At the U.S. Port of Entry, you will meet the Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) Officer.

A Port of Entry is the place you are entering the country, such as Portland, Seattle, Denver, etc. The CBP officer will ask to see your passport and your I-20. The officer may ask to see the other documents and/or ask questions about:

• Where you are arriving from
• What other countries you visited or transited through on your way to the U.S.
• What your purpose is for coming to the U.S., or more specifically what you intend to do at the University of Oregon
• How long is your program
• Where is your final destination today
• Have you been to Oregon before
• What’s your address in your home country

If you are traveling with family members, please expect the CBP officer to ask them individually some questions, including:

• What’s your name?
• Is this your mom/dad/wife/husband?
• What is the name of your mom/dad/wife/husband?
• Are you excited to be in the U.S.?

The officer may also ask you to be fingerprinted and/or photographed.

While this process can feel intimidating and stressful, preparing yourself for this situation will help you.

• Have easy access to your documents, and be ready to provide the passport and I-20 to the CBP officer as soon as you are called to meet them.
• Be ready to clearly (but briefly) answer the possible questions listed above. Do not lie or fabricate answers if you do not know.
• Be patient, stay positive, and maintain calm, don’t forget to treat the CBP officer with respect regardless of their temperament or how much they make you feel uncomfortable.

The CBP officer has a lot of work to do. Please avoid any unnecessary comments, jokes, and questions. The CBP officer will give your documents back once the inspection is over.

If the officer can complete inspection at this stage, they will instruct you to go to a separate location for agriculture inspection. Promptly leave the immigration inspection area as soon as you receive your documents back.

If the officer cannot determine your eligibility to enter the U.S. from the documentation you present, or requires additional information, you may be directed for additional questioning at “Secondary Inspection” at the airport.

Secondary Inspection

The Secondary Inspection takes place in a separate, guarded room area where you will be asked to wait to speak individually with a more senior level CBP officer. In Secondary Inspection, you may be advised that you are not able to make any phone calls unless you are given permission by the officer — please follow their directions. U.S. laws permit the CBP officer to ask any question needed to determine your eligibility to enter the U.S., including your past travel history, financial information, information about your family members, previous travel to the U.S., what you plan to do in the future after graduating from the University of Oregon, as well as request that you provide access to your electronic devices (laptops, iPads, cellphones), email, or social media accounts for review. U.S. guidance indicates that no passwords or other personal information will be retained.

While such requests are not usually made, we want to be sure that you are aware that such requests can happen.

Please note that wait times at Secondary Inspection may take many hours. If you have to wait for an extended period, Secondary Inspection offices have bathrooms/toilets and access to water. If there are any concerns, you will be advised to speak with a Secondary Inspection officer for assistance. Please note there is no way to expedite (speed up) processing at Secondary Inspection, so it is advised to remain calm. Being referred to Secondary Inspection does NOT mean that you have done anything wrong. Similar to your visa interview appointment and visa processing at the U.S. Embassy/Consulate, security procedures must be completed in order to enter the U.S. and can take some time to resolve (based on the type of procedure and number of individuals in Secondary Inspection at the time of your entry to the U.S.). We ask that you be patient. If you are waiting for an extended period of time at Secondary Inspection, you may request from the CBP officer for permission to contact anyone who may be waiting for you at the airport and/or the University of Oregon’s International Students & Scholar Services.

Once you have left the immigration inspection area, follow the signs to the agriculture inspection area if you were told to do so by the CBP officer, or follow the exit signs. In order to board your connecting flight to Eugene or Portland, you may need to re-check your baggage with your airline. After that’s done, go towards your gate – at the security area, you only need to show your passport and, possibly, your boarding pass. After that, you and your carry-on luggage must be screened again prior to entering your departure gate. When boarding your next flight, you will need to show only your boarding pass.

Emergency Contacts

International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) (Monday – Friday, 8:00 – 17:00)

• Telephone: 1-541-346-3206
• Email: intl@uoregon.edu

Complete Mandatory GE Training

The required GE training will address employment topics such as inclusive work environments, discrimination and sexual harassment policies, and other employee-related policies. This will be provided online in MyTrack. GEs will be sent an invitation at the beginning of the first term of GE employment.

Complete GE English Language Proficiency*

*This items is for international graduate students who accept teaching-related GE appointments

Students whose native/primary language is not English who accept teaching-related Graduate Employee (GE) positions must submit a test score demonstrating their proficiency in speaking English. Students for whom the TOEFL/IELTS is waived for admission to their graduate program are still subject to these requirements if they are placed in teaching-related GE assignments. View the GE English Language Policy for information on minimum test scores, alternatives to submitting scores, and more.

Attend the Day of Teaching (Optional)

The annual GE Day of Teaching takes place on the Wednesday prior to the start of fall term. This opportunity provides new GEs access to high-quality teacher training.

Attend the International Graduate Student Orientation (Optional)

The Division of Global Engagement coordinates an international orientation for all incoming international students. Incoming international graduate students are not required to attend, but are encouraged to attend if available. View the ISSS website for more information.

Intimate partner violence

Intimate partner violence and emotional abuse are behaviors used by one person in a relationship to control the other. Violence can be criminal and includes physical assault (hitting, pushing, shoving, etc.), sexual abuse (unwanted or forced sexual activity), and stalking. Although emotional, psychological, and financial abuse are not criminal behaviors, they are forms of abuse and can lead to criminal violence. Although anyone can be abused, most victims are women. 

Unattended children

There are strict laws about leaving very young children alone, either in cars, in public, or at home. It is a crime to leave anyone in a car who is incapable of getting out without help. It is considered "child neglect" to leave very young children unattended (such as outside of a restaurant) or home alone. It is better to awaken a sleeping child than to risk their possible harm and/or face arrest. The minimum age limit for leaving kids at home unattended in Oregon is 10 years old. 

Child abuse or neglect

Child abuse is a very serious crime in the U.S. Child abuse is defined as any act or failure to act (neglect) on the part of a parent or caretaker which results in death, serious physical or emotional harm, sexual abuse or exploitation or any act which presents an imminent risk of serious harm. In the U.S., the following people are required by law to report suspected child abuse: doctors, nurses, dentists, mental health professionals, social workers, teachers, day care workers, and law enforcement personnel.

Family resources

Learn about the resources for families.