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Step 1 — Join the immigration line as soon as you leave the aircraft
The very first thing you do after stepping off the plane is find the immigration queue. There are two separate lines — one for US citizens and one for non-US citizens. You join the non-US citizen line, and this line will eventually lead you to an immigration officer. Simple so far.
Step 2 — The self-service kiosk and your receipt
While you are waiting in the immigration line, you will come across a self-service kiosk. At this kiosk, you need to scan your passport, enter your visa details, make declarations about how much money you are carrying and what food items you have with you, and then print out a receipt. Hold on to that receipt — it is important. You will hand it to the immigration officer along with your passport.
What if your receipt has a cross or a zero on it?
There are two possible outcomes from the kiosk. If your receipt comes out clean with no markings, you join a separate, usually faster queue. If your receipt has a cross or a zero marked on it, you join a different, typically longer queue. When I landed at JFK, my receipt had a cross on it. The reason was that my current passport was different from the passport my visa was originally issued on — I had renewed my passport since getting the visa. That mismatch triggered the marking. It is genuinely nothing to panic about. A lot of people get this, and it gets sorted out at the counter. Just be aware that this queue can take longer.
Step 3 — Your interaction with the immigration officer
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Book a Mock InterviewOnce you reach the immigration officer, hand over your passport and your kiosk receipt. The questions they ask are straightforward. Expect to be asked: what is the purpose of your visit, where are you planning to stay, how many days are you staying, and when are you going back. That is essentially it. It is a calm, friendly interaction — not an interrogation. When I went through it, the officer was actually joking around and asking why we were going back so soon when we could stay for six months. My honest advice: have your return tickets handy, either as a printout or pulled up on your phone, so you can show the dates if asked.
Be prepared for a long wait
Depending on what time you land and how many other flights arrive at the same time, the immigration queue can get very long. When I arrived at JFK, I stood in the queue for almost three hours. That is not unusual. Before you join the line, use the restroom, make sure you have a water bottle with you, and eat something if you can. Do not underestimate how long you might be on your feet.
Step 4 — Customs and declarations
After immigration, you move on to customs. The main thing to know here is what you cannot bring in. Fresh fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and meat are not allowed. If you are carrying any of these items, you must declare them. Whether customs officers actually check your bags varies — when I arrived, they did not check at all. But the declaration is mandatory, so do not skip it. If you are carrying restricted items and you have declared them, you can hand them over. If you have not declared them and you are caught, that is a much bigger problem.
A quick summary of the three steps
To recap what you will go through: first, join the non-US citizen immigration line as soon as you exit the aircraft. Second, use the kiosk to scan your passport, fill in your declarations, and collect your receipt — do not worry if it comes out with a marking on it. Third, have a brief, relaxed conversation with the immigration officer and answer their basic questions confidently. After that, clear customs by declaring anything that needs to be declared. That is genuinely all there is to it. As long as your documents are in order and you know the basics of what to expect, there is nothing to be anxious about.
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