TRAVEL TO THE U.S.

TRAVEL TO THE U.S.

Coming to the U.S.

When making travel plans, please be aware that F-1 visa holders entering the U.S. for a new program, may not enter the U.S. earlier than 30 days before the start date of the I-20 (F-1) document.

When traveling, carry documents in carry-on luggage with you!  If the baggage is lost or delayed, the documents will not be shown and, as a result, a student or scholar may not be able to enter the United States.

Required Documents

Be Prepared to present the following documents to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Officer: 

  • Passport (valid for at least 6 month into the future with a valid nonimmigrant visa)
  • Original form I-20
  • I-901 SEVIS Fee receipt
  • Evidence of Financial Support
  • Proof of Vincennes University admission 

What should I expect at the Port of Entry (POE)?

At the Port of Entry, a Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will ask questions to verify your documentations, examine your luggage and determine whether or not you will be admitted into the United States. Some of the questions a CBP officer may ask include the following:

  • The purpose of your visit to the United States
  • How long you plan to visit
  • Where you will be staying
  • If you have the means to support yourself financially in the United States
  • If the documents you present match the purpose and intent of your visit

I-94 Arrival/Departure Record

Upon arrival in the U.S., the Customs Border protection (CBP) officer will examine your passport, visa and other entry documents . The CBP Officer will generally issue a passport admission stamp and make a notation of the type of status being given as well as an expiration date. For F-1 students, the expiration notation called "D/S" (duration of status) will be given. Keep your passport in a safe location. The passport admission stamp is proof of legal entry into the U.S.

If there are any problems during entry, please notify the International Student Affairs Office as soon as you arrive.

The Office of International Student Affairs wants to ensure that your arrival at Vincennes University is both safe and comfortable. If you are a new student, we strongly recommend that you make all your housing and airport pickup arrangements before you arrive. 
 

Transportation from the Airport to Vincennes University

The nearest passenger airport to Vincennes is the Evansville Regional Airport in Evansville, Indiana.  This is about a one-hour drive from Vincennes. See driving directions

If you are a new student, VU provides limited airport pickup services before new student orientation of each semester.  New students will be contacted by email before the beginning of each semester regarding the dates and details of these pickups. All airport pickup arrangements must be made before arriving at the airport.

*Note – The Indianapolis International Airport is approximately 2 hours and 15 minutes away and the Chicago O’Hare International Airport is approximately 4 hours and 30 minutes away from Vincennes. Due to the distance, VU is unable to provide airport pickup services for new students arriving at either location.  Please plan to make Evansville your final destination if you are in need of airport pickup services.

Depending on the airport pickup schedule, in some cases, new students will be responsible for transportation to the university.  For one possible option, please visit yellow page website.

Arrival at Vincennes University campus:

If you arrive at Vincennes University between 8 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time):

  • Report to the Office of International Student Affairs:
    • Room 184B, South Lobby, Vigo Hall, 6 E. Locust Street (#62 on campus map), Vincennes, IN 47591

If you arrive after 4:30 p.m. (Eastern Time):

 

Ready to Begin?