Renewing A Toursit Visa

[NoLeftTurn 0]

Hi All,

I'm going to America for 3 months in August. As I am Irish I can get the visa waiver. I have done it before the last time I was in America, in January, with no issues.

I was recently talking to a friend who said that he "stayed" in America for a year and a half by going to Canada/Mexico when is visa was up, reapplying and then re-entering America.

He is English and this was a few years ago.

While I'm not interested in a year and a half, I may want to extent my trip for three months. How viable is this process now a days?

[Lainie B 465]

You can't go to Canada or Mexico to reset the clock on the VWP. Your time in Canada or Mexico will count towards your 90 days. See "Trips to Canada, Mexico or nearby islands"

http://travel.state.gov/content/visas/english/visit/visa-waiver-program.html

If you want to stay longer than 90 days you will need to apply for a tourist visa.

[NoLeftTurn 0]

Hi, thanks for your reply.

I did not mean, "reset the clock"

What I mean is, after 87 days I leave for Canada and let my Visa to America run out there. Can I then, in Canada, apply for another new 90 Tourist visa?

[MacUK 983]

Hi, thanks for your reply.

I did not mean, "reset the clock"

What I mean is, after 87 days I leave for Canada and let my Visa to America run out there. Can I then, in Canada, apply for another new 90 Tourist visa?

That is exactly what is meant by 'reset the clock'.

Visiting countries bordering the US doesn't enable you to get a fresh 90 days in the US. Your friend was either very lucky at the border or economical with the facts.

If that was a valid way to extend time in the US then thousands of people would do it, therefore the rules state that if you visit a neighbouring country and re-enter the US then it's still on your original I-94 so nipping in to Canada on your 87th day for anything more than 3 days would mean you'd be overstaying your VWP as soon as you try to re-enter.

[NoLeftTurn 0]

Ah, Ok.

So, how would I get another tourist visa? Would I have to return to Ireland? If that was the case, how long before I could reapply?

[Mrs O. 29]

Ah, Ok.

So, how would I get another tourist visa? Would I have to return to Ireland? If that was the case, how long before I could reapply?

As you clearly know from your post, there is a difference in the length of stay for "visa waiver" and "tourist visa". If you enter on a visa waiver you can't legally stay longer than 90 days. If you apply for a tourist visa in Ireland and enter with that, you are generally allowed to stay longer than 3 months, the length of stay stamped on your passport is at the discretion of the immigration officer at the entry point. I am in no way an expert in this matter but speaking from my own experience it has been a maximum of 6 months. All the times I visited from Ireland, it was stamped that I could stay up to 6 months but I never had cause to stay longer than 3 weeks.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

Tourist visa is not the same at the Visa Waiver Program. I suggest you read up on your terms.

VWP allows the traveler to seek admittance for up to 90 days without a specific visa.

Tourist visa is applied for at the consulate and one can seek admission for up to 180 days (not six months I believe)

Simply wanting to spend more time in the US is not a valid reason to be granted a tourist visa.

Good luck

[Boiler 45,520]

It is 6 months, whether he could get a B2 is another issue.

[NoLeftTurn 0]

Thanks for the info guys.

What problems and pitfalls might one come up against when applying for the B2?

Will I have to show bank account, go for a medical and do an interview, that kind of stuff?

Info on this is quite light. I think I read that I have to apply 6 months before I go, is this the case?

Many thanks

[Boiler 45,520]

Explaining why 90 days is not enough.

[canadian_wife 1,822]

Why is 90 days not enough? What did you tell your place of employment to get 6 months off work? How can you support yourself? Do you have travel insurance? Where will you stay? What can you show me that indicates you MUST return to the UK?

Good luck

[NoLeftTurn 0]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the info. The B2 is a no go for me so.

Ok, so, if I decide I want to stay longer than 3 months in the US, do I need to return to Ireland and apply for another Visa waiver, or can I do it from somewhere else?

I understand now that I can't do it from Canada or Mexico, but what about somewhere in the Caribbean?

Cheers

[dvc 11]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the info. The B2 is a no go for me so.

Ok, so, if I decide I want to stay longer than 3 months in the US, do I need to return to Ireland and apply for another Visa waiver, or can I do it from somewhere else?

I understand now that I can't do it from Canada or Mexico, but what about somewhere in the Caribbean?

Cheers

Same thing applies to all of the following:

Anguilla, Antigua, Aruba, Bahamas, Barbados, Barbuda, Bermuda, Bonaire, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, Cuba, Curacao, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guadeloupe, Haiti, Jamaica, Marie-Galantine, Martinique, Miquelon, Montserrat, Saba, Saint Barthelemy, Saint Christopher, Saint Eustatius, Saint Kitts-Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Maarten, Saint Martin, Saint Pierre, Saint Vincent and Grenadines, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands, and other British, French and Netherlands territory or possessions bordering on the Caribbean Sea

[Lainie B 465]

Hi guys,

Thanks for all the info. The B2 is a no go for me so.

Ok, so, if I decide I want to stay longer than 3 months in the US, do I need to return to Ireland and apply for another Visa waiver, or can I do it from somewhere else?

I understand now that I can't do it from Canada or Mexico, but what about somewhere in the Caribbean?

Cheers

Check out the link I sent you. Caribbean won't work. Even if it would, CBP don't like it when people misuse the VWP by leaving the US after 90 days and then returning very shortly afterwards. You run a strong risk of being denied entry.

The B2 is not as hard to get as some believe. The refusal rate for Ireland last year was 13.9%. You would need to show you can fund a 6-month stay in the US. and you would need to show ties to your home country. The risk is that if you are denied, then you won't be able to use the VWP.

http://travel.state.gov/content/dam/visas/Statistics/Non-Immigrant-Statistics/RefusalRates/FY13.pdf

[Boiler 45,520]

MAY not be able to use the VWP.

Big difference.