U.S. B-2 Visa contact details?

homerjk

Hey guys,

Me and the SO are going to the states for a serious bit of road trippin'! We reckon we'll be there for about 8 months (with possibly a few jaunts into Mexico and Canada as we go along their borders) and we will not be working at all.

We are going to apply for the above Visa but on both the forms you fill out, the DS-156 and the DS-157, they ask for contact details of people you know in the States. We dont know a single person over there! I take it they need this in case they need to track you down in some circumstance but as we dont have any will we be refused a visa? We've been planning this for years!:(

Neamhshuntasach

The maximum they will issue a B-2 visa is 6 months. And the immigration officer can issue less than 6 months at his/her own discretion.

I'm not really sure about the ins and outs of this particular visa but they will look for really strong proof that you will return to Ireland once the visa is up. And also that you have suficient funds to last the duration. They're not as strict on J1 visa but on the tourist visas they are because they are what most people use to move to the US illegally.

The contact details of someone you know in the states might mean a sponsor. With some visas you need somebody to sponsor you. Call them up and find out.

homerjk

Neamhshuntasach, thanks for replying.

The maximum they will issue a B-2 visa is 6 months. And the immigration officer can issue less than 6 months at his/her own discretion.

Really? I couldnt find anything on the Irish US embassy site http://dublin.usembassy.gov/tourist_business.html about the lenght of stay. In fact the only thing I could find was from a poster here (post 10) who suggested he got one for a year easy enough. I think i will contact him directly to see what the story is.

If it comes to that, how easy/safe is it to just leave after 90 Days and come back in a week or two later? We will be around the canadian border coming to the end of our first 90 days and if it came to we could do the same for the next 90. If you leave and hand in your forms do they start you over from 90 again?

Neamhshuntasach

I remember talking to people over on one. There was a group of them in a bar i worked at who were over on the B2 visa. Some of them only got 2 months while others got 5 and 6. It all depends on how much they think you a risk of staying in the US and how much you can support yourself. As far as i know you can apply for an extension while over there and the max you can get is a year. Again you have to show proof and all that.

Anyways i just searhed for it and i found this:

Tourist Visa Length of Stay: Persons admitted to the United States on a B-2 Tourist Visa are usually issued a 6-month stay. The maximum length of stay for visitor visa holders is 6 months. The immigration officer at the port of entry determines how long each visitor is allowed to stay in the country. Most visitors have their I-94 cards stamped with a 6-month stay, however the immigration officer has the right to issue a shorter stay on a case by case basis. Upon entry into the United States, the foreign visitor has the right to request an extension of stay.

It was on this site: http://www.usimmigrationsupport.org/visa_b2.html

Also i don't think crossing over into Canada or Mexico before 90 days when on the VWP works. The US considers Canada and Mexico as part of North America and you must leave North America to renew your 90 days. Also you are supposed to be outside of the US for as long as you were in it before being issued a new I94. But there are obvious exceptions for business travellers and such. If you leave the US into Canada at say 88 days and then you surrender your I94 you are implying you are leaving the US. That might raise problems with Canadian immigration. I've heard reports of people being turned away from the Canadian border who tried it.


Just searched in google again and found this thread. Seems to take about what you mentioned.

http://britishexpats.com/forum/showthread.php?t=517938

homerjk

Thanks again!

I was only clutching at straws anyway with the VWP, we really want a long visa so we can relax. I dont suppose you know of the success rates of B-2 being extended?

Regarding my original question, no they are not looking for details for a sponsor, they want details of a relative or friend! we dont know anyone.
Also regarding the actual interview to get this visa i dont how it will look for us because as we are doing a road trip we have feck all booked. We have it all planned out nearly to the day but nothing is booked (apart from an apartment in new york 3 months into the trip) becasue we will most likely be staying motel 6 or holidays inns etc and will book them on the go. The only thing we really have is a LOT of savings with us and a return ticket. A lot of people say a letter from an employer looks good to show you are coming back but i cant get this because i havent quit yet! And im not quitting until i get the visa sorted out so its catch 22 city!

Neamhshuntasach

The whole visa issue is a bit of a gray area as there is the law applied to certain visas but the immigration officer can decide within that law at his/her descretion. It all depends on who you get. Some may be more relaxed and understanding and then you get some who see you as a border jumper intent on moving to his Godly country illegally. I've had experiences with both.

Getting the visa extended depends on what it is for. It goes from easy for something like medical treatment to difficult for something like just traveling about without much intent or purpose. And it's also a catch 22 in the sense that you should not apply for your extension too soon before you leave as it shows you are already planning on extending the visa and appears to the officer that you are already intent on overstaying the visa. So because you don't know how long you will be granted a visa for you can't really plan beyond the 6 months if granted them. This further goes against you as you can't really prove what you want to extend your stay for. Some will see traveling as not being a necessity and may not grant the extension because of that.

The only reason i have a bit of knowledge on visas is because i studied over there and had to read up on things. But you should contact the embassy by phone and just clarify what is needed.

homerjk

hmmm ok. thanks.

Will ring them and test the waters with them....