Length of Stay for Foreign Relative

[golferadam 0]

Hi everyone!

My mother-in-law is coming to visit us on a B-1 visitor visa. My understanding is that the length of stay is 6 months. We are trying to book her flight. The cheapest ticket for our desired window of opportunity is arrive on January 14 and depart on July 14. Do you think that will be a problem because it is pretty much exactly 6 months? When someone arrives in USA, do they stamp the date on the passport when the person must leave?

Thanks for any help!

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

I doubt that she has a B1; more likely she has a B2.

The one thing that matters most is that she has a round trip ticket. I would not anticipate any problems as it's only natural that she wants to get her money's worth when visiting family so far away from China.

[Darnell 8,478]

I thought B-1 was domestic employee ?

B-2 is visitor / business visa ?

anyway - if Mum is in China, and gots a tourist visa...

usually the validity is for ONE YEAR

then at the POE a nice CBP human will stamp the DURATION of the visit.

That duration could be anywhere from 2 days to 6 months, depending.

I would play it safe, get a 6 month ticket, but

be prepared to purchase another one way ticket back to CHINA if

the I-94 stamp expires before the ticket jump date.

Good Luck !!!

[golferadam 0]

Darnell,

That is exactly what I was worried about...if her I-94 gets stamped and then she leaves after the end of visit date, she might get flagged which would make it harder to get another visa in the future?

I thought B-1 was domestic employee ?

B-2 is visitor / business visa ?

anyway - if Mum is in China, and gots a tourist visa...

usually the validity is for ONE YEAR

then at the POE a nice CBP human will stamp the DURATION of the visit.

That duration could be anywhere from 2 days to 6 months, depending.

I would play it safe, get a 6 month ticket, but

be prepared to purchase another one way ticket back to CHINA if

the I-94 stamp expires before the ticket jump date.

Good Luck !!!

[Chica Yeyé 41]

Which is exactly why you might want to be prepared for a change in return flights.

[Brother Hesekiel 2,236]

Darnell,

That is exactly what I was worried about...if her I-94 gets stamped and then she leaves after the end of visit date, she might get flagged which would make it harder to get another visa in the future?

Adam,

B1 is business, B2 is tourist.

I need to know:

- Does your mom wear a beard?

- Does she look like a terrorist?

- Has she visited the USA numerous times within the last year?

If the answer is "no" to all of the 3 questions above, there will be no problem. At the point of entry, the Immigration Officer will ask your mom how long she intends to stay. She will truthfully respond. If he asks her why she wants to stay 6 months, she will truthfully tell him that she visits her son whom she hasn't seen in a long time. He might then ask if she has booked a flight back. She will truthfully respond again, show him the ticket. That's it. I would be very surprised if the I.O. concludes that she's a potential illegal immigrant and demands her to cut her visit short. For the very unlikely case that happens, make sure that the ticket you purchase allows changing the return flight to an earlier date.

Again, 99% there will be no problem at all.

[golferadam 0]

OK, yeah it is a B2 visa. I guess we'll go ahead and book the 6 month ticket and hope for the best.

Darnell,

That is exactly what I was worried about...if her I-94 gets stamped and then she leaves after the end of visit date, she might get flagged which would make it harder to get another visa in the future?

Adam,

B1 is business, B2 is tourist.

I need to know:

- Does your mom wear a beard?

- Does she look like a terrorist?

- Has she visited the USA numerous times within the last year?

If the answer is "no" to all of the 3 questions above, there will be no problem. At the point of entry, the Immigration Officer will ask your mom how long she intends to stay. She will truthfully respond. If he asks her why she wants to stay 6 months, she will truthfully tell him that she visits her son whom she hasn't seen in a long time. He might then ask if she has booked a flight back. She will truthfully respond again, show him the ticket. That's it. I would be very surprised if the I.O. concludes that she's a potential illegal immigrant and demands her to cut her visit short. For the very unlikely case that happens, make sure that the ticket you purchase allows changing the return flight to an earlier date.

Again, 99% there will be no problem at all.

[Darnell 8,478]

Darnell,

That is exactly what I was worried about...if her I-94 gets stamped and then she leaves after the end of visit date, she might get flagged which would make it harder to get another visa in the future?

Changing a ticket, once she is stateside, to LEAVE prior to I-94 expiration date, is INFINITELY EASIER than explaning why she over-stayed.

Change the ticket, if and when you get to that point, prior to her leaving the USA.

[Boiler 45,479]

Make it 5 1/2 months, no need to risk it.