Tourist visa extension

Old Oct 24th 2009, 6:27 pm
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Default Tourist visa extension

My wife and i are from the UK Please does anyone know if and how you can extend your tourist visa for the states and how long for? thanks.
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Old Oct 24th 2009, 6:45 pm
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Default Re: Tourist visa extension

Originally Posted by stevralt
My wife and i are from the UK Please does anyone know if and how you can extend your tourist visa for the states and how long for? thanks.
Since you are from the UK and usually would use the Visa Waiver Program (with prior electronic ESTA registration) please confirm if you travel with a B-2 tourist visa (sticker in your passport) or visa-free on the VWP.
A lot of people use the terms interchangeably but the answer will make all the difference to your question.

Last edited by meauxna; Oct 24th 2009 at 6:47 pm.
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Old Oct 24th 2009, 7:02 pm
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Default Re: Tourist visa extension

Thanks for that, we plan on doing this in about 3 years, i work in the uk for 2 weeks and plan to stay in the states for the 3 weeks i am on leave, i work on the oil platforms, meanwhile my wife wants to stay in the states as long as she can, we have time, although dont know which route to take?
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Old Oct 24th 2009, 7:04 pm
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Default Re: Tourist visa extension

Originally Posted by meauxna
Since you are from the UK and usually would use the Visa Waiver Program (with prior electronic ESTA registration) please confirm if you travel with a B-2 tourist visa (sticker in your passport) or visa-free on the VWP.
A lot of people use the terms interchangeably but the answer will make all the difference to your question.
But (and maybe I'm wrong about this) wouldn't the difference be near impossible with a B-2 compared to impossible on the VWP?
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Old Oct 24th 2009, 7:04 pm
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Default Re: Tourist visa extension

Originally Posted by stevralt
Thanks for that, we plan on doing this in about 3 years, i work in the uk for 2 weeks and plan to stay in the states for the 3 weeks i am on leave, i work on the oil platforms, meanwhile my wife wants to stay in the states as long as she can, we have time, although dont know which route to take?
How old are you guys? Your plan has serious issues and is likely impossible.
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Old Oct 24th 2009, 7:10 pm
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Default Re: Tourist visa extension

Well, i know it does sound hard near to impossible, we know that green cards are out of the question so tourist visas are the only option, i have to work on a 2 weeks on 3 weeks off rotation , and thats ok for me traveling back to the uk, so for my wife how do you get an extension or is it not possible?
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Old Oct 24th 2009, 7:18 pm
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Default Re: Tourist visa extension

Originally Posted by stevralt
Well, i know it does sound hard near to impossible, we know that green cards are out of the question so tourist visas are the only option, i have to work on a 2 weeks on 3 weeks off rotation , and thats ok for me traveling back to the uk, so for my wife how do you get an extension or is it not possible?
A one-time, emergency circumstance (yes they check, yes it should be legit) extension is possible from a B visa admission.

There NO extension possibility from a VWP entry, like Duncan said.

Your plan is doomed to heavy fail; you may not live in the US on a visitor status, and your in/out strategy has backfired on other posters here previously (and that's without parking a spouse here in your out of country time).
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Old Oct 24th 2009, 7:27 pm
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Default Re: Tourist visa extension

Well thanks for the info on that, we will just have to visit for the tourist time that is allowed, is it possible to go out of country(usa), then back in on tourist visa ? or is there a minimum time you need to be out? cheers.
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Old Oct 24th 2009, 7:31 pm
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Default Re: Tourist visa extension

Originally Posted by stevralt
Well thanks for the info on that, we will just have to visit for the tourist time that is allowed, is it possible to go out of country(usa), then back in on tourist visa ? or is there a minimum time you need to be out? cheers.
If you do not already have a tourist visa, note that it's difficult to get one, especially for what you want.

You are again confusing two terms that have very different rules.

You can not go in/out on a tourist visa indefinitely. To use a tourist entry of either kind, you should have a home outside the US that you intend to return to. If the officer sees a pattern of travel that indicates you are living in the US without the correct visa, one day, he'll refuse you entry or worse.
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Old Oct 24th 2009, 7:38 pm
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Default Re: Tourist visa extension

Ok thanks for all the advice, my wife has a cousin that is a citizen in Ca, guess we will have to make do with holidays over there, cheers, steve.
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Old Oct 25th 2009, 1:32 am
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Default Re: Tourist visa extension

Originally Posted by stevralt
Ok thanks for all the advice, my wife has a cousin that is a citizen in Ca, guess we will have to make do with holidays over there, cheers, steve.
California? Sorry mate but that is totally irrelevant.
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Old Oct 25th 2009, 3:00 am
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Default Re: Tourist visa extension

I think he meant Canada.

I'm not really clear on what he is asking or what his plan is. I think people may be assuming things.

To stevralt -

Your idea was that your wife would spend an extended amount of time in the US and you'd come and join her every couple of weeks?

Just to give you some basic info: UK citizens are allow to visit the US without a visa for up to 90 days at one time. That's called the Visa Waiver Program (VWP). But, as others have said, if you come and go repeatedly every couple of weeks, the officers at the airport are going to start suspecting that you are living in the US and will eventually deny you entry.

The visitor visa, B-2, will generally allow you to visit the US for up to 6 months at a time. That, you have to apply for. But consulates won't usually approve a B-2 visa for people who are eligible to use the VWP.

- Eric S.
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Old Oct 25th 2009, 6:32 am
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Default Re: Tourist visa extension

Originally Posted by Eric S
I think he meant Canada.
Think about it for a moment... why would a cousin in Canada be any advantage? Besides, one is usually a citizen *of* a country. In this case, I'm pretty sure he meant that his wife has a cousin in California who is a USC.

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Old Oct 25th 2009, 8:56 am
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Default Re: Tourist visa extension

Thanks guys, Ian is correct , she has a cousin in California who is a usa citizen, we are in our 40,s, 90 days are fine as we would both come back to the uk for a few weeks after that, but like everyone says you cany just keep going back over to the states on a regular basis,
Thanks to all who have given me the very usefull help on this subject
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Old Oct 25th 2009, 10:13 am
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Default Re: Tourist visa extension

A guy posted here a few months ago. He worked on ships at sea and spent gobs of time in the US between voyages. He soon wore out his welcome and was ordered removed from the US. Your case sounds earily similar. You can visit the US. You cannot live in the US. The oil platform is where you work. You must live in a country where you have the status to do so.

"we know that green cards are out of the question so tourist visas are the only option"

It's not your only option. You can reside in the UK.
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