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Extending your stay in USA...?

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  • 01-05-2015 8:16pm
    #1
    billy few mates
    Registered Users Posts: 6,920 ✭✭✭


    Does anyone know if it's possible to extend your stay in the USA beyond the 90 days allowed on an ESTA...?

    Say for example if you go out there on business for six or seven weeks but need to extend it to stay a bit longer than the 90 days, is there a way to extend the ESTA without having to go home or apply for a visa or something, or would a quick trip across the border to Mexico or somewhere be enough to reset it...?


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    #2
    DM addict
    Registered Users Posts: 567 ✭✭✭DM addict


    billy few mates wrote: »
    Does anyone know if it's possible to extend your stay in the USA beyond the 90 days allowed on an ESTA...?

    Say for example if you go out there on business for six or seven weeks but need to extend it to stay a bit longer than the 90 days, is there a way to extend the ESTA without having to go home or apply for a visa or something, or would a quick trip across the border to Mexico or somewhere be enough to reset it...?

    I don't believe so, no. Short trips across the border don't reset the 90 days, they are included within it.

    If you need a longer than 3month trip, you're going to need to apply for a visa, as far as I know.


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    #3
    billy few mates
    Registered Users Posts: 6,920 ✭✭✭billy few mates


    Thanks for that, do you know if you can apply for a visa while you're already in the States half way through an ESTA...?


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    #4
    iusedtoknow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,698 ✭✭✭iusedtoknow


    billy few mates wrote: »
    Thanks for that, do you know if you can apply for a visa while you're already in the States half way through an ESTA...?

    No you can't - you are pretty much set at the 90 day limit, unless you fall ill etc. Then you can apply for compassionate leave to remain.

    However, the 90 day limit is pretty solid. Leaving to go to canada/mexico/puerto rico etc won't work


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    #5
    spideog7
    Registered Users Posts: 1,230 ✭✭✭spideog7


    iusedtoknow wrote: »
    No you can't - you are pretty much set at the 90 day limit, unless you fall ill etc. Then you can apply for compassionate leave to remain.

    However, the 90 day limit is pretty solid. Leaving to go to canada/mexico/puerto rico etc won't work

    Isn't Puerto Rico a US territory anyway? That's no different to traveling to another part of the US.


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    #6
    iusedtoknow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,698 ✭✭✭iusedtoknow


    spideog7 wrote: »
    Isn't Puerto Rico a US territory anyway? That's no different to traveling to another part of the US.

    you're right - cheerfully withdrawn!


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    #7
    Dave1442397
    Registered Users Posts: 303 ✭✭Dave1442397


    You can travel outside the country to somewhere like Belize and reset the visa. You don't have to fly all the way back to Ireland, but, as stated above, US territories, Canada and Mexico don't count.


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    #8
    coylemj
    Registered Users Posts: 25,438 ✭✭✭✭coylemj


    Dave1442397 wrote: »
    You can travel outside the country to somewhere like Belize and reset the visa. You don't have to fly all the way back to Ireland, but, as stated above, US territories, Canada and Mexico don't count.

    True but a quick trip to Belize and then back to the US would raise questions about your bona fides and there's always a risk that they only give you a 30 day permit if they think your trip was simply to reset the clock. There's no guarantee that they even let you enter the country so nipping out and back will carry certain risks.

    Just to clarify on a trip to Canada, Mexico, US territories and the 'adjacent islands' (effectively the Caribbean) - the clock keeps running on your original 90-day permit so the time you spend outside the country in one of those places will be less time you can spend in the US.


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    #9
    iusedtoknow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,698 ✭✭✭iusedtoknow


    coylemj wrote: »
    True but a quick trip to Belize and then back to the US would raise questions about your bona fides and there's always a risk that they only give you a 30 day permit if they think your trip was simply to reset the clock. There's no guarantee that they even let you enter the country so nipping out and back will carry certain risks.

    Just to clarify on a trip to Canada, Mexico, US territories and the 'adjacent islands' (effectively the Caribbean) - the clock keeps running on your original 90-day permit so the time you spend outside the country in one of those places will be less time you can spend in the US.

    The general rule of thumb is to be out of the US for as long you were in, so as not to raise any suspicions or be blacklisted by the CBP.


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    #10
    billy few mates
    Registered Users Posts: 6,920 ✭✭✭billy few mates


    iusedtoknow wrote: »
    The general rule of thumb is to be out of the US for as long you were in, so as not to raise any suspicions or be blacklisted by the CBP.

    Just a quick update for all who offered advice thanks, I spoke with the local CBP out there about extending my ESTA or switching to a Visa while I was out there but I was told it was impossible, initially they suggested I take a quick trip to Mexico or the Bahamas to reset the ESTA but when I queried it they made a couple of phone calls and discovered (to their surprise) that you couldn't do that either, they also confirmed that there is no limit on the amount of time you have to be out before you can go back so I went back to Ireland for four days and travelled back out here again with another ninety days on the clock without any hassle at all.


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