Entering USA with F1 visa
Recently my F1 visa got approved I would like to enter USA 25 days before my school starting date. Because I want to visit Los Angeles for few days and then move to Washington DC (My school location is in Washington DC)
So my question is
May I enter USA through Los Angeles port instead Washington DC? or I must enter through DC because my school is located near by DC?
Do I have to face any troubles at Los Angeles Airport immigration?
Best Answer
According to the US state department, you can enter 30 days before the start of school with an F1:
http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/study-exchange/student.html
Because many people take connecting flights, your port of entry has little to do with your expected city of residence. If you enter through LA, they'll likely assume you're taking a connecting to DC -- if asked, you can tell the truth and say you'd like to sightsee for a few weeks.
Once you have your F1, you can enter or leave anytime while you have a valid and endorsed I-20. So if you want to do extended (> 30 days) sightseeing over a summer, you should do it next year while you are between school years. But your short 25 day excursion this year should be fine.
tl;dr: Up to 30 days before the start is fine, but stay on the safe side -- 25 days should be ok. Port of entry does not matter.
Pictures about "Entering USA with F1 visa"
Quick Answer about "Entering USA with F1 visa"
When can I enter the US on F-1 visa?
You may enter the U.S. in initial F-1 or J-1 status (meaning you are a new international student, not a SEVIS transfer student) up to 30 days before the program start date on your I-20 or DS-2019.Can students on F-1 travel to us?
In general, special permission is not required for F-1 students to travel within the U.S. from state to state, even to Alaska and Hawaii. We recommend that you carry your Washington ID card, passport, I-94 card, and I-20 with you whenever you travel outside Washington State.What to Expect at a US Port of Entry on an F1 Visa or J1 Visa! (Step-by-Step Guide)
More answers regarding entering USA with F1 visa
Answer 2
You can enter from any airport.
I got my F1 for a school that didn't have direct flights from UK, so I did immigration at Dallas because that was the closest flight I could get.
The immigration officer will not ask for your on-going (forward) journey - they did not ask me. Good news too, since I hadn't booked my onward ticket because I wasn't sure if I was going to fly or drive there.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Charles Parker, Chris Peeters, Tara Winstead, Tara Winstead