Jonboy5

I'm wanting to visit America for as long as I can, what is the maximum amount of time me and my wife from the uk can stay there for? Also are there any ways of staying longer, also could I work whilst there an electrician?

Noorah101

Assuming you are eligible to travel on the Visa Waiver Program (VWP), you can say up to 90 days maximum per visit. It's best not to stay the entire 90 days, in case something happens to delay your departure. 88 days is a good amount to go for.

Don't make back-to-back trips to the USA. Spend more time outside the USA than inside. You're probably looking at one VWP visiit per year, perhaps two per year until a POE officer thinks you're spending too much time in the USA, or thinks you'll try to work in the USA to fund your lengthy stays there.

There is a B-2 visa which allows a visitor to stay in the USA for up to 6 months per visit. But if you are eligibile to use the VWP, it will be nearly impossible to get a B-2 visa. If you apply for a B-2 visa and it gets denied, you must re-do ESTA and declare the visa denial, which will in turn get the ESTA denied for up to 6 - 12 months. Unless you are of retirement age, in which case you could be more likely to get a B-2 visa approved...but since you are asking about working in the USA, it seems you are not retired.

You already have an existing thread with this question. You cannot work in the USA without the proper work visa in hand. You cannot work in the USA as a visitor.

Rene

civilservant

90 days, absolutely no work.

hungryhorace

When I first visited the states last year, I was stamped in on the VWP as a 'WB' for over a year. Does that mean I could have stayed for a year out of interest?

civilservant

No, it doesn't, as you well know.

** snip ***

Noorah101

The "WB" means "Waiver Business", which means you were visiting for business purposes (which could also include tourism activities).

Being allowed in for over 1 year sounds unusual, though. I always thought the VWP visits were limited to 90 days whether it was for tourism or business.

Rene

civilservant

They are. *** snip ***

Pulaski

Well you could have. .... Then you'd have been banned from returning for a minimum of three (?) years and never be able to use the visa waiver program again, ever!

Speedwell

There is no such thing as a VWP visit authorized for more than 90 days. http://travel.state.gov/visa/temp/wi...rprequirements.

If your passport was stamped for more time than that, it was an error, and as we are all painfully aware, an error by Immigration does not result in an extralegal entitlement for the visitor or immigrant in whose "favor" the error was made. My husband, for example, was not allowed to keep the 10-year green card he was issued in error as the holder of a CR-1 visa.

jeffreyhy

Point of Clarification: What visa he held was not the determining factor. Some people who are correctly issued a CR-1 visa are correctly accorded IR-1 status when they enter the USA.

Regards, JEff

hungryhorace

Even though I was stamped in for over a year? Even if it was their mistake? I can completely see where you're coming from, don't get me wrong - I know the limit is 90 days - but technically, the stamp says otherwise.

hungryhorace

*** snip ***

Moderator added comment: Attached is the picture proof of the 1-year stamp.

Noorah101

Yes, even if it was their mistake. The US Government is not held responsible when it makes a mistake like that. The onus is on the traveller to know what's allowed or not allowed.

As others have said, it doesn't matter what the stamp says...90 days is the limit on VWP travel.

Rene

Noorah101

That date just looks really wonky. The entry was Nov 5, 2012. 90 days would have been Feb x, 2013. Even one year would have been Nov 4, 2013.

A date of Dec 2, 2013 makes no sense at all.

Rene

hungryhorace

Indeed it doesn't. It confused me at first, though i knew I couldn't stay for greater than 90 days (I was only there for a few weeks anyway).