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> Airline
Baggage Allowance
> What
to Bring With You
> Things
to Leave at Home
> Protecting
Your Baggage
> Unaccompanied
Baggage
> Shipping
Agents
> Shipping
by Air
> Shipping
by Sea
> Baggage
Customs
Before you start packing, there are many things to consider.
How much can you bring? What is safe to bring? Will you bring
it with you to the United States or send it separately? This
section will help you understand how to get your luggage safely
from your home country to the United States.
Airline Baggage
Allowance
There is a limit to the amount of baggage you can take with
you on an airplane. The number of pieces of baggage and the
size and weight of those pieces determine this limit. Confirm
your airline's baggage allowance when you purchase your ticket.
Be aware that allowances to North America are often more generous
than allowances elsewhere in the world. Regulations are subject
to change.
Since most people travel economy class, the following limitations
are given as guidelines. To North America, passengers are
usually allowed two pieces of baggage, plus one small piece
of hand or "carry-on" baggage that can be carried
onto the airplane and must be able to fit under the airplane
seat. Each piece must not surpass a certain weight and size
restriction, as established by the airline. If your luggage
exceeds these limitations, you will be asked to pay excess
baggage charges.
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What to Bring With
You
"I brought a lot of clothing with me. I figured that
since I was leaving for two years, I should have clothes for
many types of occasions. However, when I got to America I
soon noticed that fashions here were quite different from
the ones in my country. I ended up buying more clothes, already
in the first few weeks, mostly because I liked them but also
because I wanted to fit in, to look like the others. I also
ended up spending a lot of money on winter clothes since I
was not well prepared for cold weather. Our foreign student
adviser took a few foreign students and myself on a 'field
trip' to the local department store to show us what was recommended
to wear in the winter. I still wear some of the clothes I
brought from my country, but most of it is now just using
up space in my small dormitory room!"
— Sanjay, India
What you bring with you is largely a matter of personal choice.
You will have to carry whatever you bring, so it is in your
interest to keep it light and compact. If you need advice,
write to the international student adviser at the college
or university you plan to attend or talk to another student
who has recently been to the United States.
Start to pack early, so that excess weight and bulk can be
eliminated and essential items not overlooked. Do not worry
if you cannot bring everything, since most goods are available
in a wide range of prices in the United States. Small items
can be sent by airfreight or through the postal system. Shipping
by sea can take several months.
Do bring:
- a good bilingual dictionary, since it might not be possible
to obtain one for your language in the United States;
- all of your essential dentification papers and documents,
to be carried on your person or in your hand baggage. DO
NOT PUT IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS IN BAGS YOU HAVE CHECKED ONTO
THE PLANE - KEEP THEM IN YOUR HAND LUGGAGE (see "Documents
to Bring");
- books, manuals, or journals that you think may be useful
for reference in your field of study and that definitely
will not be available in the United States;
- pictures of your family, home, and country, for yourself
but also to show to your new friends;
- items from your culture, such as musical instruments,
recordings of traditional and contemporary music, picture
books, arts and crafts, and small gifts, to share your talents
and customs with people in the United States. For festive
occasions you may consider bringing traditional dress and
accessories from your country. This would be a great way
to show and tell Americans more about your culture and traditions;
- a camera so you will have souvenirs of your time in the
United States after you return home.
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Things to Leave at
Home
You can obtain a booklet on customs regulations at the consulate
or embassy where you acquire your visa. Prohibited items include
some foodstuffs, narcotics, weapons, and items for resale.
The U.S. Customs Service also provides this information on
their Web site at http://www.customs.gov/travel/travel.htm.
Do not bring:
- things you can easily buy in the United States, such as
notebooks, pens, paper (paper in the United States is of
a slightly different size than in countries following the
metric system), toiletries, towels, or bed sheets. These
items will take up valuable space in your luggage;
- food, seeds, or plants. The United States has very strict
restrictions on importing foods, perishables, and agricultural
goods into the country;
- books that can easily be obtained in U.S. libraries. Some
universities have their library catalog on the Internet,
where you can check the availability of books. You can also
contact the university library staff to verify the availability
of any essential books. You can usually also obtain books
through interlibrary loans;
- animals;
- medications, unless you have written prescriptions from
a doctor (see "Prescriptions
for Medication and Eyeglasses");
- expensive jewelry, treasured possessions, family heirlooms,
or delicate things, since there is always a chance that
these items can get lost, stolen, or damaged during travel
or during your stay;
- firearms, knives, weapons, or articles that could be perceived
as weapons;
- narcotics or drugs;
- any article of clothing, artifact, or medicine made from
endangered animals;
- electrical appliances. Appliances in the United States
work on a 115 volts and 60 cycles system. It is usually
best to purchase electrical items in the United States,
especially if you plan to live in university housing, as
some items will not be allowed. Most items are reasonably
priced. Also note that video systems, including televisions,
VCRs, and DVD players (including those in laptop computers),
use different systems in different parts of the world, and
those you bring from home are unlikely to be compatible
with the U.S. media.
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Protecting Your
Baggage
Be sure that you clearly label every piece of luggage with
your name, U.S. address, and a telephone number (perhaps the
International Students Office of the university or college
you will attend). Identification tags are available from the
airline, but sturdier luggage tags or labels are recommended.
For additional security, you may also want to put a label
or luggage tag inside your luggage.
Baggage insurance protects you against loss, damage, or theft
of your baggage (see "Baggage
Insurance").
You should have enough clothing and personal items packed
in your carryon baggage to last for a couple days in the event
your checked luggage is lost or sent to the wrong destination.
Be sure to pack prescription medicine, eyeglasses, or other
important items in your carryon baggage.
NOTE: Never leave your baggage unattended. You must always
be alert to the possibility of theft.
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Unaccompanied
Baggage
Personal belongings that are sent separately are called "unaccompanied
baggage." Such baggage may be taken with you as "excess
baggage" (but the cost is high) or sent by mail or private
carrier, by land, air, or sea.
Usually it is more convenient to take packages to your local
post office, rather than to a shipping company or an air cargo
terminal. Mail also has the advantage of arriving at your
address, rather than at a shipping dock or customs area. However,
there are limitations on the size and weight of packages being
mailed. Check with your post office about sending such packages
to the United States. Ask about rates, regulations, and estimates
of how long it will take for your packages to arrive at your
college or university in the United States. Items too large
or too heavy to meet postal regulations must be sent via a
shipping company, either by air or by surface carrier.
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Shipping Agents
The procedures for shipping are complicated and time-consuming,
and students often employ the services of a shipping agent
or freight-forwarding company. The agent can make arrangements
for transporting the item to the air- or sea-cargo terminal
for shipment to the United States. The agent also usually
can arrange to have the shipment cleared through customs at
the point of entry into the United States and can have it
sent by road or rail to you. International Air Transport Association
(IATA) agents are recommended. Ask your travel agent or an
airline representative for the name of a reliable shipping
agent.
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Shipping by Air
It is possible to pay for excess baggage and have your extra
baggage sent on the same flight you take to the United States.
This, however, can be very expensive. It is best to investigate
in advance and compare prices with shipping agents. Airlines
have size restrictions (approximately two meters). If you
have a large item, talk to the airline agent about it. They
may accept it as part of your baggage if you pay extra fees;
if not, you may have to ship it by air or sea cargo.
International airlines sometimes have air cargo services.
There are also independent air cargo companies; however, these
companies may not have offices in a large city near you and
may fly goods only to large cities or airports in which they
have regular service. It would be your responsibility to claim
the shipment, pass it through customs, and get it to your
residence. Ask your travel agent or airline representative
about air cargo services.
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Shipping by Sea
Shipping cargo by sea is, of course, far slower than by air,
but depending upon how much you ship, it may be less expensive.
You would have to claim your packages at the port of entry,
clear them through customs, and either transport them yourself
to your residence or pay additional handling fees.
Regardless of how you ship unaccompanied baggage, mark all
baggage clearly with your name and your U.S. address. Write
directly on the box or on an address label secured with wide,
transparent tape over the writing.
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Baggage Customs
Be sure to declare unaccompanied baggage at customs when you
enter the United States. When you pick up the parcels in the
United States, you might have to pay "duty" (import
tax). Ask about this when you make arrangements with the carrier
you have chosen.
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