International Student Services

If you have been issued a visa to enter the United States, you will not be allowed to enter the country more than 30 days before the start of your program.

U.S. immigration law governs the entry of all visitors to the United States, including students and exchange visitors. It details what they are authorized to do during their stay in the country. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is the agency responsible for ensuring that these visitors comply with U.S. law and regulations. When you arrive in the United States, you come under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security, and one of the three units within DHS responsible for non-U.S. citizens: the Bureau of Customs and Border Protection; the Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement; and the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Bureau.

On your plane to the U.S. or when you arrive in the U.S., you will receive a Form I-94 (Arrival-Departure Record). Please safeguard this form; it contains the official record of your admission, your nonimmigrant status and the period of authorized stay in the United States. For more information about arriving in the U.S., see

"Arriving at a U.S. Port of Entry --- What a Student can Expect," (for F-1/J-1) 

U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Web site

After you arrive in Bowling Green, you are required to attend the International Student Services' Orientation Session where immigration rules will be discussed and handouts on maintaining valid status will be provided to you. You may also schedule a meeting with International Student Services to discuss any questions or concerns you have about immigration regulations and requirements.

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