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-   -   6months tourist visa (https://britishexpats.com/forum/usa-57/6months-tourist-visa-171270/)

weiser Aug 9th 2003 2:13 pm

6months tourist visa
 
Hi all - I am from the UK & I have applied for a 6months tourist visa for the US, It has already been over 3months now and I still have not got the visa. I have heard it can take between 3-5months to come through is this true? I am looking to change the status of it once in the US for an E-2 Visa! thanx

Patrick Aug 9th 2003 2:18 pm

Re: 6months tourist visa
 

Originally posted by weiser
Hi all - I am from the UK & I have applied for a 6months tourist visa for the US, It has already been over 3months now and I still have not got the visa. I have heard it can take between 3-5months to come through is this true? I am looking to change the status of it once in the US for an E-2 Visa! thanx
E2 is an investment visa, I beleive you have to go back to your country of origin and apply for that. I take you are going over to look for a business to invest in and then come back with an E2.

The reason I think you have to go to your country of origin is because the tourist visa and the E2 are both non immigration visas. You cannot change your status from non-immigration to non-immigration, it makes no sense.

As long as you understand that the E2 isn't the golden cow some people think it is, there is no way of changing the E2 to an immigrant visa.

Good Luck

Patrick

weiser Aug 9th 2003 2:38 pm

Re: 6months tourist visa
 
[From what I understood you cannot change the status of a 3months visa, you have to go back to your country of origin but in the case of a 6months visa you can change the status of it once you are in the US! besides getting married or findind employment there doesn't seem to any other way into the US permently

Patrick Aug 9th 2003 3:07 pm

Re: 6months tourist visa
 

Originally posted by weiser
[From what I understood you cannot change the status of a 3months visa, you have to go back to your country of origin but in the case of a 6months visa you can change the status of it once you are in the US! besides getting married or findind employment there doesn't seem to any other way into the US permently

E2 isn't permanent, it has to be renewed every few years, you have to have a business in the US while keeping a residency in the UK. You cannot borrow any money on your business (either from the UK or US) and if the business fails you have to go home. You also have to make a substantal investment.

I still think that the b1/b2 visa is not a visa you can AOS on (except for marriage), I will try and look it up. For some reason people have it that the E2 visa is a way around the immigration process, when it is not.

Patrick

weiser Aug 9th 2003 3:17 pm

Re: 6months tourist visa
 
thanx Patrick if you could look up that info for me about the change of status for 6month visa! I know the E-2 visa is not a way round the immigration process or a way for permanent residency but for most people it is probably the only way into the US legally. I have a large sum for investment just waiting for my visa to come through so that I can enter the US and start the ball rolling. I want everything done properly & legally, I have already been in contact with a lawyer & business brokers as well as an accountant in the US, just hope everything I do goes according to plan :-)

Pulaski Aug 9th 2003 4:41 pm

Re: 6months tourist visa
 

Originally posted by weiser
Hi all - I am from the UK & I have applied for a 6months tourist visa for the US, .....
From what I hear you are likely to be rejected. From other posts on these forums the US seems to consider that the visa waiver is good enough and that applications for tourist visas from visa waiver countries are inherently suspicious, therefore they tend to be rejected, not always, but often. ... Prepare for the worst. :(

weiser Aug 9th 2003 5:04 pm

Re: 6months tourist visa
 
So if I am rejected for a 6months visa do I have to apply for an
E-2visa from the UK? For me I would have liked to have been in the US searching for the business rather than having to keep coming back & forth looking for a business :-(

Patrick Aug 9th 2003 8:42 pm

Re: 6months tourist visa
 

Originally posted by weiser
So if I am rejected for a 6months visa do I have to apply for an
E-2visa from the UK? For me I would have liked to have been in the US searching for the business rather than having to keep coming back & forth looking for a business :-(
You have to have the business first. Its an investment visa - you buy the business in the US then return to the UK and apply for the E2 visa. You can't apply for an E2 visa without having the investment already!

Do you fully understand the E2 visa? You can't get an E2 visa to look for a business!

Patrick

Vicky88 Aug 10th 2003 12:13 am

also the E2 will require an interview at the Embassy in London. Think Patrick is right and it is unlikely you will be allowed to change status once you get here.

weiser Aug 10th 2003 8:09 am

I have read up on the E-2 visa as much as I can, the problems people seem not to realise is that is you goto the states and by a business, then come back to the UK and apply for the visa - what if you get refused? Then you end up with a big problem, a business which you have bought which you cannot run because you've been refused! Thats why it is a safer bet to go over to the states with a 6months visa put in the contract/clause that the sell of the business will only go ahead if you are able to obtain the visa and I know for sure on a 6months visa you can change the status thats is why they interview you for the visa here in the UK because they are full aware that once they give the 6months visa I can easily change the status!

Pulaski Aug 10th 2003 12:02 pm


Originally posted by weiser
I have read up on the E-2 visa as much as I can, the problems people seem not to realise is that is you goto the states and by a business, then come back to the UK and apply for the visa - what if you get refused? Then you end up with a big problem, a business which you have bought which you cannot run because you've been refused! Thats why .....
..... you need an immigration lawyer experienced in E-2 visas. I guess that they'd also be able to advise on the best way to get the tourist visa in anticipation of the E-2 .... what to put on the forms and say at the interview, but I guess that you're too far advanced for that now?

weiser Aug 10th 2003 12:17 pm

yes I have had the interview & my lawyer from the US did tell me what and what not to say! I had an interview over 3months ago but I've been told by my lawyer that the visa process is taking anything between 3-5months to come through so I guess I'll have to wait, I suppose if they were to decline it they would have done that by now so I guess no news is good news for now, going back to my original question anyone else experiencing long delays in their visa to be accepted? or has nayone heard visa are taking a long time to process?

Ivonne Aug 10th 2003 12:20 pm

BTW, you CAN change from B2 to E, once you are in the US...a friend has done it. why not? if someone finds a good business to invest while on B2, what should prohibit to change the status within?

weiser Aug 10th 2003 12:32 pm

I filled out the form DS-156 & DS-157 which I am certain is for the B2 visa ' a visitor visa for pleasure or medical treatment'. So yes you right Ivonne & I personally think its the best way to get the E-2 visa as you are already in the country to deal with problems/issues


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