General advice for re-entry to the US

The United States Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers welcome travelers into the U.S every day, and screen visitors and returning US citizens, permanent residents, and visa holders. The screening practice is nothing new and frequency may change depending on global events or policy shifts. Below are some highlights about the screening process and general recommendations for re-entry to the U.S. 

CBP Inspection 

• All travelers crossing the United States border are subject to CBP inspection.
  • If you become subject to an inspection, remain calm and honestly answer questions that CBP may have. 
  • CBP officers must determine the nationality of each applicant for admission and, if determined to be an alien, whether or not the applicant meets the requirements of the Immigration and Nationality Act for admission to the United States. See more details at the CBP Search Authority webpage. 
  • CBP officers may search a traveler’s mobile phone, computer, camera, or other electronic devices during the inspection process. See more details at the Border Search of Electronic Devices at Ports of Entry webpage. 
• CBP search of electronic devices.
  • If the electronic device contents cannot be inspected because the device is protected by a passcode or encryption or other security mechanism, that device may be subject to exclusion, detention, or other appropriate action or disposition.  
  • The traveler may face longer processing times to allow for CBP to access the contents of the device. 
  • If a foreign national refuses to allow examination of a device and its contents, CBP may consider noncompliance and inability to access the device contents when making admissibility decisions, and may take appropriate law enforcement actions. 

Permanent Residents 

• Review advice on entry to the U.S. at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website. 
• Review advice on international travel as a permanent resident at the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services webpage. 
• Make sure you have all necessary documents for re-entry. 
• If you have resided abroad for more than a year while holding U.S. permanent resident status, or have any concerns about your status, consider consulting with an immigration attorney on your specific situation. See recommendations on how to find an immigration attorney in the Dallas area in the ISSO Find an Attorney webpage. 

US Visa holders 

• Review advice on entry to the U.S. at the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website. 
• Make sure you have all necessary documents for re-entry. 
• If UTD serves as your visa sponsor and you have questions:
  • F1/J1 students. First review the Travel in F or J status webpage, and if you have further questions, contact an ISSO immigration advisor. 
  • UTD employees: Contact the HR Employment immigration team. 
  • RAs and TAs should contact both the ISSO and HR
• For all cases, if you have concerns about your status, you can also consult with an immigration attorney on your specific situation. See recommendations on how to find an immigration attorney in the Dallas area in the ISSO Find an Attorney webpage. 

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