advice on extending my tourist visa

[El Bezno 0]

Hey there guys.

I'm staying in the US and i can stay as a tourist in this country until november 1.

I'd love to extend my stay and i tried filling the i-539 form at uscis.gov but i have two doubts:

1) The form asks for an ALIEN NUMBER which i don't have. Unfortunately the system won't allow me to input 'NONE' or 'N/A'.

If i do it will complain saying that the A# has a invalid format. If i write 'A00000000' it will work but i wonder if that's gonna piss 'em off or something. What would be the 'right' thing to do?

2) I have less than a month to leave this country. I don't want to be illegal or have any trouble with the gov so:

What if i submit the form and they take 2 months to say DENY my extension (i can only stay legally for less than a month). Will that automatically convert me into an illegal alien? Will i lose my visa?

Thanks very much, all input appreciated.

Beznado

[Boiler 46,082]

The first thing you need is a valid reason.

[Mononoke28 135]

Hey there guys.

I'm staying in the US and i can stay as a tourist in this country until november 1.

I'd love to extend my stay and i tried filling the i-539 form at uscis.gov but i have two doubts:

1) The form asks for an ALIEN NUMBER which i don't have. Unfortunately the system won't allow me to input 'NONE' or 'N/A'.

If i do it will complain saying that the A# has a invalid format. If i write 'A00000000' it will work but i wonder if that's gonna piss 'em off or something. What would be the 'right' thing to do?

2) I have less than a month to leave this country. I don't want to be illegal or have any trouble with the gov so:

What if i submit the form and they take 2 months to say DENY my extension (i can only stay legally for less than a month). Will that automatically convert me into an illegal alien? Will i lose my visa?

Thanks very much, all input appreciated.

Beznado

Beznado,

I don't know the answer to the A# question, check with the USCIS to see what they recommend.

But as far as your second question goes, it is very typical for the USCIS to take longer than the time the visitor has left on his tourist visa to either approve or deny an extension. If you don't have a very valid reason for the extension, you will most likely get denied. But in any case, if you don't get an answer by 11/01, you need to leave the US before or on that date or you will automatically become an illegal immigrant in this country. On top of that, if you decide to leave after that date and then go to the embassy for another visa, you will be denied due to your overstay.

Diana

[El Bezno 0]

Beznado,

I don't know the answer to the A# question, check with the USCIS to see what they recommend.

But as far as your second question goes, it is very typical for the USCIS to take longer than the time the visitor has left on his tourist visa to either approve or deny an extension. If you don't have a very valid reason for the extension, you will most likely get denied. But in any case, if you don't get an answer by 11/01, you need to leave the US before or on that date or you will automatically become an illegal immigrant in this country. On top of that, if you decide to leave after that date and then go to the embassy for another visa, you will be denied due to your overstay.

Diana

Gracias Diana!!

I guess my reason to stay is strong but maybe they won´t find it strong enough.

What would be an example of strong reason? a health related one?

Basically i wanna stay here because i´ve met people related to my profession who can provide a room without me paying anything. Basically i work for ´em and i get a room in exchange. The thing is this is prolly ilegal and i can´t mention it as a reason.

I guess it´s always much safer to play by the rules. Especially if my idea is not to stay forever in the u.s.

Prolly i should go and come back some other time.

[Boiler 46,082]

Not probably, it is against the terms of your visa.

I think you might have answered your own question.

[Harsh_77 718]

yep its illegal what you are doing. As one of the condition of your B1/B2 is you would not be working in the US.

This it not a strong and valid reason to extend your B1/B2.

If you overstay, your record will be flagged and based on your overstay you can get a ban too.

[El Bezno 0]

Thanks guys for the answers, i appreciate your time and effort.

Unfortunately the more i talk to people about this thing, the more confused i am.

This morning i talked to this friend of mine who is a legal resident in the us and also went through the visa journey.

He told me that when you start the process of getting a tourist visa extension, the goverment gives you a ´little paper´ that says that you´re ´in process´ and are not ilegal. And later if they grant the extension, you´re ok but if they revoke the extension, you still have one month to pack things and go.

What do you guys think about this?

Is this correct?

Where can i go to get the final word on this subject?

Thanks again.

[Boiler 46,082]

Not quite

You will be in status until they make a call.

If it is spurious then it can have nasty effects.

There is no grace period if they decide not to extend.

I guess the call is whether you want to come back to to the US anytime soon? If not, not a lot of downside going for it.

[El Bezno 0]

Not quite

You will be in status until they make a call.

If it is spurious then it can have nasty effects.

There is no grace period if they decide not to extend.

I guess the call is whether you want to come back to to the US anytime soon? If not, not a lot of downside going for it.

Hey Boiler, thanks man.

What does being in status mean?

It´s some kind of limbo bewtween legal and illegal?

Now let´s suppose that i file my i-539 and go past november 1 (my tourist visa expiration date) and i overstay waiting for the call; and let´s also suppose they revoke my extension, will i have trouble coming back in the near future?

Btw i´m not a criminal or anything similar, i just want to stay here another 6 months and wanna do it the right way.

I want to do things as clean as possible.

[Boiler 46,082]

In Visitor status, you are not really legal now as you are in breach of that status.

They could revoke your visa and you would have a hard time getting another.

The legal way would be to get a work visa, if you are eligible and have an employer will to apply/sponsor you.

[El Bezno 0]

Working visa is the way to go man.

I´ll do that so i can do things the right way.

Thanks!!