miltones

I own a business in the uk with 500k turnover and permanent staff and offices. I also have 200k cash in the bank. No house. Is this sufficient tie to the uk to obtain a b2 visa? I'm single 35.

Basically I'm taking a sabbatical from work for a year or so and wondering how long I can comfortably spend in the USA visiting friends and doing cycle tours.

My business is not relocatable.

Is there a trick I'm missing or is etsy 2 x 90 days the only option.

Would buying a 30k flat in the north of England help? I've always preferred renting....

I know it's greedy but I'm wondering if I could get both a 90 etsy plus a 6 month b?

Bonus points if anyone has heard of a 500k company getting a L1 visa for a U.S. sales office with one employee...

scrubbedexpat099

Comfortably, use the VWP.

L, one employee, no.

mikelincs

your problem might well be that it's not normally possible to get a B visa if you can use ESTA, and many on here have said that they were denied the B visa because of that.

Noorah101

It's not so much about showing ties. It's that is difficult to get a B2 if you are eligible for the VWP.

If you don't mind losing VWP privileges for the next 6 to 12 months, you can try for a B2, showing a very detailed itinerary of where you plan to visit and which cycle tours you plan to be on.

Usually, there's no reason for a visitor not to accomplish sightseeing in 90 days. However, if you are planning a cycling tour that lasts 4 or 5 consecutive months, you might have a case. If you are thinking of several shorter, unconnected cycling tours, I'd say not so much, because you can do those on separate VWP trips.

Rene

ian-mstm

What is "etsy"? Perhaps you mean ESTA - which is authorization to travel to the US to then seek permission to enter on the VWP. It's the VWP that gives you 90 days... not ESTA.


Yes, it is.


It's been almost 5 years since your last inquiry on this topic. What have you discovered in the interim?

Ian

miltones

Yes sorry, I meant ESTA of course.

So this is the likely sequence of events:

I go to the US for around 70 days.
I return to the UK for around 30 days.
Then I return to the US again

Upon questioning I say (which is 100% the truth)

- I am on a 6 month sabbatical from work. I am visiting a different friend this time. No set plans but we will probably cycle the Pacific coast for a couple of months.
- Here is evidence of my assets, employment. I am the sole director of the company, there is no way I can leave it behind permanently.
- I present a return ticket to London in two months time.

Is there a high chance of rejection?
What if I repeated this a third time, a month in London and back again for Another 2 months?

Thanks for your speculation on this. It's really useful input.

[Re L1, I haven't looked back into it since I'm afraid]

Noorah101

What you say depends on the question asked. Don't volunteer any information. Only answer the specific question asked, without volunteering further information unless asked. If the question is "do you know what time it is?" The answer is either "yes" or "no" and that's it.

Not good. If you are specifically asked what your plans are (unlikely, but who knows), you better have a set plan with a detailed itinerary. You're leaving it way too much in the air..."no set plans", "probably cycle the coast for a couple of months". Not great answers (even if it's the truth). Don't lie. Have a better itinerary.

What assets? You can be gone for 6 months...my guess is that you could be gone even longer if need be. (thinking like the POE agent here.)

A return ticket is a requirement in order to use the VWP anyway...it's not considered a tie.

There is always a chance. How high that chance is, no one can guesstimate.

Higher chance of rejection. The more frequent the visits, the higher the risk. For best results, spend more time outside the USA in between visits. If you visit the USA for 2 months, spend 4 months back in the UK before attempting another VWP visit (for example).

Rene

ian-mstm

This, by itself, is a red flag. The general rule of thumb is, between visits, to spend at least as much time outside the US as you did inside the US.


Translation - you're on a 6 month holiday. The word "sabbatical" has a specific meaning.


But, apparently, the company doesn't need you for 6 months... so, by extension, they don't need you at all.


No one here can say! Maybe yes... maybe no.


You will be successful... right up until the moment you're not. Entry to the US is always at the discretion of the CBP officer at the POE. It's important to note that the CBP officer's job is to keep non-USC's out of the US - and if he thinks you're abusing the VWP, then you'll be denied entry. There's also a US tax implication if you spend too much time in the US.

Ian

miltones

Yes I unerstand how this is slightly dodgy. Any one care to guess what the chances of success are for this particular one off 70-30-60 situation?

AdsUK

I'll guess 60% chance. It's a guess, I have no idea, neither will anyone else.

Did that help at all? Nothing anyone says on here is going to make a blind bit of difference at the POE. Prove your ties to home and have proof of your detailed itinerary. Then take your chances.

The only thing that is certain is the more often you do it in a short space of time, the more likely you are going to have further questioning with a higher chance of denial.

AdsUK

I'll add that my mum and sister recently visited NYC for a weeks holiday. My sister was interrogated at the POE because her passport was 9 years old and her photo didn't exactly resemble the life changes to her from the age of 18 to 27.

If you'd asked me before i'd have said she would have no issue getting into the US for a week holiday on the VWP. Well she was allowed in, but the POE officer told her to get it updated next time or she might not be let in again and was really quite horrible in the way he treated her.

On the other hand, I visited NYC recently, with a B2 visa due to a previous arrest, and was dealt with in 2 mins by a friendly officer.

It wasn't a pleasant experience for her and shows there are no guarantees, no matter how genuine you are.

az2014

I second that, I arrived last week in JFK for the first time on my B2 visa (needed due to citizenship) and I was surprised how simple it was. I was asked two questions only. Purpose of visit? -Pleasure. How long are you staying? -3 weeks. Gave fingerprints and that was it, 6 month stamp in passport. I had a whole folder of documents; return ticket, letter from employer, contract, payslip, travel insurance, previous passports, didnt need any.

Funny thing was going through customs I got stopped for a random search, and ended up being questioned more than by immigration! Where are you staying? -Just outside NYC at friends. How do you know them? -Met im Summer while travelling. Male/female? -Female. Do you have any large amounts of cash on you? -No. Opened my suitcase, briefly looked inside and sent me on my way.

After these 3 weeks here Im back in UK for 9 then back for 3.5... Im curious if I will get more questions the second time...

AdsUK

Given you are back in the UK for longer than you were in the US (both trips put together) I doubt this will flag on this occasion, but still always have proof.

miltones

I'm hoping for anecdotal evidence only of course. If somebody has been in the situation, then that has some value. I don't think it's perfectly true to say no one has any idea at all.

scrubbedexpat099

I do not know any small businesses owners who could take a sabattical. Going to sound very odd.