Advisory for Indian Students Going to USA for Education

Following is the advisory for Indian Students going to USA for education by the Ministry of External Affairs.

Do's

1. Comprehensive resources are available, both free and paid, to find out about the quality and background of institutions in the US. You should conduct a thorough research before applying to relatively unknown institutions.

2. Consult with friends/relatives/Indian student associations already in the US before taking a final decision.

3. Read all contractual obligations carefully, specially the fine print, before making any payments to the institution.

4. Register your presence with the foreign students association and, if available, Indian students association at your educational institution immediately after arrival, which could go a long way in acclimatizing in a new environment.

5. Accommodation, whenever possible, should be sought within the campus of the institution for obvious security reasons. Seek advice from the educational institutions housing department on appropriate areas to live in if you decides to live off campus. You may also contact the local Indian American Associations(s) for similar advise.

6. Participation in cross cultural events is important for speedy integration with the local students.

7. Keep faculty/students welfare department informed about any racial discrimination or abuse.

8. Passport should reflect the ‘Given names’ and ‘Surname /family /last’ name correctly. This is a major issue in the US.

9. The passport should be got extended in India if it is about to expire before you set out.

10. In case you are married, your spouse’s name should be entered in the passport.

11. All the entries in the passport should be correct.

12. A coloured scanned copy of the main pages of the passport should be retained by you in your e-mail box, in case of loss of passport.

13. While acquiring visa, the proper details - name, place of birth etc should be noted.

14. When arriving in the US, the importance and correctness of the I-94 should be highlighted.

15. Upon loss of passport, you should file an immediate FIR with local police and then should approach the Consulate/ Embassy, of your jurisdiction, for reissuance of passport facilities.

Don'ts

1. For non-academic institutions such as flying schools, do not pay the full amount up-front. Most schools offer the scheme of pay as you go.

2. Do not enroll in institutions which offer a fast track programme as most of these are dubious.

3. Do not enroll in institutions which are catering only to Indian students. Do a thorough check about the nature of students enrolled in the institutions.

4. Do not fall prey to solicitation through agents or online advertisements.

5. Avoid taking up accommodation outside the campus just because it works out cheaper.

6. Avoid drug and alcohol abuse

7. Avoid driving under the influence of alcohol.

8. Avoid getting embroiled in fights and rivalries with other students.

9. Please check with the Embassy/Consulate or on their website about the reputation of the school and problems with previous students, if any.

Indian Diplomatic Missions/Posts in USA

Embassy of India 2107, Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington DC 20008 USA Tel : 00-1-202-9397000 Fax : 00-1-202-2654351 Email : indemwash@indiagov.in Website : www.indiaembassy.org

Consulate General of India 455 North City Front Plaza Drive, (NBC Tower), Suite 850, Chicago, IIIinois 60611, USA Tel : 00-1-312-5950405 Fax : 00-1-312-5950416 Email : cg@indiaconsulate.com Website : www.indainconsulate.com

Consulate General of India 1990 Post Oak Boulevard, Suite 600, Houston, Texas 77056, USA Tel : 00-1-713-6262148 Fax : 00-1-713-6262450 Email : cgi-hou@swbell.net, consulgenhouston@swbell.net Website : www.cgihouston.org

Consulate General of India 3 East, 64th Street, New York, NY 10065 USA Tel : 00-1-212-7740600 Fax : 00-1-212-8613788 Email : hoc@indiacgny.org, cg@indiacgny.org Website : www.indiacgny.org

Consulate General of India 540, Arguello Boulevard, San Francisco, CA 94118 USA Tel : 00-1-415-6680662 Fax : 00-1-415-6682073 Email : info@cgisf.org Website : www.cgisf.org

US Diplomatic Missions/Posts in India

Embassy of USA, American Embassy Chanakyapuri, New Delhi – 110021 Tel : 011 – 24198000 Fax : 011 – 24190017 Email : NDBOXMEA@state.gov

Consulate General of USA 220, Anna Salai, Chennai 600006 Tel : 044-28574000 Fax : 044-28574455 Website : chennai.usconsulate.gov

Consulate General of USA Paigah Palace, 1-8-323 Chiran Fort Lane, Begumpet, Secunderabad -500003 Hyderabad Tel : 91-40-40338300 Fax : 91-40-40338301

Consulate General of USA 5/1 Ho Chi Minh Sarani Kolkata – 700016 Tel : 033-39842400 Fax : 033-22822335 Website : http:/usembassy.state.gov/calcutta/

Consulate General of USA Lincoln House, 78, Bhulabhai Desai Road, Mumbai-400026 Tel : 022-23633611 Fax : 022-23630350 Website : Mumbai.usconsulate.gov