re-entry on B2-HELP PLS!
Jan 1st 2007, 3:34 am
#1
Guest
Posts: n/a
re-entry on B2-HELP PLS!
Hi everyone!
I have a B2 visa and intend to re-entry the US after spending 5 weeks in my mother country. I am aware of possible problems at the POE.Last time I spent 5 motnhs in the US.(staying with my boyfriend who is an american citizen).
I know its not a good idea to say that I am visiting a boyfriend.How else can I prove that I still have ties to my own country if I dont have a job and I am no longer a student?
Can anybody share some useful advice or experience how to get thru the POE?
Thank you!!!!.
---
posted via:
http://www.visaforyou.org/eng/
I have a B2 visa and intend to re-entry the US after spending 5 weeks in my mother country. I am aware of possible problems at the POE.Last time I spent 5 motnhs in the US.(staying with my boyfriend who is an american citizen).
I know its not a good idea to say that I am visiting a boyfriend.How else can I prove that I still have ties to my own country if I dont have a job and I am no longer a student?
Can anybody share some useful advice or experience how to get thru the POE?
Thank you!!!!.
---
posted via:
http://www.visaforyou.org/eng/
Jan 1st 2007, 8:54 am
#2
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: re-entry on B2-HELP PLS!
Hi Sugarbunny,
I've been in your shoes, sort of... but it was not a boyfriend, just a
friend (the POE obviously assumed it was a boyfriend that I might marry
and adjust status, so they treated me accordingly the last time I went
down to visit, although I was only going for 4 weeks, not as long as
you).
Well, I'm no longer a student, and although I hold a full time job now,
it's not necessary for me to do this for financial reasons, just to
keep busy and keep my options open (it's hard to get a job after being
out of the workforce, so I'm staying employed at barely fulltime in
case I want a better job, or need to work if my spouse can't support
me). So I totally understand what it means to want to travel because of
having financial means, and not having ties to work or school.
So this is the advice I got from the POE when I got sent to secondary
inspection and the officer learnt that vacationing in the US was
something I liked to do... They let me pass through, but gave me
warning of proving ties to my country, and the supervisor who spoke
with me told me to bring the following proofs (other than proof of
employment, which I do have right now). Proof of funds and income,
proof of spouse's income if I'm not working (this won't help you, but
might help someone else reading this thread), proof of housing (deed to
house, lease, utility bills, tax bills on property). In my case, I
bring proof of home ownership and one of the bills that's in my name
only (to prove I bought the house a few years ago, and proof that I'm
still paying taxes and utilities on it very recently. I've been told
bills that are more than a few months old are not highly regarded).
Proof of funds including bank accounts and credit cards (to support
yourself during your visit). You might not have this, but I brought
proof of investments (statements) to prove I have money invested in my
home country (which is now Canada). And another suggestion, recent tax
returns to prove steady employment in the past...
The question that you are likely to be asked is how you support
yourself if you don't work and aren't entitled to student financial
aide (since you are no longer a student). Be prepared to explain that
and have proof to back it up. I was asked why I was travelling in the
summer instead of working, like other students, and due to my funding
program for college, I was eligible for bursaries that would not need
to be repaid on graduation (and I went to school in a province with
almost free tuition, the bursaries covered books and other things). So
that's a very good reason to not need to work if you don't need to pay
for your school. But if it doesn't make sense to them, they will ask
for proof. The last time I crossed where I was asked what I did as a
job, I had to prove that there was such a job to do, because it didn't
make sense to them (even though it makes sense to people who live in
Canada).
Good luck.
S.
sugarbunny wrote:
> Hi everyone!
> I have a B2 visa and intend to re-entry the US after spending 5 weeks in my mother country. I am aware of possible problems at the POE.Last time I spent 5 motnhs in the US.(staying with my boyfriend who is an american citizen).
>
> I know its not a good idea to say that I am visiting a boyfriend.How else can I prove that I still have ties to my own country if I dont have a job and I am no longer a student?
> Can anybody share some useful advice or experience how to get thru the POE?
> Thank you!!!!.
>
> ---
> posted via:
> http://www.visaforyou.org/eng/
I've been in your shoes, sort of... but it was not a boyfriend, just a
friend (the POE obviously assumed it was a boyfriend that I might marry
and adjust status, so they treated me accordingly the last time I went
down to visit, although I was only going for 4 weeks, not as long as
you).
Well, I'm no longer a student, and although I hold a full time job now,
it's not necessary for me to do this for financial reasons, just to
keep busy and keep my options open (it's hard to get a job after being
out of the workforce, so I'm staying employed at barely fulltime in
case I want a better job, or need to work if my spouse can't support
me). So I totally understand what it means to want to travel because of
having financial means, and not having ties to work or school.
So this is the advice I got from the POE when I got sent to secondary
inspection and the officer learnt that vacationing in the US was
something I liked to do... They let me pass through, but gave me
warning of proving ties to my country, and the supervisor who spoke
with me told me to bring the following proofs (other than proof of
employment, which I do have right now). Proof of funds and income,
proof of spouse's income if I'm not working (this won't help you, but
might help someone else reading this thread), proof of housing (deed to
house, lease, utility bills, tax bills on property). In my case, I
bring proof of home ownership and one of the bills that's in my name
only (to prove I bought the house a few years ago, and proof that I'm
still paying taxes and utilities on it very recently. I've been told
bills that are more than a few months old are not highly regarded).
Proof of funds including bank accounts and credit cards (to support
yourself during your visit). You might not have this, but I brought
proof of investments (statements) to prove I have money invested in my
home country (which is now Canada). And another suggestion, recent tax
returns to prove steady employment in the past...
The question that you are likely to be asked is how you support
yourself if you don't work and aren't entitled to student financial
aide (since you are no longer a student). Be prepared to explain that
and have proof to back it up. I was asked why I was travelling in the
summer instead of working, like other students, and due to my funding
program for college, I was eligible for bursaries that would not need
to be repaid on graduation (and I went to school in a province with
almost free tuition, the bursaries covered books and other things). So
that's a very good reason to not need to work if you don't need to pay
for your school. But if it doesn't make sense to them, they will ask
for proof. The last time I crossed where I was asked what I did as a
job, I had to prove that there was such a job to do, because it didn't
make sense to them (even though it makes sense to people who live in
Canada).
Good luck.
S.
sugarbunny wrote:
> Hi everyone!
> I have a B2 visa and intend to re-entry the US after spending 5 weeks in my mother country. I am aware of possible problems at the POE.Last time I spent 5 motnhs in the US.(staying with my boyfriend who is an american citizen).
>
> I know its not a good idea to say that I am visiting a boyfriend.How else can I prove that I still have ties to my own country if I dont have a job and I am no longer a student?
> Can anybody share some useful advice or experience how to get thru the POE?
> Thank you!!!!.
>
> ---
> posted via:
> http://www.visaforyou.org/eng/
Jan 1st 2007, 10:33 pm
#3
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: re-entry on B2-HELP PLS!
HI Sapphyre!
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with me!!
I really appreciate it!Thanks again!
Do you think that it could work If I said that I was still a student??I would show them my old Student ID(the problem is that it has jsut expired now in Dec...)
Thanks!.
Thank you so much for sharing your experience with me!!
I really appreciate it!Thanks again!
Do you think that it could work If I said that I was still a student??I would show them my old Student ID(the problem is that it has jsut expired now in Dec...)
Thanks!.
Jan 2nd 2007, 12:33 am
#4
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: re-entry on B2-HELP PLS!
sugarbunny wrote:
> HI Sapphyre!
> Thank you so much for sharing your experience with me!!
> I really appreciate it!Thanks again!
>
> Do you think that it could work If I said that I was still a student??I would show them my old Student ID(the problem is that it has jsut expired now in Dec...)
> Thanks!.
No, that's not a good idea. I never even had a student ID for some of
my visits (I lost it, and didn't notice until the term was almost
over). The one time they wanted proof of my enrollment in school, they
wanted papers. I already needed proof of enrollment, so I had a paper
certified by the school with details for each term, and then I provided
my pre-enrollment papers for next term to show I intended to return.
It's not ironclad, but I guess they figure if I was in school for two
years, and I'm pre-enrolled for the next term, then I intend to return
to Canada.
Those days were tough, but I think having other ties to my country
(besides school) helped somewhat, seeing is how during the summer, no
one is losing any tuition by changing their mind and dropping out of
school. It was way easier for me to go to Florida for a week mid-term
when everyone was doing spring break than to visit during the summer.
The officer was even in a bit of a smart-mouth, and said, "sounds nice,
can I come too?" It was the only time I wasn't asked routine questions
they always ask (like what I do, how much money I have, etc.)
Ironically so, students have the most ties to their home when they are
in the middle of a school term.
S.
> HI Sapphyre!
> Thank you so much for sharing your experience with me!!
> I really appreciate it!Thanks again!
>
> Do you think that it could work If I said that I was still a student??I would show them my old Student ID(the problem is that it has jsut expired now in Dec...)
> Thanks!.
No, that's not a good idea. I never even had a student ID for some of
my visits (I lost it, and didn't notice until the term was almost
over). The one time they wanted proof of my enrollment in school, they
wanted papers. I already needed proof of enrollment, so I had a paper
certified by the school with details for each term, and then I provided
my pre-enrollment papers for next term to show I intended to return.
It's not ironclad, but I guess they figure if I was in school for two
years, and I'm pre-enrolled for the next term, then I intend to return
to Canada.
Those days were tough, but I think having other ties to my country
(besides school) helped somewhat, seeing is how during the summer, no
one is losing any tuition by changing their mind and dropping out of
school. It was way easier for me to go to Florida for a week mid-term
when everyone was doing spring break than to visit during the summer.
The officer was even in a bit of a smart-mouth, and said, "sounds nice,
can I come too?" It was the only time I wasn't asked routine questions
they always ask (like what I do, how much money I have, etc.)
Ironically so, students have the most ties to their home when they are
in the middle of a school term.
S.
Jan 2nd 2007, 11:36 am
#5
Guest
Posts: n/a
Re: re-entry on B2-HELP PLS!
sugarbunny wrote:
>
> Do you think that it could work If I said that I was still a student??
> I would show them my old Student ID(the problem is that it has jsut expired now in Dec...)
I think it's up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a long-term
ban from entering the USA if they find you've lied to them (either at
the time or at any time in the future). It's almost never a good idea
to lie to US immigration authorities.
>
> Do you think that it could work If I said that I was still a student??
> I would show them my old Student ID(the problem is that it has jsut expired now in Dec...)
I think it's up to 5 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and a long-term
ban from entering the USA if they find you've lied to them (either at
the time or at any time in the future). It's almost never a good idea
to lie to US immigration authorities.
