Coming To America.....

Important Arrival Information

You are expected to arrive on campus as early as ten days prior to the start of classes.

Please make your travel arrangements to insure you will be arriving accordingly. One of our residence halls is always open year round. If you come earlier than expected, we can temporarily place you in this residence hall until it is time to move into your assigned room.

Arrival at least two days prior to orientation allows you to recover from any jetlag you may feel, give you time to rest from your long trip, unpack your bags, and get settled.

In your letter of admission, it was stated that you must also deposit $100 with the Cashier’s Office in order to be ale to register. Make this deposit prior to arrival or pay it the day you arrive so that it is recorded by the time you register.

Once you have your air ticket issued, please inform our office of your travel plans at least one week in advance of your arrival time. This notice will allow us to make arrangements to pick you up at the airport and be ready for your arrival on campus.

Making Travel Plans

The Minneapolis/St. Paul airport, which is in the neighboring state of Minnesota, is our closest airport, situated 50 miles away. When you plan your trip, you may have to make other stops on the way depending on the airline you travel on, but the Minneapolis/St. Paul airport should be your final destination.

Arriving in the U.S.

When you arrive at your port of entry (which is usually New York, Chicago, Miami, Atlanta, Seattle, San Francisco, or Los Angeles) you must have all your travel documents with you, not in your luggage. You will be taken to a U.S. immigration officer point where they will examine your passport and your certificate of visa eligibility (I-20 or DS-2019) before issuing you an Arrival/Departure Record (the I-94 card) which will be stamped with the arrival date and D/S (duration of status) and stapled to your passport. You will also get a carbon copy of the I-20 or the pink copy of the DS-2019. Be sure to keep these important documents with you at all times. Once you pick up your luggage, it will be checked by a U.S. customs officer. You must give the U.S. customs officer the card you were asked to complete while on the plane.

Customs Declaration

The U.S. Customs Officer at the port of entry will ask you questions about what you are carrying in your luggage. Truthfully declare to the officer if you are carrying liquor, certain foods, etc. You must also declare if you are carrying over $10,000 in U.S. currency. If you are carrying more than $10,000 you may have to pay taxes. If you are bringing a check or money order for over this amount, you must request Form 4790 from the officer to declare the money you are bringing into the U.S.

International Drivers’ License

If you have an International Drivers’ License you must ask the Immigration Officer to stamp it to validate it. You can use this license until you are settled and can apply for a State of Wisconsin Drivers’ License.

Unexpected Overnight Stay

If you need to stay overnight in the city of your port of entry because of the schedule of connecting flights to Minneapolis/ St. Paul, here are some places where you can stay safely.

New York City, New York

International House

500 Riverside Drive

Telephone: (212) 316-8400 or (212) 316-8436

This accommodation is operated by the Council of International Education. Please see the following web site for detailed information:

http://www.ihouse-nyc.org

New York International American Youth Hostel Student Center

891 Amsterdam Avenue

New York, New York 10025

Telephone: (212) 932-2300 or (212) 666-3619

Please see the following web site for detailed information:

http://www.reserve@hinewyork.org

Chicago, Illinois

International House

1414 East 59th Street

Telephone: (773) 753-2270

This accommodation is operated by the University of Chicago. It is a graduate dormitory and is open 24 hours a day. Call at least one day in advance to make a reservation. An airport limousine service, called Omega Limo, which is available at the ground transportation area, takes you directly to this residence for about $20 US. Private rooms with shared bathrooms are $50 US per night. Please see the following web site for detailed information:

http://ihouse.uchicago.edu

San Francisco, California

YMCA Central Branch

220 Golden Gate Avenue

Telephone: (415) 885-0460

Please check the web site for prices. You can take a shuttle from the airport for $12. Web site:

http://www.centralmycasf.org

Seattle, Washington

International Youth Hostel

84 Union Street

Telephone: (206) 622-5443

You can catch a bus or the Super Shuttle at the airport to get there. Taxis are also available. See their website for details:

http://www.hiseattle.org

Arriving in Minneapolis/St. Paul

Because there is no direct bus system from the airport in Minneapolis/St. Paul to the city of River Falls, Wisconsin, we need you to send us your arrival information as soon as possible, preferably at least one week prior to your arrival, so we can make arrangements to pick you up at the airport.

If for some reason, such as last minute flight changes, delays, missed flight connections, etc. you cannot reach us, you can call Hudson Taxi Service. The telephone number is (651) 439-5700. Give them as much advance notice as possible. The cost is approximately $75.

A faster service is the Eau Claire Shuttle Service. This service is located below the baggage claim area, in the lower level of the airport (Ground Transportation area). If you have not made reservations, you may use this service only if space is available. Guaranteed reservations can be made by calling 1-715-835-0399, or by making a reservation for the next available van with the desk person. There is a $19 charge for this service. The Eau Claire Shuttle Service does not take you to River Falls. It will drop you off at the Hudson House, located in the city of Hudson, Wisconsin, which is 15 minutes away from River Falls. You can call the International Programs Office from the airport at (715) 425-4891 between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. and let us know that you will be arriving in Hudson within 40 minutes because you are taking the Eau Claire Shuttle, so that we can wait for you in Hudson.

Note: The last van of the Eau Claire Shuttle Service leaves from the airport at 11:00 p.m, seven days a week and at 8:20 p.m. on holidays. For more detailed information please see their web site:

http://www.airportconnect.com