Arrival in Atlanta

Immigration

The preparations for a smooth arrival in Atlanta actually start during the flight into the U.S. Flight attendants will hand out two different cards that each passenger has to fill out: one declaration for the customs and one for the Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS). Please note that the one for the INS differs depending whether one travels with or without a permanent visa. All students coming to Georgia Tech should have a F-1 or J-1 visa, therefore you should ask flight attendance for such a white card for visa holders. Usually a movie will be shown somewhen during the flight which explains in sufficent detail how to fill out the Visa and customs forms.

Upon arrival in Atlanta, just follow the big crowd. But you can also take the lead as there are a lot of signs, which direct you. Even if you don't notice the signs, you can't go wrong, there is actually just one direction one can head to. After a few minutes of walking, you will reach a big hall with lots of counters: welcome to the INS! If you took the lead, you are happy because you are the first one to get through and you don't have to wait for the folks of your airplane to get processed. Here you have to carefully look at the counters and the signs above of them: they tell you what category of people are processed there. For GeorgiaTech students the counters for "foreign visitors" are the appropriate ones. But there is also a couple of officers wandering around in this hall, just ask them where to go. Please make sure you have your passport and the cards mentioned above ready to show, and: no photos and do not cross the yellow line!

It usually takes a long time standing in line to reach the counter itself. There just present all cards and your passport and watch how the papers are processed. Sometimes the officers ask you what you want to do in the U.S., where you will stay and so one. Just tell them that you are a graduate student at Georgia Tech, this will help.

Customs

After the INS, you will have to head to the right and go down two stories by escalators: welcome to the customs service! Sometimes a dog will await you at the end of the escalators searching for drugs and stuff. Just proceed and have a careful look at the board at which you are looking right now: it tells you where to pick up your baggage. Go to the appropriate conveyor and pick up your baggage. In this area, there are usually lots of baggage cars to put the baggage on. Be aware, the agricultural service recruits its victims in this area. This means that they randomly pick people and examine their suitcases. Especially fresh food or drinks can cause a lot of trouble here! After that you leave this hall through the one and only exit. There you hand in the customs form filled out during the flight: green sign if you have nothing to declare, red sign otherwise.

Making your way through the airport

Now you will enter an area which terminates with a security check. But before you proceed to the security check, you will have to put your baggage on conveyors again in order for them to be transported to the main airport building with ist final baggage claim. Passengers of Delta Airlines or affiliates (Sabena, SwissAir,...) put their baggage on the right conveyor, all other passengers (Lufthansa,...) put them on the left conveyor. The counters in this area are for the purpose of checking in to connecting flights within the U.S., don't use them. Finally, the security check is done and your are at the "International Arrivals Lobby." After that you leave the lobby, turn left and go down to the underground transportation by escalators. Trains depart every 30 or 40 seconds, that means there is no need to hurry. Leave the train at the main terminal with the baggage claim. The operator announces at every station which one will be the next station. The order is: terminal E (where you arrived), D, C, B, A, T gates, main terminal with baggage claim.

At the main terminal again follow the crowd and enter the terminal by escalators. Now you have to decide if you have to turn left or right: Passengers of Delta Airlines or affiliates have to go to the "South Terminal" (red signs), all others (like Lufthansa) to the "North Terminal" (blue signs). This is essentially the same as with your baggage and the two conveyors after the customs service. At the appropriate baggage claim (north or south) carefully look at the conveyors there and the display at each of them showing the flight and flight number.

If there is nobody to pick you up, you can now either take the marta or a cab. Bear in mind, that a ride by cab can be pretty expensive (around $30 to $50) as it usually takes about 30 minutes to travel from the airport to Georgia Tech or where ever you will live. If you luckily arrive togehter with other students, you can share one of the large cabs up to the total of 4 students with luggage and a driver. If you take marta, you can take every train that departs from the airport. Leave the train at Midtown station, which is station N4. After that, you can either take a cab (affordable now), use the bus, which is included in the marta fare (routes 12 or 37, train-bus transfer ticket will be required, see marta), or walk a couple of minutes eastbound on 10th Street to GLC (it is a longer walk to Hemphill).

Welcome to Georgia Tech! And have a nice sleep to recover from your jet lag.