Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

Did you read this thread? I thought my answer on the first page was very balanced and informative. Certainly an opening for a discussion if the OP had come back.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showp...95&postcount=7

Lifted from US immigration lawyers' website:
Every Alien is Presumed to be an Intending Immigrant

Section 214(b) is part of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). It states:

Every alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the consular officer, at the time of application for admission, that he is entitled to a nonimmigrant status...

It's not that people said he *would* have a ton of immigration problems, it's that the potential exists. A married 60+ y/o couple who want to live half the year in Boca del Vista are a different profile than a young single guy who wants to live in Miami.

You made two, firm statements that just aren't true.
"As long as the person sticks to the time / in time out rule there is no big deal"
"A guy who owns a house anywhere in the US who stays out of the country for more time than he is in it, is not going to have any serious issues assuming everything he does when he is the USA is completely legal"


Denied Entry with valid B1/2 visa
Working Offshore and Living in the USA
confusion over immigrant intent!!!!
Second trip on VWP
When can I enter on VWP again?

Yes, there are always people who are the exception to the rule and we've all known/of people who are living here on the VWP, but the loophole tightens every month and since the guy asked for advice, I think it's irresponsible to tell him to plunk his money down and buy a house to do something that may result in fail.
Every person's circumstances are different, and it's the totality of circumstances that matters. It's not for us to say to him 'oh you'll be fine, go for it'. It's something he should research, and probably hire an immigration professional to help him with if he's serious.

Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

I'm not so sure about that. Look at this current post.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=645556

Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

A one off occasion that we know very little detail about apart from poor spelling of the OP?

I hardly think that constitutes significant trend. How many British people go to the US each year, and enter without issue. Statistically, the people refused entry must be almost insignificant.

What I said was that yes at the POE you could theoretically have a problem, but its highly likely that you will not assuming all is in order.

Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

Loads go to the US each year as visitors. I seem to remember reading somewhere the rejection figure for VWP entry was around one in a thousand. I can't be bothered to research it so if you want to prove otherwise, Google is your friend. But this figure seems a sensible OOM.

So we're talking one in a thousand. But our guy is young, single, has no abode elsewhere, would own a house here, and will be making frequent visits for vacation time. All these have increased his chances multiple fold. And every time he appears in the computer for another entry, the red flags flap harder. The possibility of a denied entry is significant if he follows his plan.

Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

Ginblossom doesn't know the volume of our anorakismness.
I've spent as much time as I'm going to 'trying' to convince him that the topic has any depth beyond his experience.

Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

Fair enough. Anorakismness is something you are more than welcome too!

Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

Here's today's guy: http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=645633

What do you suggest we tell him?

Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

Fixed it for ya. For real!

I'm just sayin'... you didn't have a problem accepting that the collective we know what we were talking about when it came to your immigration case, so I don't know why now we're just spouting crap according to you.

No harm, no foul (but it's weird there were 2 new cases of being bounced posted w/in 24 hours...).

Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

If it was one in a thousand, and 99% just come to see the Mouse etc, that would mean it was 1 in 10 for this sort of case.

Unless you are looking at it from a long term investment point of view then you would be much better of renting somewhere.

I do not know about the Miami market so the logicality of that is another issue.

Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

Couple of things I learned about immigration officers working alongside them for a considerable number of years.

1) They are very good at seeing something which looks innocent but to them is a tell tell sign something isn't right.

2) They can and do ask any question that pops into their head and they are always ask for a reason

Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

Now, that is unfair and misrepresentation. I didn't say anyone was spouting crap now did I. Or that anyone didn't know what they were talking about. To suggest I said otherwise is extrapolation.

What I said, and still stand by, was that I disagreed with the general opinion expressed herewith that there was a "general" problem.

As for the two most recent cases, it seems that both people were going into Philadelphia and had some background issues it appears from their posts. Of course, someone can get stopped and questioned. Some might get refused.

But 6.5 million Brits visit the US every year as visitors, the numbers getting refused are not significant.

Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

One time coming back from a cruise while on my H1B1, the immigration officer asked me if I enjoyed the cruise and then asked me what did I do in Miami.

I replied and he said glad you answered that correctly, there was a little code on my H1B1 that basically told him what I do, if I had answered differently, I would have been detained for questioning.

Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

Uh oh... shades of RTI.

Ian

Re: Thinking about purchasing a home in Miami
 

I've read the following many times in our Immigration forum:

Remember Immigration Officers only ask you questions that they know the answer to.