Visiting the US with my American wife
Oct 7th 2006, 8:43 am
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
Visiting the US with my American wife
I am Italian, I live in the UK with my American wife. We would like to
visit her family in the US together next year, but I am worried that
the fact that I have an American wife might cause problems with
immigration. My questions:
1) Is this fact likely to come up at immigration? Do they usually ask
you if you have family members who are travelling with you? I don't
want to lie to them, so in that case I will say that my wife is with
me, which might lead them to think I'm try to emigrate.
2) If so, would it be better for me to apply for a tourist visa
beforehand, or would that be even riskier?
We have no intention to move to the States at this point (we both have
permanent jobs in London), this is just supposed to be a two week
visit.
Thanks,
Marco
visit her family in the US together next year, but I am worried that
the fact that I have an American wife might cause problems with
immigration. My questions:
1) Is this fact likely to come up at immigration? Do they usually ask
you if you have family members who are travelling with you? I don't
want to lie to them, so in that case I will say that my wife is with
me, which might lead them to think I'm try to emigrate.
2) If so, would it be better for me to apply for a tourist visa
beforehand, or would that be even riskier?
We have no intention to move to the States at this point (we both have
permanent jobs in London), this is just supposed to be a two week
visit.
Thanks,
Marco
Oct 7th 2006, 10:14 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Visiting the US with my American wife
Marco wrote on 10/07/06 13:43:
> I am Italian, I live in the UK with my American wife. We would like to
> visit her family in the US together next year, but I am worried that
> the fact that I have an American wife might cause problems with
> immigration. My questions:
>
> 1) Is this fact likely to come up at immigration? Do they usually ask
> you if you have family members who are travelling with you? I don't
> want to lie to them, so in that case I will say that my wife is with
> me, which might lead them to think I'm try to emigrate.
>
> 2) If so, would it be better for me to apply for a tourist visa
> beforehand, or would that be even riskier?
>
> We have no intention to move to the States at this point (we both have
> permanent jobs in London), this is just supposed to be a two week
> visit.
Visa Waiver should be ok.
Read
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...ub%40127.0.0.1
for the issues that can come up.
-Joe
> I am Italian, I live in the UK with my American wife. We would like to
> visit her family in the US together next year, but I am worried that
> the fact that I have an American wife might cause problems with
> immigration. My questions:
>
> 1) Is this fact likely to come up at immigration? Do they usually ask
> you if you have family members who are travelling with you? I don't
> want to lie to them, so in that case I will say that my wife is with
> me, which might lead them to think I'm try to emigrate.
>
> 2) If so, would it be better for me to apply for a tourist visa
> beforehand, or would that be even riskier?
>
> We have no intention to move to the States at this point (we both have
> permanent jobs in London), this is just supposed to be a two week
> visit.
Visa Waiver should be ok.
Read
http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...ub%40127.0.0.1
for the issues that can come up.
-Joe
Oct 7th 2006, 12:54 pm
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Visiting the US with my American wife
Joe Feise wrote:
> Visa Waiver should be ok.
> Read
> http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...ub%40127.0.0.1
> for the issues that can come up.
Thanks for the very interesting link. By the way, are my wife and I
supposed to queue at different lines, or should we go to the same line
(if so, which one)? I understand each family group should fill one just
one customs form, and this seems to imply that we should be processed
together...
Marco
> Visa Waiver should be ok.
> Read
> http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...ub%40127.0.0.1
> for the issues that can come up.
Thanks for the very interesting link. By the way, are my wife and I
supposed to queue at different lines, or should we go to the same line
(if so, which one)? I understand each family group should fill one just
one customs form, and this seems to imply that we should be processed
together...
Marco
Oct 7th 2006, 1:25 pm
#4
Homebody
Joined: Jan 2005
Location: HOME
Posts: 23,182
Re: Visiting the US with my American wife
Originally Posted by Marco
Joe Feise wrote:
> Visa Waiver should be ok.
> Read
> http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...ub%40127.0.0.1
> for the issues that can come up.
Thanks for the very interesting link. By the way, are my wife and I
supposed to queue at different lines, or should we go to the same line
(if so, which one)? I understand each family group should fill one just
one customs form, and this seems to imply that we should be processed
together...
Marco
> Visa Waiver should be ok.
> Read
> http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...ub%40127.0.0.1
> for the issues that can come up.
Thanks for the very interesting link. By the way, are my wife and I
supposed to queue at different lines, or should we go to the same line
(if so, which one)? I understand each family group should fill one just
one customs form, and this seems to imply that we should be processed
together...
Marco
There will be an usher-type person who you can ask - he/she will direct you to the appropriate queue (which is called a "line" here
). I think most of the time they allow the "alien" to go with the USC spouse through the citizen line.
Oct 8th 2006, 3:47 pm
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Visiting the US with my American wife
On 7 Oct 2006 17:54:48 -0700, "Marco" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Joe Feise wrote:
>> Visa Waiver should be ok.
>> Read
>> http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...ub%40127.0.0.1
>> for the issues that can come up.
>Thanks for the very interesting link. By the way, are my wife and I
>supposed to queue at different lines, or should we go to the same line
>(if so, which one)? I understand each family group should fill one just
>one customs form, and this seems to imply that we should be processed
>together...
>Marco
Just a thought but bring proof you have something to return to. A tax
notice showing you own your home in the UK or the lease to your
flat???
>Joe Feise wrote:
>> Visa Waiver should be ok.
>> Read
>> http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...ub%40127.0.0.1
>> for the issues that can come up.
>Thanks for the very interesting link. By the way, are my wife and I
>supposed to queue at different lines, or should we go to the same line
>(if so, which one)? I understand each family group should fill one just
>one customs form, and this seems to imply that we should be processed
>together...
>Marco
Just a thought but bring proof you have something to return to. A tax
notice showing you own your home in the UK or the lease to your
flat???
Oct 8th 2006, 8:49 pm
#6
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Visiting the US with my American wife
Elvira wrote:
> There will be an usher-type person who you can ask - he/she will direct
> you to the appropriate queue (which is called a "line" here ;)). I think
> most of the time they allow the "alien" to go with the USC spouse
> through the citizen line.
Thanks! I had forgotten that there were immigration people at the front
of the lines as well.
> There will be an usher-type person who you can ask - he/she will direct
> you to the appropriate queue (which is called a "line" here ;)). I think
> most of the time they allow the "alien" to go with the USC spouse
> through the citizen line.
Thanks! I had forgotten that there were immigration people at the front
of the lines as well.
Oct 8th 2006, 8:55 pm
#7
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Visiting the US with my American wife
Imaginary Friend wrote:
> Just a thought but bring proof you have something to return to. A tax
> notice showing you own your home in the UK or the lease to your
> flat???
Unfortunately we don't own our home, but I was thinking of bringing a
recent letter from my employer in London stating that I work for them
on a permanent basis. For what it's worth, I also have a stamp in my
passport ("Indefinite Leave to Remain") which is only given to
foreigners who have worked in the UK for at least five years. However
the US immigration authorities may not know much about that... Another
possibility we are thinking of is to travel separately, on different
dates, then fly back together.
> Just a thought but bring proof you have something to return to. A tax
> notice showing you own your home in the UK or the lease to your
> flat???
Unfortunately we don't own our home, but I was thinking of bringing a
recent letter from my employer in London stating that I work for them
on a permanent basis. For what it's worth, I also have a stamp in my
passport ("Indefinite Leave to Remain") which is only given to
foreigners who have worked in the UK for at least five years. However
the US immigration authorities may not know much about that... Another
possibility we are thinking of is to travel separately, on different
dates, then fly back together.
Oct 8th 2006, 10:50 pm
#8
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Visiting the US with my American wife
Marco wrote:
> Imaginary Friend wrote:
> > Just a thought but bring proof you have something to return to. A tax
> > notice showing you own your home in the UK or the lease to your
> > flat???
> Unfortunately we don't own our home, but I was thinking of bringing a
> recent letter from my employer in London stating that I work for them
> on a permanent basis. For what it's worth, I also have a stamp in my
> passport ("Indefinite Leave to Remain") which is only given to
> foreigners who have worked in the UK for at least five years. However
> the US immigration authorities may not know much about that... Another
> possibility we are thinking of is to travel separately, on different
> dates, then fly back together.
Actually, the most important thing to show them might be my wife's UK
residence permit on her US passport...
> Imaginary Friend wrote:
> > Just a thought but bring proof you have something to return to. A tax
> > notice showing you own your home in the UK or the lease to your
> > flat???
> Unfortunately we don't own our home, but I was thinking of bringing a
> recent letter from my employer in London stating that I work for them
> on a permanent basis. For what it's worth, I also have a stamp in my
> passport ("Indefinite Leave to Remain") which is only given to
> foreigners who have worked in the UK for at least five years. However
> the US immigration authorities may not know much about that... Another
> possibility we are thinking of is to travel separately, on different
> dates, then fly back together.
Actually, the most important thing to show them might be my wife's UK
residence permit on her US passport...
Oct 9th 2006, 6:03 am
#9
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 35,082
Re: Visiting the US with my American wife
Originally Posted by Marco
Marco wrote:
> Imaginary Friend wrote:
> > Just a thought but bring proof you have something to return to. A tax
> > notice showing you own your home in the UK or the lease to your
> > flat???
> Unfortunately we don't own our home, but I was thinking of bringing a
> recent letter from my employer in London stating that I work for them
> on a permanent basis. For what it's worth, I also have a stamp in my
> passport ("Indefinite Leave to Remain") which is only given to
> foreigners who have worked in the UK for at least five years. However
> the US immigration authorities may not know much about that... Another
> possibility we are thinking of is to travel separately, on different
> dates, then fly back together.
Actually, the most important thing to show them might be my wife's UK
residence permit on her US passport...
> Imaginary Friend wrote:
> > Just a thought but bring proof you have something to return to. A tax
> > notice showing you own your home in the UK or the lease to your
> > flat???
> Unfortunately we don't own our home, but I was thinking of bringing a
> recent letter from my employer in London stating that I work for them
> on a permanent basis. For what it's worth, I also have a stamp in my
> passport ("Indefinite Leave to Remain") which is only given to
> foreigners who have worked in the UK for at least five years. However
> the US immigration authorities may not know much about that... Another
> possibility we are thinking of is to travel separately, on different
> dates, then fly back together.
Actually, the most important thing to show them might be my wife's UK
residence permit on her US passport...
Oct 13th 2006, 11:51 am
#10
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Visiting the US with my American wife
I have visyed the US with my American husband. I entered on a tourist
visa. We were viisiting on a family holiday. We were honest and to my
great surprise, had no problems.
My husband has Australian residency and we had return tickets.
Meryl
On 7 Oct 2006 13:43:08 -0700, "Marco" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I am Italian, I live in the UK with my American wife. We would like to
>visit her family in the US together next year, but I am worried that
>the fact that I have an American wife might cause problems with
>immigration. My questions:
>1) Is this fact likely to come up at immigration? Do they usually ask
>you if you have family members who are travelling with you? I don't
>want to lie to them, so in that case I will say that my wife is with
>me, which might lead them to think I'm try to emigrate.
>2) If so, would it be better for me to apply for a tourist visa
>beforehand, or would that be even riskier?
>We have no intention to move to the States at this point (we both have
>permanent jobs in London), this is just supposed to be a two week
>visit.
>Thanks,
>Marco
visa. We were viisiting on a family holiday. We were honest and to my
great surprise, had no problems.
My husband has Australian residency and we had return tickets.
Meryl
On 7 Oct 2006 13:43:08 -0700, "Marco" <[email protected]> wrote:
>I am Italian, I live in the UK with my American wife. We would like to
>visit her family in the US together next year, but I am worried that
>the fact that I have an American wife might cause problems with
>immigration. My questions:
>1) Is this fact likely to come up at immigration? Do they usually ask
>you if you have family members who are travelling with you? I don't
>want to lie to them, so in that case I will say that my wife is with
>me, which might lead them to think I'm try to emigrate.
>2) If so, would it be better for me to apply for a tourist visa
>beforehand, or would that be even riskier?
>We have no intention to move to the States at this point (we both have
>permanent jobs in London), this is just supposed to be a two week
>visit.
>Thanks,
>Marco
Oct 13th 2006, 11:52 am
#11
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: Visiting the US with my American wife
On 7 Oct 2006 17:54:48 -0700, "Marco" <[email protected]> wrote:
>Joe Feise wrote:
>> Visa Waiver should be ok.
>> Read
>> http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...ub%40127.0.0.1
>> for the issues that can come up.
>Thanks for the very interesting link. By the way, are my wife and I
>supposed to queue at different lines, or should we go to the same line
>(if so, which one)? I understand each family group should fill one just
>one customs form, and this seems to imply that we should be processed
>together...
>Marco
I believed I would enter as an alien but we were directed to the US
line.
Meryl
>Joe Feise wrote:
>> Visa Waiver should be ok.
>> Read
>> http://groups.google.com/groups?hl=e...ub%40127.0.0.1
>> for the issues that can come up.
>Thanks for the very interesting link. By the way, are my wife and I
>supposed to queue at different lines, or should we go to the same line
>(if so, which one)? I understand each family group should fill one just
>one customs form, and this seems to imply that we should be processed
>together...
>Marco
I believed I would enter as an alien but we were directed to the US
line.
Meryl
