Cric

Hello All

I'm a newbie who has been lurking alot. This forum has been great in providing information to enable me (blanket L-1A) and my other half (L2) to secure our immigration visas without much issue.

The problem is it has all happened rather quickly and so we did not have a chance to visit the city (San Francisco) to get a good look around and decide where we would want to live.

We want to travel to San Francisco for 1 week to start look for accommodation then come back to the UK. Then 2 weeks later fly back to San Francisco to start my job.

I am getting conflicting information from my company on which immigration visa to use to enter the USA for the initial 1 week trip to search for accommodation.

• One advice says we can't use our L1 visas as the purpose of the trip is not to take up the employment. So instead we must travel under the Visa Waiver Program.
• the other says we must use proper work authorisation visas (such as L1) and that the Visa Waiver Program is not sufficient

So I'm really confused. I don't want to get in trouble at the border.
I've done a search on the internet and here on the forum but can't quite find anything similar.

Has anyone been in this situation before?
If so, which immigration visa did you use to enter the USA on a short pre-trip?
Did you have problems re-entering the USA to take up your new role?


that someone can help!

thanks in advance
Cric

Noorah101

VWP for the recon trip.
L visas for the trip to take up employment.

Rene

Cric

Thanks Noorah101

ian-mstm

This is a common scenario. I mostly agree with Rene on this... but, as a practical matter, using either the VWP or the L-1 will be fine. Why? Because starting employment isn't the sole criterion for entering on the L-1 visa. You wouldn't be looking for a place to live if you didn't have the L-1 visa. In other words, the first trip is a valid use of the L-1 visa because it is employment-related.

If you were looking for a place to live prior to getting the L-1 visa, you'd have to use the VWP... but, in this case, you can use either. Again, as a practical matter, there's really no downside to using one or the other.

Ian

Cric

Thanks ian-mstm

You touch on a point I've been scratching my head on i.e. I can't just turn up ready to work without spending time finding somewhere to live first.

We are already cutting it fine with just 5 days to find something in a super competitive city so as it stands, we are not even holding out much hope of actually finding something.

I am worried though about what to tell the officer at the Border / POE.

I'm going to bring all the paperwork and offer letter with me and hope I have it all covered.

Thanks again
Cric

ian-mstm

Well, actually you can! You could, for example, stay in a hotel or some other short-term facility and go apartment or house hunting in the evening.


Well then, maybe this isn't a good strategy to pursue. You can make much better choices after you've been there for a week or two. If your company is paying for this first trip, perhaps you can negotiate staying someplace on a short-term basis instead. If you're paying for the trip, maybe save the cost and put it into a hotel for a couple of weeks.

Perhaps the easiest thing to do is to ask the question in our general USA forum. There are lots of people there who can give you good ideas about where to live in San Francisco, how much it'll cost, etc.


Tell him the truth! It's unlikely he'll give you a hard time either way.

Ian

deadshoppingmalls

Having moved to SF on L1 (and just recently left) you're right. As part of your move does your company provide a relocation service? We had up to 3 months in a short term apartment to find a permanent place.

SF is cut throat when it comes to renting. We handed in our notice, and within 2 days of our place being advertised for a 6 weeks out (the land lady wanted to repaint etc) there were 40 responses. Within a week, there were new tenants lined up who were paying $500 more than the asking price - there was literally a bidding war.

5 days, especially when you don't have a SS is simply not going to cut it. You need to rethink this strategy.

Jack8602

I had similar for mine - I had my L1 visa approved in October 2015, flew out November 2015 for a week with all my L1 documentation (already had active Esta)

When i showed the immigration guy my documents, he processed me under my L1, asked what i was doing here and i told him looking for a place to live for when i move.

He admitted me under the L1 and wished me good luck in finding my apartment.

Cric

Just a quick update on this for anyone else in the same position in the future ....

When I landed in San Francisco and explained the purpose of the visit to the Immigration Officer, he said it was best to use the VWP (business trip) and not my L-1A visa.

My company had previously advised that 10 days before start of job is ok to use the L-1A visa to enter the USA ...but if longer than that then the VWP must be used.