celticgrid

I had to look it up and see, but no conventions

An interesting looking Film Festival, but no conventions.

Then I found one nearer home http://www.geneva.ny.us/

But still no...

meauxna

They will probably find out from the motorhome forums that Oregon is a popular registration spot for people like them.

I have to say, the part about forming an LLC raised an eyebrow; I wonder why they did that.

lansbury

I wonder how they get round the Oregon law that requires you to have an Oregon driving license and social security number to buy a car here. When we ordered my Jeep with Auto Source in England for delivery in Oregon they could only do it in wifeys name because of that.

It can be done because I know someone from the UK who got an F250 and 5th wheel here to do the vacation tour of the US. Never did find out how.

meauxna

It's true, I don't know what is current (past couple of years). But, to boost motorhome sales, the cheap (very, excessively cheap) Oregon vehicle registration fees were used as a lure. The dealership arranged 'residency' or registration through their address.
There is also an extensive storage market around the southern border.

I have to renew my DL this year, which is weird. Last time I did was when DH was not yet DH and was here for a visit; it had expired while I was in Greece.
I can't believe it's been 8 freakin' years!
I have to go in in person this time and show proof of legal presence/citizenship.
Tick tock, I'd better get on it, but I need a haircut first!

Keith S

Hi,
My wife and I did what you are proposing in 2006/7, albeit from Australia, not UK. We had an interview at the US Embassy in Sydney and explained that we wanted to buy a motorhome in the US and tour for a year. The advice was to apply for a B1/B2 visa for a 5-year period, which we did and were successful.
Only on arriving at LA airport were we enlightened to the fact that we would have to leave the continent (if only for 24hrs) before 6 months expired then re-enter for another 6 months. And this could be repeated for up to 5 years. Then visited the US immigration office and were told that we could apply for an extension at a cost of $300 each and the result would not be known for 3-4 months. So, we decided on a trip to London at the 6 month point, visited relatives for a couple of weeks and returned to continue the tour. Be aware that you have to leave the North American continent to qualify for re-entry. Popping over the border to Canada or Mexico does not count.

We did visit Canada, but for only a month. Told at the Canadian border that we would have been OK for a six month visit without any extra visa.

Regarding the DL: the advice at the time was that our normal Australian license was sufficient to drive the A class Rv (36ft motorhome towing a car) and as were would be touring and not residing in a single State I would not need a US license.

The main issue that you will meet is having an address for registering the motorhome and arranging insurance. You will find the website for RVUSA useful for this. Search in their forum for that advice as I did see that question answered about a year ago by others that had done the same thing. We were lucky in that our daughter lives in USA and we used hers.
Had a great trip and visited 30 States without incident. Then gave the motorhome back to the dealer at the end to sell on consignment and it was sold just before we returned to Aus. We bought it second hand and did not lose too much on the resale. Whatever, it was more than worth it for the trip of a lifetime.
If you need help or advice on any other points let me know.

fatbrit

Every time you re-enter with a week out after a 6-month visit, your chances of being refused entry increase greatly. I certainly wouldn't bet on anyone being able to pull it off 9 times in a row!

You can apply for an extension. It's often not a good idea, though, if you ever want to visit the US again.

Wonder if you opened yourself up to US tax liability while you were here?

Keith S

This was the advice we received at the US Immigration Office and Ports of entry at LA and detroit. So that's what we followed as it also seemed to be the purpose of the B1/B2 visa. We visit our daughter twice a year and have not been questioned.
No tax liability (other than State Sales tax) as we file returns in Aus and, on the 1 year trip we earned no income, just used savings from Aus.
PS Our glass is usually half full.

fatbrit

Just wouldn't want anyone to believe they could live here for 5 years on a B2 visa as a tourist. It would be nice if retirees could do it....but the reality is that if you don't follow the rule of thumb of staying out as long as you stay in, you're going to come a cropper on one of your entries.

meauxna

It seems like you have mixed some of the VWP rules in under B visa rules. I don't disbelieve that that is what you were told at the border, but they have been known to give incorrect information before. Unfortunately, it's the traveler who pays the price if they fall on the wrong side of the rules.

I'm glad you got to have such a great trip!
We'll do it one day...

scrubbedexpat099

Sounds like you are resident for tax purposes if not immigration purposes.

The IRS are much less forgiving.

Residents for tax purposes are charged on their world wide income.

Welcome to the US.

meauxna

Boiler, those folks are gone from the US now (unless you meant to use the past tense).
"My wife and I did what you are proposing in 2006/7"

OUr new travellers may want to read: Introduction to Residency Under U.S. Tax Law


Substantial Presence Test


You will be considered a U.S. resident for tax purposes if you meet the substantial presence test for the calendar year. To meet this test, you must be physically present in the United States on at least:

1. 31 days during the current year, and
2. 183 days during the 3-year period that includes the current year and the 2 years immediately before that, counting:
* All the days you were present in the current year, and
* 1/3 of the days you were present in the first year before the current year, and
* 1/6 of the days you were present in the second year before the current year.

Example:

You were physically present in the United States on 120 days in each of the years 2007, 2008, and 2009. To determine if you meet the substantial presence test for 2009, count the full 120 days of presence in 2009, 40 days in 2008 (1/3 of 120), and 20 days in 2007 (1/6 of 120). Since the total for the 3-year period is 180 days, you are not considered a resident under the substantial presence test for 2009.

Conditions for a Closer Connection to a Foreign Country


Even if you meet the substantial presence test, you can still be treated as a nonresident alien if you:

* Are present in the United States for less than 183 days during the year
* Maintain a tax home in a foreign country during the year (Refer to Chapter 28 of Publication 17 for a discussion of the tax home concept), and
* Have a closer connection during the year to one foreign country in which you have a tax home than to the United States (unless you have a closer connection to two foreign countries, discussed next). For determining whether you have a closer connection to a foreign country, your tax home must also be in existence for the entire current year, and must be located in the same foreign country for which you are claiming to have a closer connection


Of course, it's easier to write an unsubstantiated few lines.

Keith S

Wow, that's a whole lot of information and I would not dispute a word of it.

The last couple of paragraphs seem relevant to ourselves and the proposed travellers in that we maintain(ed) homes in another country and are simply tourists.

Still believe that the B1/B2 is exactly what they need for their tour of the country but, of course, they should make their own enquiries at the US Embassy in UK to satisfy their own minds.

We're emigrating to USA next year so I may well come back for a few tips on minimising tax then and many other matters.

scrubbedexpat099

You need to read the 'and'

meauxna

That's just the tip of the iceberg and isn't meant to make any DX from, but those are three links to get a person started.

US taxation is intensely complex; expect to be baffled.

tonrob

Regardless of what you were told at the POE - repeatedly returning on a B1/B2 having not spent as long outside of the country as you last spent in is a very bad idea unless you are comfortable with the prospect of being turned away. There are others who have shared their experience of returning after too short a time on these boards.

Mr and mrs tonrob senior were taken to secondary, separated and grilled at length having spent 5 months out instead of the usual 6. They were returning early as my appendix had burst and they wanted to visit me in hospital - of course none of that mattered, the reason for entry was irrelevant. They were allowed to enter, but with a stern warning not to try this again.