You are allowed to carry a small personal bag like laptop bag or a vanity bag. You could keep your medicines Keep all the necessary and personal effects like, 2-3 pairs of cloths,Brush, Medicine, etc. buy some biscuits, most of the time you may not like the food served in planes.

Checked baggage : two pieces. The weight of each suitcase must not exceed 32 kg (70 lbs). Suit case size of 29’ would be easier to handle. Normal maximum allowed size is 32’. Please verify the maximum allowed size with your airlines. It may good idea to use hard suitcases than the leather/rexine suitcases. Write your name in BIG LETTERS on each checked bags/suit cases (outside and inside), you can identify your bags easily from a distance otherwise it can be difficult to retrieve the bags from conveyer belt, as most of the suit case looks alike.

Read this guidelines before packing any food items in your bags. In short, do not pack any plants/fruits or any other unprocessed food items( like banana). Do NOT pack sharp items like BLADE, SCISSORS, etc. in the Cabin Baggage or Vanity bag

Step by Step - travel plan

1. Reach the airport(in India) at least 3 hours before the flight departure time.
2. Go to “ticketing and check in” counter
3. Get your tickets and check in your baggage, ask them for a “thru check-in” to your final destination in US. Keep the baggage tag safe, You may require the tag at your final destination in US.
4. Verify your ticket information, including name (spelling for last name), date, time and destination.
5. Make sure that you get the adjacent seats, if it is not, request the attendant to give you adjacent seats.
6. Flights are identified by a number, and this number will be associated to a Gate.
7. Locate the Gate number on the ticket, and walk towards the Gate, Clear the security screening, now you will have only cabin bags and a Vanity bag with you.
8. As you are leaving India, you need to fill out a form known as “EMBARKATION FORM” or something like that. Fill 1 form for each person; keep that form inside the passport. When the emigration officers ask for it, hand it over to them
9. Read the board or ask someone which gate/direction you need to go, locate your flight gate. Sit there, until they start the boarding process.
10. Once the boarding process starts, when they announce your seat numbers (normally a range of seat numbers like seats 20 to 35), board the plane, locate your seat number. Easiest way is to show the ticket to Air hostess, s/he will point to right direction. Stowe the cabin baggage on over head bin ( shelf kind of thing above your seat)
11. Locate nearest bath room(in US sometimes bath rooms are termed as rest rooms), normally the bathrooms shown as picture of a man and a woman standing with European closet. If the picture is in green, that means, no one is inside. If it is shown in red or a red X mark on it, someone is inside the bathroom.
12. If you have connection flights, repeat the steps 9 to 11 repeats until you reach Chicago.
13. Once you are nearing Chicago, air hostess will give you, an I-94 form and a customs form. You need fill 1 form for each person.
    1. I-94
    • 1. FAMILY NAME = Your last name as in passport(Family name or Father’s name)
    • 2. FIRST (GIVEN) NAME = Your name
    • 3. Date of Birth – Verify the date format (Date/Month/Year or Month/Date/Year) and fill.
    • 4. Country of Citizenship = INDIA
    • 5. SEX = MALE or FEMALE
    • 6. PASSPORT NUMBER = YOUR PASSPORT NUMBER
    • 7. AIRLINE FLIGHT NUMBER = (get it from your ticket)
    • 8. Country where you live = INDIA
    • 9. City where you boarded = airport in India
    • 10. City where VISA issued = CHENNAI/BOMBAY/DELHI
    • 11. Date issued = Check your VISA
    • 12 Address while in US = «Address » [Emmigration officer may ask this address, try to remember this address]
    • 13 City and State = «Address»
    1. Part 2
    • 14 Family name = Your Last name
    • 15 First (Given) name = First name
    • 16 Date of birth = Verify the date format (Date/Month/Year or Month/Date/Year)
    • 17 Country of Citizenship = INDIA.

I don’t have the format of customs form. That form is normally simple and easy to fill. Normally you can categorize all the food items as “Indian sweets”

Once you deplane, look for “Customs and Emigration” board, or it is easy to follow other Indian passengers. Stand in Visitors queue, once your turn comes hand over the passports and the forms to the officer. He may ask some questions, similar to US consulate. Also takes finger print and photos, follow his/her instructions. S/He will give you the bottom portion of I-94 and customs form. Keep the I-94 safe.

Once you are thru, get a trolley, pick up your bags, load it into the trolley and walk to the customs, show the customs form to the officer sitting there. Unlock the suitcases. In US they won’t allow you to lock your bags. Once the customs is cleared, take the bag and check it to final destination. Walk thru the security, now you are in US.

Now you need to locate the gate for your final destination flight, once you walk out of customs, look for monitors that show departure times, or ask someone. Normally the Gate number will be written on your ticket.

Once you locate the gate number, go to that gate; board the plane.