Pre Flight Tips to US

i-94 (click this link) is now online and no longer issued on the plane.

1. Does your travelling bag look ordinary? Then you should buy a unique keychain that makes it easier for you to identify your bag. This will also prevent baggage switching in the conveyor. Make sure it has your name, phone number and other contact info in it just in case of loss.
2. Have 2 spare copies of your NSO Birth Certificate and 4 more copies of your passport photos for K-1's AOS (Adjustment of Status). Passport photos here costs $9 just for 2 copies.
3. Don't forget to bring your school credentials.
4. Don't quit your job, sell properties or buy a plane ticket yet. Wait till the visa is at hand or else you're taking a risk.
5. Consider buying your wedding dress here. Not only that it will be cheaper, you can easily express what you want.
6. Heard that some airlines have first tme immigrant discount. e.g PAL Call them to check it out.
7. The visa packet, passport , laptop, cellphone, money, camera, Ccard, ATM, medicine, jacket and "kikay kit" should be in your handcarry and it should be accessible.
8. Review what's should be in the handcarry and in check in bags. They are just strict on what's accessible to you on the plane.
9. If you can, pack as little as possible. If you need to bring balikbayan boxes, expect to get tired. You may not get a help carrying it on the cart from the conveyor vice versa. You will have to carry your boxes for weigh in and inspection, twice: one from NAIA and on the POE.
10. Check with your carrier what's their weight limit. Every airline has it's own baggage allowance. Delta allows you to have 2 balikbayan boxes and 1 handcarry and 1 carry on for free.
11. Weigh your stuff in before you fly. It's hard to wonder if you went over the limit while driving on your way to the airport. It's inconvenient to open luggages and transfer your stuff just to balance the weight. Worst is charge you or ask you to leave them.
12. If you can, print yor itinerary and boarding pass from the internet. Create an account on your airline's site so you could also choose which seat you would like to sit. (e.g you want to be next to the window or you would like a spacious leg room). Some ticket will not indicate stopovers. (Ex. Delta doesn't say on their ticket that you'll go to Japan. You'll only see it on the boarding pass. All Delta flights stop at Japan. Just for refuelling, cleaning, inspection and change of flight crew staff but you'll go back on the same plane and same seat. You have to get off the plane and walk around the airport. Don't be shy to ask where's the gate where you plane is parked at.)
13. If your fiancé/husband paid the ticket, have them pay the tax right away so you won't line up in NAIA just for that. Saves time too.
14. Bring at least 10k on your flight. If you have a credit card, just bring money around 3k. Most likely you'll only need a drink because the airline will feed you a lot.
15. All international flights are on Terminal 1 except PAL which is on T-2 and ANA which is on T-3. (see any NAIA updates)
16. Check in online and print your boarding pass 24 hrs before your flight. Saves you A LOT of time lining up. I did this this big help.
17. You should not pay P1,620 travel tax fee if the tax is already paid on the ticket and it's showing. (Delta's ticket says "Taxes/Carrier imposed fees"). Some people paid twice so be careful or at least clarify it. You have to pay for the 550 terminal fee though.
18. If the travel arrangement was paid using a card of your petitioner, the card may have to be verified at the nearest airport a day of your departure. Also try printing the card of the petitioner together with his valid ID. If the flight was arranged by the travel agent, the card should have been verified already and everything should be smooth.
19. At the NAIA gate of your airline, once you go to the bathroom to urinate, you have to be rescanned inlcuding your handcarry and stuff.
20. You can't bring your own bottled water in NAIA and on the plane.
21. Set your local phone for roaming before you fly. Block the incoming and outgoing calls. People can text you back home and just reply at chikka. For realoding, try www.aryty.com.
22. Have your POE to have 2hrs lay over. Just an adjustment just in case immigration will give you a hard time.
23. Wear flipflops or doll shoes or any flat shoes that's easy to be taken off. Don't wear high heels.
24. Bring anything that will help you ease boredom.
25. Cellphones cannot be used 90% of the time.
26. If your ear hurts during the flight, bite your jaw or chew a gum. The air pressure is a b*tch!
27. You will be given a i94 card when you're about to land in the POE. Carefully fill it out and declare stuff that you need to declare. It'll be asked by the immigration officer together with your "DO NOT OPEN PACKET". They'll keep the packet, they'll return the i94 card. You're going to need it for your AOS, etc so keep it. Mine's was stapled in the passport.
    UPDATE: It is now online. Click here
    
28. For K-1 visa holders, when asked at the POE what's the purpose of your visit, the answer should be "To marry my fiancé." or "To get married."
29. There are money changers in your POE's airport. Have them exchanged it for a dollars so you won't be sitting with a money you can't use.
30. Find out how to use the train inside the airport, if they have one.
31. Delta's boarding pass doesn't indicate the flights gate number of your connecting flight, you have to check on the airports flight monitor. Either it's a digital board or it will be an LCD TV monitor. Check your flight number, it will say what gate it will be across it. Double and triple check it if you read it right.
32. If you're lost, don't be scared to ask.

WELCOME TO THE UNITED STATES!