Marocco

In a few weeks my wife and I are going to visit the US for a couple of weeks. Our situation: she is a US citizen resident in the UK, I am British. I have been to the US many times, but this is going to be our first trip together as a married couple. Reading from previous threads, I understand that we'll probably be asked to go to the US citizens/PR line and they will probably ask me a few questions about my intent to return to the UK. This is a list of the documents we are going to bring with us:

- a recent letter from my employer, confirming that I have been working with them full time for X years
- two or three recent payslips
- council tax and utility bills in our names
- some recent bank statements
- my wife's UK residence permit (on her passport).

We don't own our apartment and our rental agreement ends in mid September, so I'm not sure if it's a good idea to bring it. Do you think the above should be enough, or is there something I have overlooked? Thanks.

Elvira

The employer's letter should also say that they are expecting you back at work after your vacation.

Maybe proof of any 'vacation type stuff' you have lined up during your stay?

Other than that I'd say you should be okay, although there is of course no guarantee.

But do not show anything unless asked! Only answer questions that are asked and avoid lengthy explanations.

Marocco

Thanks, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea. The reason is that I have taken an extended holiday, since after right after our US holiday we are going to have to move flats. If they see that my holiday is longer than my stay in the US they may get very suspicious . Do you think it's a problem if the employer letter doesn't state when I am due back in the office?

We are really going there to visit her family, not to do tourist activities, so I'm not sure what I could show them. The only thing I can think of is our hotel reservation.

scrubbedexpat099

Letter from wife's employer.

Marocco

Not possible. My wife doesn't work.

ian-mstm

Philosophically speaking, you can not prove a negative... therefore, no matter what you do, you can not demonstrate that you do not intend to stay longer than planned. So, the best you can do is show what you are planning to do and that you still have responsibilities back home.


Y'see... hotel reservations are good.

Ian

angelman

why cant you just split off and go to seperate queues. Do they really know that you are both married, are their systems that hooked up?

J. J. Farrell

On Jul 2, 6:15 am, Marocco <[email protected]> wrote:
> > The employer's letter should also say that they are expecting you back
> > at work after your vacation.
>
> > Maybe proof of any 'vacation type stuff' you have lined up during
> > your stay?
>
> > Other than that I'd say you should be okay, although there is of
> > course no guarantee.
>
> > But do not show anything unless asked! Only answer questions that are
> > asked and avoid lengthy explanations.
>
> Thanks, but I'm not sure if that's a good idea. The reason is that I
> have taken an extended holiday, since after right after our US holiday
> we are going to have to move flats. If they see that my holiday is
> longer than my stay in the US they may get very suspicious . Do you
> think it's a problem if the employer letter doesn't state when I am due
> back in the office?

It's future intent that matters. An employer letter saying you worked
for him for years is good in that it shows a reationship, but without
any indication about the future it says nothing about your intent.
It's anybody's guess how the mind of the individual Border Protection
officer will work, but to my mind the situation you describe would
make your case stronger - you are expected back at work in the UK in
the near future (so you're probably not emingrating) and you're not
even planning to stay in the USA for as long as you've got off work
(which suggests that being in the USA isn't the most important thing
in the world to you).

As long as the extended leave is a few weeks rather than a few years,
I'd get a letter saying when you are required back in the UK office.
You will have your return ticket to indicate when you're going back.
If you've got a rental or purchase agreement for the new flat that
will also help.

Marocco

We have thought about that, but technically that might be considered a crime (the customs form specifically asks if any family members are travelling with you). While the chances of getting caught are probably very small, I wouldn't want us to have problems in the future.

I have asked my employer and they are willing to give me a letter stating, in addition, that I am "expected back in the office after my vacation in the US" (without giving the exact date). We'll also bring my pay slips, P60's, bank statements, my wife's UK residence permit and our hotel reservations. Unless the immigration officer is a complete jerk, we should probably get through! Thanks.

Duncan Roberts

Not wanting to point out the obvious but if you are moving when you return, don't you have some kind of paperwork that shows that? Rental agreement, removal company agreement, something along those lines.

Marocco

We don't know exactly when we are going to move and haven't made any arrangements yet. We are going to start looking for a new place in the middle of August, after we are back from our trip. This is why I took an extended holiday.

ian-mstm

Don't be silly... this is not a crime... technically or otherwise. You *are* travelling with family members... you just aren't in line with them. In fact, you'd be in the correct line, since you aren't a USC or a PR. The fact that you *could* be in the USC line with your wife is totally irrelevant.

It seems as though you're trying to get inside the mind of some immigration officer... but that never works out well.

Ian

Marocco

So you are saying it's allowed for husband and wife to fill in separate customs form and go through immigration separately? I thought they were supposed to fill in one form for the whole family (the form asks how many family members are travelling with you). In fact, it's been so long since the last time I was in the US I don't even remember if the immigration officers look at your customs form at all...

Duncan Roberts

You would fill in 1 form and go through separate lines. If you are not a PR or USC then you should be going through the non citizens line anyway and run the risk of getting off on the wrong foot with the immigration officer by going through the wrong line. Maybe.

Marocco

If we do that, what happens to the one who is not carrying a form when going through immigration (assuming the form is needed there)? What I had gathered from earlier discussions on this topic was that you should point out the situation to one of the officers standing at the beginning of the line, and they will direct both family members to the same queue, which is usually the one for USC/PR.