telemetry

About three and a half years ago I (stupidly) applied for a B-2 visa in the UK, hoping to spend about 5 months in the US staying with some friends and touring around a bit. I was roundly rejected - basically they said 'why isn't 3 months enough?' and assumed I was trying to immigrate - and now I have to state that I was denied a visa every time I enter the US. I'd never been there before the visa incident, and I've travelled there twice since (in 2006 and 2007).

Anyway, I got to know a girl on my first trip and we hit it off, and last year I stayed with her for about 5 weeks and things have really progressed to serious. Recently she's had a lot of bad things happen, personal and family issues one after the other, it's really affecting her and she needs me to go over and stay with her for a couple of months.

Here's the question: when I fly out there, if they grill me again at the point of entry should I explain all this to them? I'm really worried about 'girlfriend' setting off alarm bells in their heads, especially with the long duration of the stay. And would just under 3 months be pushing it? I fully intend to return to the UK after this, my life and family and job are here and anything else is definitely further down the line. Could someone advise me on this? Hopefully I'm being paranoid, but last time the immigrations officer sent me to the 'special room' where another officer questioned me about the B-2 (one of the things that seemed to make him feel better was the fact I'd been there once before, and obviously gone back home). I don't even want to think how it would affect her if I were turned away at the last moment.

Elvira

[QUOTE=telemetry;5736209..........I don't even want to think how it would affect her if I were turned away at the last moment.[/QUOTE]

Easy.

Have her come and visit you.

ian-mstm

You don't explain. You answer *only* the questions asked... succinctly and to the point. You do *not* volunteer any information not asked. Example: if asked: "Do you know what time it is?" the answer is either "yes" or "no". You may think this sounds a bit stiff, but you do *not* want to try to get inside the head of the officer.


Given your history, yes.


The thing is... you can't prove that you don't intend to stay in the US. However, bring what proof you have of your ties to the UK... and go from there.


I wouldn't worry too much... people have a tremendous capacity to deal with problems.

Ian

Elvira

Considering all the problems the average person is likely to have to deal with in the course of his/her life.................. being turned away by an officer at a US POE ranks wwwwwwwwwwwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy yyyyyyyyy down the scale...

telemetry

Thanks for the replies - she can't visit me since I'm the only one who can swing the time off from work. She's also scared of flying, for what it's worth.

Yeah I was intending to just give the basic answers, I've read a few posts on here where people (lawyers) have described using that approach. I know it doesn't seem friendly, but I'd naturally be more worried about seeming like I was hiding something - I'm just going to ignore that and basically do what you've said. But when they say 'why are you here' should I just say 'I'm visiting', or 'I'm visiting a friend' or 'I'm visiting my girlfriend'? I just don't want to get asked for more information and then seem like I hid something they consider important.

And I know that life goes on, but I don't want to organise something so simple and helpful as a visit on the VWP, and have it all go wrong because I did something I shouldn't. What would you suggest for evidence of ties?

Noorah101

Try flying out of Dublin, they do the POE inspection there, so if you do get turned away, it's not at the point of putting your foot on US soil.

Evidence of ties can be rent/mortgage paperwork, letter from employer stating when you need to be back at work, letter from school saying when you need to be back at class, any other big obligations you have that mean you must return to the UK.

Rene

SuzanneMaria

I don't see that there should be any problem as long as you don't push the States' three-month tourist limit. I'm American and my husband is English, and basically all the INS is concerned about is terrorists these days. One of my brothers dated a (gold-digging) German woman who would leave just before the three mandatory months were over, and then come back a few weeks later. The INS pulled her into "the room" many times over that, thinking she might be smuggling drugs. (Personally, I was always amused at her discomfort, knowing that she was using my brother for his money.)

Elvira

US vacation time sucks big time.

Bear that in mind in your future plans...

SuzanneMaria

Elvira, I agree that the amount of U.S. vacation time sucks (but that's why the U.S. is now the only world superpower). I'd love to have had six weeks off at least per year, and all of the holiday season, when I worked in the States, but that's not how you get things done. You HAVE to work for it. Socialism just doesn't work.

Elvira

Oh MY GOD.............. ROFLMFAO........

You poor deluded imbecile...

SuzanneMaria

Look at the cost of living and general state of the U.K., and THEN have the nerve to call me an imbecile. Are you living under a rock?

Elvira

Have you ever lived abroad?

You do not have a clue what you are talking about.

SuzanneMaria

Elvira, I lived in the States for 35 years, and have lived in England for eight years. I thought that was clear. So of COURSE I've lived abroad, and anyone who's lived in both countries knows how grossly overpriced the cost of living in the U.K. is compared with that in the U.S. Hell, they sell gas here by the liter, and it still costs more than a gallon would in the States.

Elvira

Yes........ the only difference is you don't actually have to drive for miles and miles to get anywhere. ...... AND there is such a thing as public transport!

I spend way more on groceries and property taxes here than I ever did in the UK............ not to mention federal and state taxes which are sucking me dry.

Anyway, if you want to moan about the UK, I suggest www. uk-yankee.com............

telemetry

Haha well, like I said - any worries about US vacation time are kinda down the line at this point!

I'll try and get some decent evidence together, thanks for that. So is it likely to make any difference if the duration is closer to three months than two months? I'm just wondering if it goes something like
2 weeks (ok!) -> 4 weeks (hmm) -> 6 weeks (you have some explaining to do) -> 2 months (what is the meaning of this?!) -> 3 month limit (only the most suspect people would try this!)

Oh one more thing I just remembered - her friend is getting married sometime around March/April and it would be nice to be there with her for that, would it be ok to mention that? Yes US immigrations has made me horribly paranoid!

UK public transport was the reason I learned to drive