Dracia

I have known this man for 7 years of my life from when we were both children, and now I'm old enough to work, I want to go to America and visit. I wanted to ask a few things so that I'm not deported at the POE.

1) If I told the border agency staff that I am there to visit my online boyfriend, will they accept that? I know they'll probably ask questions and such, but visiting to meet a boyfriend doesn't warrant automatic rejection does it? (I'm going to use the VWP and stay for two weeks, so it's not like i'm going to be semi-living there)

2) Will they want to see the confirmation for hotel bookings? I'm planning on getting a twin bedroom booked for 2 adults. Is that a problem?

3) What kind of documentation should I take?

4) Should i be aware of any questions they will ask to try and trap me? I'm definitely not intending on marrying him when I visit, just visiting for 2 weeks, because if i never meet him in my life, then it is a life wasted.

5) If for some strange reason I am banned from America, and then he in turn is banned from the UK, do we have any other options than to abandon our relationship?

i'm seriously stressing out over this matter. I want to be sure that I don't fly for 11 hours to LA only to be sent straight back again.

Thanks ^_^

crg

I think you need to relax.

Unless you have been spending gobs of time in the US on the VWP, or are really seeking to enter and live in the US, you really don't have anything to be concerned about.

Octang Frye

Immigration dude: What's the purpose of your visit?
You: To visit a friend, do a little sightseeing.
Immigration dude: Have a good time.

The end.

Dorothy

Immigration issues aside, as a mother of a young daughter I'm curious whether you are bringing someone along with you on this trip? I would caution any woman meeting a man for the first time to either meet in neutral territory or bring a friend along. While he may be a really nice guy, the internet is full of creeps and you won't know which box he ticks until you have actually met face to face. Thousands of miles from home all alone is a really shit place to find out.

Dracia

You're totally right. But I have no one who could afford the time or money to come with me for such a long flight + trip. But I'm gonna book the hotel under my name, so if I don't like him, I'll tell him to get lost then hide behind the bell boy :3 but in all seriousness, I'm taking a huge risk and I know it.

Thank you everyone for your responses. I'm glad that immigration seems a straight-forward process. I'm still worried, however. I've been doing some research and accidentally stumbled upon a site where these girls shared their experience of immigration staff. In a nutshell, they told the official they were seeing someone. The official asked who. The girl said their boyfriend. The official asked where they met. The girl said on the internet. The official immediately became nasty! o.o then they got handcuffed, taken to a holding cell etc, then sent on the first plane home. Granted, these were American girls trying to get into the UK, but I have heard that US immigration staff are a lot worse

I've gathered that if I am selected for additional questioning, I'll need to show proof of ties to the UK. I'm going to an agency today to get temping work. Hopefully if I can get two weeks off from that, AND a letter from the agency or something, then I can get in. But I dunno if contracted work counts as something to go back to as opposed to a permanent job.

Argh, I'm so scared ._. I haven't been able to sleep recently because I've been so stressed about the worst possible outcome.

Dorothy

Please do me and yourself a favour and do not meet him in your hotel. Meet him at a restaurant. For lunch. Somewhere public so you are not alone (completely) with him until you have a chance to get to know him better.

Good luck and I really hope things work out for the 2 of you.

Lissbovavd

Dracia,

Since this is your first visit to the US I feel pretty confident that you should be quite OK and that you shall have no problems whatsoever with your entry. Just try to relax!

As for repeat visits spaced close together timewise, that is another matter altogether. And, just as you have been reading, in such circumstances things could get less straightforward at the US customs and immigration checkpoint.
But you are not there yet by any means, being a first-time visitor to the US!

So, enjoy your trip and please, be careful!
Best of luck!

avanutria

If you haven't booked your flight yet, you might look into flights routing through Dublin. You can pre-clear US immigration control there (I believe) and if you ARE refused entry then you're only in Ireland and you don't have far to go to get home. Others may know more about this option.

Dracia

Thank you, Lissbovavd.

As well as having immigration to worry about, I developed DVT in my left thigh a few months ago, so I'm waiting for that to vanish before even thinking about booking the flight. So it's an extra bad thing if I'm sent back to the UK quite soon after arriving at LA. I'm going to need to sleep at some point and don't wish to on the plane because I'm extra concious about the need to keep moving and keep the blood flowing. So having to do two 11 hour flights XD well, wouldn't I be ultra screwed.

I was reading the UK's Home Office PDF file regarding American visitors to the UK and it states that immigration staff will become instantly suspicious at the mention of an online relationship, especially if the visitor is young, single or unemployed. I realise you're all telling me there should be no issues, but it seems like I'm reading conflicting information wherever I go. It ranges from being allowed through straight away, to being questioned further in a separate area of the airport, to being detained straight away o_o I suppose it depends on which officer you get on the day. But that just totally sucks and is unfair.

I guess it's one of those things where I'm just going to have to try. And just keep in mind there is a real risk I could be sent back, so at least if I don't have my hopes up, I won't be emotionally destroyed by being so close to meeting, then having it snatched away -_-

Ahhh, I'm ranting. Apologies ^_^ I hope you don't think that I'm not listening to you all. I do take your replies into account, but it's just reading all the other nasty stuff. Makes me paranoid >_<

Dracia

...that sounds awesome. I'm gonna find out some more. Thank you ^_^

Lissbovavd

Dracia,

I so sympathize with your worries, which are however almost certainly completely unfounded in your case.
However, if you really feel that angst-ridden about the whole thing, why don´t you consider going through Dublin Airport, Ireland, where there is a so called United States Pre-Clearance Facility.
This means that you clear US customs and immigration at Dublin Airport before setting foot on the plane.
Having cleared this hurdle you don´t have to go through any immigration/customs procedures at your point of destination in the US.
There are a number of airlines flying from Dublin to most major US destinations, including LA, I believe.
Among these airlines are Continental, Aer Lingus (the Irish flag carrier), and also other, if I remember correctly.

Again, very best of luck!

Jerseygirl

If you have DVT and are travelling by air you can get a shot from your doctor before you travel. My MIL has DVT and takes Warfarin daily...her doctor gives her the shot before she travels...the shot was in addition to Warfarin.

Noorah101

Dracia,

Try having him come visit you in the UK instead, if there seem to be too many obstacles to you visiting the USA right now.

Rene

crg

Yeh. I'm sure the border guards won't be interested in why someone transited through Dublin for no frikkin reason when there are direct flights from where the person lives. There is a flip side to every coin. For the people who tout Dublin as a good place to try because it's easier if you get denied, did you ever think it may also be easier for the guards to deny people over there as well because they don't need to arrange for a return flight?

That sounds like a good way to add an expense and complicate the travels of a bona fide visitor with nothing to hide.

Duncan Roberts

Well it's a good thing that you're not American and visiting the UK. Seriously, don't worry about it, people do the same thing all the time with no problem.