Dunker

Hey guys - this is my first post, and I hope it's in the right place.

I currently am looking into applying for a B2 Visa and spending six months in the USA late next year/early 2015 to see some friends. I've started looking around in advance for places to stay so I can work out my budget, etc.

Most apartments I have viewed have been fine budget-wise, but many ask for a credit check and/or pay stubs. I have a full-time job at the moment, and will be working right up until I plan to leave, but of course will be going to the USA unemployed. I can prove I have the money to subsist over there through bank statements and the like. I was wondering if there was any other paperwork or anything else I can do to help make apartment hunting a little easier? Has anyone else had this experience before, and what have you done?

Thanks a lot for any help!

Noorah101

Hi and Welcome to BE.

Are you from a VWP country? If so, you might have a very difficult time getting a B-2 visa in the first place, unless you are of retirement age. And if you're going to be unemployed, what ties are you going to show to your home country, i.e. proof that you need to return?

Also keep in mind that if you apply for a B-2 and it's denied, you have to reapply for ESTA and claim the visa denial, which in most cases causes the ESTA to also be denied for some time (around 6 - 12 months from reports on the forum).

Of course if you're not from a VWP country, the above doesn't apply to you. You'll probably just have to pay cash as you go for the apartment, or stay in one of those type of hotels which are like small apartments that rent by the week or month (corporate-type apartments). Or perhaps have your friends in the USA with credit rent the apartment in their name, and you pay them back.

Rene

Dunker

Thank you for the speedy response, Rene! If I was to instead simply go to the US on a VWP and stayed for the maximum 90 days, how long would I have to wait before I could go back to the US? I have no intention of "playing the system", but have a lot of friends over there I'd quite like to spend time with.

Pulaski

"On paper" you could return within a few days. Some do that and don't have problems with it, at least the first time, and I knew someone who did "12 week in and one week out" repeatedly for at least two straight years (though that was almost 20 years ago - not sure if that is significant). There is certainly no objective reason why you can't return to the US after a few days, but whether you'd be readmitted depends on the whim of the CBP officer you see when you return.

BTW To "leave the US" for VWP reset purposes you have to go further than Canada, Mexico, or an island in the Caribbean. I'm not sure about a visit to other countries in central America.

To your original question about renting an apartment, your best hope would be to offer to pay all six months up front, PLUS a month's security deposit. But remember that apartments are invariably unfurnished, so a long-stay hotel may be a better choice for you.

Noorah101

I don't recommend staying the entire 90 days. If your departure gets delayed for any reason, and you leave on the 91st day, you can never use the VWP again, ever. So I wouldn't cut it quite so close, I'd plan to stay like 88 days, just in case.

There's no set time limit you must be outside the USA before making another VWP trip. However, the general rule of thumb, for best results, is to stay outside the USA longer than you were inside. So if you stay 88 days in the USA, then it's advisable to spend 90+ days outside the USA before attempting another VWP trip. But that's not a law. You can certainly try to come back the next day, or within a week, or a month, but you run the risk of the POE officer wondering why you came back so fast, and why you don't have any ties outside the USA (since you can spend so much time away from home).

And, you must go further away than Canada, Mexico, or adjacent islands to get a new 90-day stay in the USA.

Rene

agentred

Everything Pulaski and Rene have said is important and applicable regarding the visa.

Regarding the apartment, I'd be hesitant to pay the full rent up front just because if anything goes wrong the landlord has little onus to correct the issue. Instead, consider the sublet/temporary section of Craigslist - they're shorter term, usually furnished and the renter often doesn't check your credit/employment history. I did that on a long summer on the VWP and it worked out great .

The downside is they're a little more expensive than a standard rental but still much cheaper than a hotel and you're saving yourself the hassle of dealing with stringent landlords.

Newbie1001

RE: Renting.
Just use Airbnb, if your staying less than 3 months there will be a lot of places that you can rent for one month or so. Ask the owners for special offers for longer lets and many will come through.