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After receiving your passport, please check the individual data and the photo on your visa for accuracy. Occasionally, errors may occur when issuing visas.
The following diagram explains the individual details on your visa:
Please check the following points in particular:
Please send us a copy of your visa for verification immediately upon receipt! If the information on your visa is incorrect (e.g. your name or date of birth), the visa must be sent to the US consulate by post with a request for correction before you plan to enter the country. In this case, you do not have to appear in person again. If you only notice the error after you have entered the USA, you will usually have to return to the consulate in person after your return from the USA to correct it (reapplication). If you enter the country with an incorrect visa, you may encounter problems at the border and may even be refused entry!
We strongly recommend that you make a digital copy of your US visa, which you will have access to during your trip.
If you lose your passport (including visa), it is much easier to reissue it and document your legal residence status.
As a foreign citizen in the USA, you are also obliged to prove your legal residence status to the US authorities at all times (e.g. during a police check). If you do not wish to carry your passport with you at all times, at least carry a copy of your visa plus entry stamp or a copy of the electronic I-94 form. This will help prevent possible problems.
If you use your visa to enter the USA, you do not need ESTA approval. This is only required for travel under the Visa Waiver Program (i.e. without a visa).
If you already have an ESTA authorization or have already arranged for one, this is not detrimental to your entry.
If you are the holder of a work visa (e.g. E, L, H visa) or a B-1 (business traveler) visa and are travelling to the USA for purely tourist purposes, we recommend that you apply for ESTA approval in advance of your trip as a precaution, even if you have a valid visa. Your purely private reason for entry is not necessarily covered by the work visa or B-1 visa.
B-1/B-2 visa holders are not affected by this, as this visa covers a purely tourist stay (B-2) in addition to a business trip (B-1). You can apply for an ESTA authorization at https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/esta arrange!
How long your passport must be valid for entry into the USA depends on your nationality. In principle, every passport must be valid for at least 6 months from the date of departure from the USA.
However, the majority of certain nationalities fall under an exemption ("Six-Month Club") - this also includes visa holders from Germany, Austria or Switzerland. They only need a passport that must be valid for the duration of the planned stay. You can find a list of all countries that fall under this regulation here: https://www.cbp.gov/document/bulletins/six-month-club-update
If your passport expires and your visa is still valid, you do not need to apply for a new visa. You can then continue to travel to the USA by presenting both passports (new passport and old passport including valid US visa).
If the following changes occur, you must apply for a new US visa and a new passport:
After arriving in the USA, you will first go through immigration control. Here it is checked whether all entry requirements have been met.
What you can expect:
Questions about entry: A U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer will ask you a few questions. Typical questions include: "What is the reason for your trip?", "How long will you be in the US?" or "Where will you be staying?" Answer these questions honestly and calmly.
Fingerprints and photo: Please note that all 10 of your fingerprints will be taken again at the border and a digital photo will be taken. In addition, the border officials will ask you brief questions about the purpose of your stay and the planned duration of your stay. This process is mandatory for all travelers unless they are under 14 or over 79 years old.
| Passport incl. visa |
Customs declaration form 6059B (you will receive this when you enter the country) |
Cover letter | I-20* | DS-2019** | I-129S*** | I-797 Approval Notice* | |
| B-1 | X | X | Recommendation | ||||
| B-2 | X | X | |||||
| B-2/B-2 | X | X | Recommendation | ||||
| C-1/D | X | X | Recommendation | ||||
| E | X | X | |||||
| F | X | X | X | ||||
| H | X | X | X | ||||
| I | X | X | Recommendation | ||||
| J | X | X | X | ||||
| K | X | X | |||||
| L | X | X | X | ||||
| L-Blanket | X | X | X | X (copy) | |||
| M | X | X | X | ||||
| O | X | X | X | ||||
| P | X | X | X | ||||
| TN | X | X |
X = mandatory for every entry
* = mandatory in original or copy for each entry
= mandatory in original for each entry
*** = on first entry: Presentation of 2 x I-129S. One copy will be retained. Please note that not all US consulates issue two versions after the appointment. If you have only received one version, please present it accordingly. One I-129S will always remain with you for all future entries.
For a stress-free entry, it is also advisable to have the following documents to hand at all times:
Please note that the Automated Passport Control Program (APC), which has been set up at some US airports for expedited clearance, is only available to visa waiver travelers (VWP - ESTA) and B-1/B-2 or C-1/D holders. All other travelers with US visas cannot use these machines.
Simplified entry with Global Entry is possible for members with all current visa categories (except C, H, K, M, N, Q, S, T or U visas). Global Entry program participants are obliged to keep their personal information up to date via their Global Entry account (e.g. when receiving a new passport).
If a Global Entry member receives a (new) visa and/or e.g. a new petition (I-129S or I-797 Approval Notice), they must personally inform U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and have this data (re)entered into the Global Entry System. As a rule, this is done directly at the airport with the (new) visa documents when entering the country for the first time and in person at an Enrollment Center.
If the visa information has not been completely or properly updated, there is a risk that the entry status (duration of the residence permit and visa category) will be incorrectly determined at the Global Entry Kiosk, which can lead to further problems. Further information can also be found here: https://ttp.cbp.dhs.gov/
The US authorities differentiate between the visa and the so-called residence status.
The validity period on your visa only specifies the period during which you may use this travel document. However, a visa does not guarantee you entry. The officials at the border decide whether you are allowed to enter the country with your visa and for how long.
How long the USA authorizes you to stay in the USA (status) is recorded on the I-94 form. All relevant information on your residence status is stored there (I-94 number, name, date of birth, passport data, visa category, date of entry and the date on which you must leave the USA at the latest.
Before 2013, travelers had to fill out the I-94 Arrival/Departure Record on the plane or at the border. The final date of departure was then noted in the passport by means of a stamp. This has all been digitized in recent years.
You only need to present your passport (incl. US visa and any other documents depending on the visa category) to the border officials. Your personal data will be recorded by the officials by scanning your passport.
All your information is recorded electronically in the US authorities' system.
After entering the country, be sure to check your current electronic I-94 online for accuracy and check when you need to leave the country.
Check online, the following the data in your I-94 form:
If you notice any errors, try to ask for corrections directly at the airport/border.
The residence status does not always correspond to the validity of the visa. This means that the status may be valid for longer or shorter than your visa. The date entered in the entry stamp or electronic I-94 (not the validity of your visa) is always decisive for how long you are allowed to stay in the country. Therefore, always check carefully after entering the country how long your stay has been granted.
For certain visa categories (F-1, J-1), no specific departure date is noted, but "D/S" for "duration of status". The validity of the I-20 or DS-2019 forms is decisive in these visa categories.
In rare cases, the officials are at liberty to ask you to take part in a more intensive second control ("secondary inspection").
This means that you will be taken from the regular queue to an extra office where the customs or immigration officers will ask further questions, check your documents more closely, search your hand luggage or, for example, ask to see your laptop.
Don't be put off - this is a standard procedure. The secondary check can be carried out for various reasons, e.g. if there are ambiguities in the documents or if random checks are carried out.
A common reason for certain visa categories is a lack of intention to return to your home country, i.e. the accusation that you wish to stay in the USA illegally.
Stay calm and answer all questions honestly.
The immigration check is followed by the customs check. When entering the country, you are allowed to bring certain personal items duty-free, such as clothing or electronic devices. However, strict restrictions apply to certain products, such as tobacco and alcohol:
Food: The USA has very strict regulations when it comes to importing food. Fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and certain other products are often prohibited. You should therefore avoid bringing such products with you.
Cash: If you are carrying more than USD 10,000 or the equivalent in another currency, you must declare this when entering the country. This rule also applies to traveler's checks or other means of payment.
Medication: If you are carrying prescription medication, it should be in its original packaging and ideally accompanied by a doctor's note or prescription. Certain medications that are legal in your home country may be subject to restrictions in the USA, so it is advisable to check this in advance.
Alcohol and tobacco: Travelers over the age of 21 may bring up to 1 liter of alcohol and 200 cigarettes or 50 cigars duty-free. If you wish to bring more, additional fees may apply.
Souvenirs and gifts: Gifts or souvenirs that you bring into the USA during your trip are subject to an exemption limit of 100 US dollars.
Once you have cleared immigration and customs, you can collect your baggage and continue your journey. If you have a connecting flight in the USA, please note that you may have to check in your baggage again after you have gone through customs. It is best to find out about the exact procedure from your airline in advance.
Persons who are in the USA on a non-immigrant visa and move within the United States are required to notify the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) of their (new) private U.S. address within 10 days at the latest.
Persons who have entered the USA under the Visa Waiver Program (ESTA) and persons who have not been in the USA for more than 29 days are exempt from this regulation.
You can find more information on how to notify the USCIS of a change of address at https://www.uscis.gov/addresschange.
If you stay in the USA beyond your approved residence status ("overstay"), you can expect negative consequences. These range from reapplying for a visa to deportation or an entry ban lasting several years.
You must leave the U.S. no later than the date of departure noted on the entry stamp or electronic I-94.
Your timely departure is recorded via the respective travel information of the airlines or shipping companies. They will transmit your travel data digitally directly to the US authorities after you leave the United States. You therefore do not need to make any further arrangements.
If you have any questions, please contact our team on +49 (30) 398 20 40 00.
We wish you all the best and every success for your stay in the USA!
Your US Visa Service Team
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