Chances of being allowed to stay in the USA for 90 days?

[Nostalgic 1]

Hi everyone,
Well.. the time has finally come
After being apart from my US boyfriend for 9 months, I will be flying to the USA (from Australia) in July to visit him!!
I have paid for a return ticket, I arrive in the US on the 18th of July, and depart on the 16th of October.. but my question is, what are my chances of being granted the 90 days at the border?
Do I tell the officer at POE (in Dallas) that I am here for 90 days to visit my boyfriend as we havent seen each other for 9 months? I'm hoping the fact that I have a return ticket will be enough to ensure that I am not a "risk".. as well as the fact that I have beautiful toddlers at home waiting for me.. the only issue, in my opinion, is that I work from home, and my divorce was granted this month :/
Or do I do the wrong thing and lie, and say I am here to visit friends for the entire time, who live through out Southern USA?
My boarding pass, and passport, etc, all list me as being "Mrs" still..
While I do not want to lie, I also do not want to be given less than 90 days.. How many of you have been in this situation?
If it helps any.. I visited my boyfriend in October last year, for 8 days.. I was given from Oct 24 til Jan 21 stamped in my passport..

[chrisclassic 14]

If you have strong ties to your homeland you will be just fine they will have to think of something seriously suspicious not too

my friend kyle just went to see his partner for 3 months he has 4 weeks left his poe was lax he had no problem

just dont ever lie thats a key factor for later in immigration if you plan to move there one day

but if you have toddlers thats pretty strong ties

and the divorce thing i cant speak to clear on that but to me that would be like having a break after a bad ordeal

so id pack your bags and be pretty confident you will through no problems

thats my opinion

i went to california 2 times last yeah and once this year 4 weeks each time to visit my partner and had no trouble just spoke truthfully and it was fine

[lost_at_sea 995]

I've never been stamped for less than 90 days, even when I've said I'm only going to be in the USA for a few days (and I've been to the US, like, 20 times all on VWP).

Just be honest, make sure you travel with your return ticket info. That's really important and actually a requirement of ESTA/VWP.

It might help if you also pop a copy of your rental or mortgage agreement in your bag for your home, or like car insurance or anything like that that shows you've got a life in Australia you need to go back to. Having your kids back home is a good strong tie.

They might also want to know how you're supporting a trip of 90 days financially (as for most people that might mean being off work for that long).

You don't need to lie, but you also don't need to over-share. Answer the questions directly and specifically as requested, rather than arriving at the desk and immediately blurting out the entire story!

Edited June 28, 2013 by lost_at_sea

[Nostalgic 1]

Well we do plan to get married eventually so we dont have to continue traveling back and forth.. so I'll be sure to be truthful for future reference and tell them that I am visiting my boyfriend, and wanting the 90 days because we have been apart for 9 months, and will probably be apart for 9 months again AFTER this trip, because of saving again to see each other..
I will have almost 3,000 in savings when I arrive in the USA, and I will be staying with a friend free of charge.. so I hope it will all be ok..
I'll have lots of pictures of my kidlets because I am going to miss them so much for the time I am away
Thanks so much for your help

[Boiler 45,982]

VWP requires a return ticket.

[Nostalgic 1]

I have a return ticket for the 16th of October

[Ketsuban 1,034]

You can tell them what you have told us. You're visiting your boyfriend for 90 days.

My advice however is do it for something like 85ish days to allow for flight delays or anything else that could stop you going home. Because apart from being in a coma, just being in the States one second too long will trigger a VWP ban and you can only return on a visa.

As others have said, take proof of your life back home, though the POE probably won't ask to see it. If they do, then you have it to hand.

Other than that, I hope you have a lovely time with your boyfriend