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Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting the US

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Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting the US

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Old Aug 6th 2008, 1:15 pm
  #31  
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Originally Posted by Malory
I did read Post No. 3, but the distinction between "working" and "conducting a business" is still fuzzy to me.
Hi:

You are 100% correct -- it is fuzzy.
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Old Aug 7th 2008, 11:18 pm
  #32  
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Thanks everyone for your help. As I said, I know not to answer questions unless specifically asked, and if asked, for my husband to say that he will not be doing any work at all (however you define that).

Seems a bit odd, though, that Richard Branson is allowed to do what he does to earn a living, but Jane the shop assistant isn't allowed to do what she does to earn a living.

Well, as I'm not married to Richard Branson, I guess we'd better be as careful as possible.
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Old Aug 10th 2008, 1:45 am
  #33  
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Originally Posted by Malory
I also have another question.

I have heard of UK immigration officials bouncing people because they either had too little or too much cash on them. Too little, and the officer thought they were going to get a job; too much, and the office thought they were going to stay longer than allowed. Are US immigration officers the same, or do they understand that people have access to credit cards and cash machines? Personally, I would rather we not have much more cash on us than the amount we would need for cab fare to the hotel. I have heard of people being bounced from the UK because they had too little cash on them, even though they had credit cards with them.
Any advice on the above?

In addition to not wanting to carry lots of cash around, I already have a bank account in the US, and would prefer to use dollars directly from that (via cash machine) after I arrive in the US, rather than have to take out pounds from my UK account, exchange it to dollars in the UK, and pay for the exchange.
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Old Aug 10th 2008, 1:57 am
  #34  
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Originally Posted by Malory
Any advice on the above?

In addition to not wanting to carry lots of cash around, I already have a bank account in the US, and would prefer to use dollars directly from that (via cash machine) after I arrive in the US, rather than have to take out pounds from my UK account, exchange it to dollars in the UK, and pay for the exchange.
I have been to the US at least 10 times on the VWP and not once was I asked about money. Not even when I was a penniless student.
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Old Aug 10th 2008, 2:26 am
  #35  
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Originally Posted by Marocco
I have been to the US at least 10 times on the VWP and not once was I asked about money. Not even when I was a penniless student.
Sometimes they ask, sometimes they don't.

If you were coming on short visits, less likely that they would ask.
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Old Aug 10th 2008, 4:54 am
  #36  
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Thanks. Any idea what immigration would considered to be a reasonable amount of cash to bring for a 10-day visit to New York City? Not a reasonable amount of money to spend, but a reasonable amount of cash to have in our wallets.

Personally, I can't see the point of carrying around any more than maybe $50 at any one time, and that's only if we're planning on taking a long taxi ride. But I'm not an immigration officer. Would they suspicious of someone coming in on VWP for that long and carrying only that small amount of cash? Someone in the US advised us to bring about $500 each in cash (based on something he read in a money laundering manual, I think), but I don't know if that's such a good idea. Speaking as a native New Yorker, I would never walk around New York City carrying that amount of cash unless I was going directly to a bank to deposit it.
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Old Aug 10th 2008, 4:57 am
  #37  
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Originally Posted by Malory
Personally, I can't see the point of carrying around any more than maybe $50 at any one time, and that's only if we're planning on taking a long taxi ride.
JFK to Manhattan is more than that!
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Old Aug 10th 2008, 4:57 am
  #38  
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Originally Posted by Malory
Speaking as a native New Yorker, I.
A native NYer using a WV .. confusion reigns
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Old Aug 10th 2008, 5:03 am
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Originally Posted by Ray
A native NYer using a WV .. confusion reigns
It's my husband using the VWP. I'm a US Citizen with a US passport. Sorry if it wasn't clear.

Originally Posted by fatbrit
JFK to Manhattan is more than that!
We are actually travelling from Red Hook, Brooklyn to Sheepshead Bay, Brooklyn and are fine with public transport.

You're right about JFK to Manhattan by cab though; I forgot about the tip.

Last edited by Malory; Aug 10th 2008 at 5:06 am.
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Old Aug 10th 2008, 5:06 am
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Originally Posted by Malory
It's my husband using the VWP. I'm a US Citizen with a US passport. Sorry if it wasn't clear.
Well thats easy then ..just say you carry all the money ..if he's asked ....

you give him an allowance if he really need it ...
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Old Aug 10th 2008, 5:12 am
  #41  
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Originally Posted by Malory
I forgot about the tip.
Not many have done that and lived long enough to recount the tale.
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Old Aug 10th 2008, 5:30 am
  #42  
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Originally Posted by fatbrit
JFK to Manhattan is more than that!
$15 bus straight to Grand Central........ taxis not much quicker...
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Old Aug 10th 2008, 5:32 am
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Originally Posted by Elvira
$15 bus straight to Grand Central........ taxis not much quicker...
I don't like the people who travel on buses. I've already been stuck in a bloody airplane with them for hours before I get there.
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Old Aug 10th 2008, 6:49 am
  #44  
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Originally Posted by Ray
Well thats easy then ..just say you carry all the money ..if he's asked ....

you give him an allowance if he really need it ...
That's what I do at home. How did you know?

I'm sure the American tipping mentality will get back to me as soon as I set foot on US soil.

Seriously, are you guys implying that money for travelling to the hotel (whatever that is equal to) is enough?
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Old Aug 10th 2008, 7:06 am
  #45  
 
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Default Re: Advice for self-employed British citizen married to American citizen, visiting th

Originally Posted by Malory
That's what I do at home. How did you know?

I'm sure the American tipping mentality will get back to me as soon as I set foot on US soil.

Seriously, are you guys implying that money for travelling to the hotel (whatever that is equal to) is enough?
I'm curious at the level of your concern over this... You're a US citizen, living abroad (with proof of that in your pp), traveling to the US with your foreign spouse in the Year 2008 of Electronic Banking, and you are worried about being admitted and needing to show cash?
I've just never heard of a USC's admission going down the way you describe.
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