What is meant by 'A reasonable amount in between visits' when travelling to the states?

[racheldrake200666 0]

Hello there, I'm sorry if this doesn't make much sense its my first post on here.

Basically I am English and I am dating a US citizen and we have been dating for about a year now. After watching boarder control I have become very concerned of the amount of time I am spending in the states and scared that they may turn me away.

This year I have visited April for ten days, June for ten days and then August/ September for 25 days.

I am now planning on going back towards the end of November (Around the 23rd) Until the 10th September which means I would of spent around ten weeks outside the US. I am currently a nursing student at university hence being able to have so much holiday... I also have a bank job (So I choose the hours I want to work) to fund my trips.

I was wondering if anyone else is in Transatlatlantic relationships and if there visits are similar to mine and how they find it? Or if anyone visits the US often so have any experience? I just really don't wanna be turned away but I'm aware that POE officer always as the right to do so. Once again i'm sorry if this doesn't make sense, hope someone can help or share there own experience.

Thanks

Rachel

[HFM181818 750]

If our border folks don't buy that you really have as much free time as you claim, they could send you back....most people of working age don't get weeks and weeks of vacation...true, it may be different in the UK, but, it's something to consider.

[PhilLuv 43]

You probably need to travel with your Univ program and schedule, as well as work schedule, in case it comes up - your univ program shows your ties with the UK, for all intents and purposes. But who knows.

[racheldrake200666 0]

You probably need to travel with your Univ program and schedule, as well as work schedule, in case it comes up - your univ program shows your ties with the UK, for all intents and purposes. But who knows.

I can do that no problem from university, get them to write a letter when I'm due back in classes in January.... I wouldnt be able to do that for work because i choose my hours.

[PhilLuv 43]

That should be good enough and possibly your payslips (including most recent). Better to be prepared than not. You may not even need them.

[racheldrake200666 0]

That should be good enough and possibly your payslips (including most recent). Better to be prepared than not. You may not even need them.

Yup I can print them all off just incase..

I haven't booked my flight yet but was hoping to book it for the 23rd because its my bf's birthday that week as well as thanks giving so it'd be nice to celebrate that all with him.

Would it be recommended to wait until the first week of December and go then? Although its only a week I guess.

[PhilLuv 43]

I think it makes sense to book your ticket to coincide with his birthday and the festive period here. That shows that you came for his birthday as well as the Thanksgiving. Overall i doubt your coming would be any issue as you have shown you come and leave on the times you have been here. Your apprehension though is well founded.

[Mike-eeh and Odie 193]

As a rule of thumb, try staying out of the USA twice as long or more as you visit. So that if you visit for one month stay out at least 2-3 months. If you visit for 3 months try to stay out 6-9 months.

[Teddy B 17,252]

Rule of thumb that is stated here often is to spend at least the amount of time outside the states as you've previously spent inside the states. One month in the US = at least one month out of the US before attempting return trip.

[Limey 551]

As others have said here, there are no hard and fast rules. The very least is to spend more time outside US than in the US. But that may not be enough...

During our dating period I made a trip to the US in the spring for one month (around 5 months after my previous trip), returned back to UK for 6 weeks and then made another trip to the US. In total I'd spent only one month of the past 7 in the USA when entering for the second trip, but the border guard (at Charlotte NC) flagged it up and said I was "virtually living" in the USA (which obviously was nonsense). I politely said that it was not my intention to spend more than the time I was permitted in the USA, and that I'd only spent one of the past 7 months in the USA and it was was my intention to essentially live there, my last trip would have been for 90 days, not 30. He said at that point that this time he would let me in, but I needed to sort out something more permament. I told him that was in hand (was waiting for my fiances divorce before we could file for K1 which we did during my visit). I did ask him when he thought it would be appropriate for me to visit again after that trip, and he wouldn't answer that - he just said that "there is no such thing as a 'visiting my girlfriend visa' only a tourist visa and that I can't use that to circumvent immigration visa requirements". This seems quite an extreme interpretation and I had no issues when making further trips (though I did one to Canada to avoid another US entry and kept my trips to 3 weeks duration or less and several months apart). I never had any problems at Atlanta, in fact the border people there tended to be very friendly, even when they knew I was visiting a girlfriend.

So just be aware that frequent travel can be a problem and it really depends on the border official. If you read the threads on here some people have spent much more time in the USA than I had, and never been questioned about it.

[racheldrake200666 0]

As others have said here, there are no hard and fast rules. The very least is to spend more time outside US than in the US. But that may not be enough...

During our dating period I made a trip to the US in the spring for one month (around 5 months after my previous trip), returned back to UK for 6 weeks and then made another trip to the US. In total I'd spent only one month of the past 7 in the USA when entering for the second trip, but the border guard (at Charlotte NC) flagged it up and said I was "virtually living" in the USA (which obviously was nonsense). I politely said that it was not my intention to spend more than the time I was permitted in the USA, and that I'd only spent one of the past 7 months in the USA and it was was my intention to essentially live there, my last trip would have been for 90 days, not 30. He said at that point that this time he would let me in, but I needed to sort out something more permament. I told him that was in hand (was waiting for my fiances divorce before we could file for K1 which we did during my visit). I did ask him when he thought it would be appropriate for me to visit again after that trip, and he wouldn't answer that - he just said that "there is no such thing as a 'visiting my girlfriend visa' only a tourist visa and that I can't use that to circumvent immigration visa requirements". This seems quite an extreme interpretation and I had no issues when making further trips (though I did one to Canada to avoid another US entry and kept my trips to 3 weeks duration or less and several months apart). I never had any problems at Atlanta, in fact the border people there tended to be very friendly, even when they knew I was visiting a girlfriend.

So just be aware that frequent travel can be a problem and it really depends on the border official. If you read the threads on here some people have spent much more time in the USA than I had, and never been questioned about it.

Hey Thanks for your reply.. so on your second visit did he eventually let you in after further questioning or did you get sent home??

May I ask did you have 'sufficient ties back in England'?

How many times a year have you been back and forth?

I'm sorry for all the questions I guess its just nice talking to someone who's been in a transatlantic relationship.

Once again, thanks everyone!

[az2014 381]

You are worrying over nothing.

I have spent 3 weeks in January, one week in March, one week in April (out of USA for 9 days between these 2 visits, 4 weeks in June, 5 days in August, and will be going again at the end of next month for 2 weeks.

Flying from UK, on a B2 visa, always said staying with girlfriend if asked, never had problems.

[racheldrake200666 0]

You are worrying over nothing.

I have spent 3 weeks in January, one week in March, one week in April (out of USA for 9 days between these 2 visits, 4 weeks in June, 5 days in August, and will be going again at the end of next month for 2 weeks.

Flying from UK, on a B2 visa, always said staying with girlfriend if asked, never had problems.

Ohh okay, thanks so much for your reply! Glad you've not experienced any problems, thats definitely made me feel much more at ease! Where are you flying to?

[Limey 551]

Hey Thanks for your reply.. so on your second visit did he eventually let you in after further questioning or did you get sent home??

May I ask did you have 'sufficient ties back in England'?

How many times a year have you been back and forth?

I'm sorry for all the questions I guess its just nice talking to someone who's been in a transatlantic relationship.

Once again, thanks everyone!

He let me in, bit of a finger wagging, for my next visit we met up in Canada so i didn't log a US visit and then next US visit was for 3 weeks and around 4-5 months after my previous one. I got no problems.

I had moved out of my apartment and so was living with parents, but still had a car and a job (I run a company) but I was never asked to show any ties. I also booked up a visit to my brother in Portugal that was after my return to the UK from the US... I had a copy of this itinery too (if the immigration officer asked for proof I was returning home I thought itinery of my upcoming Portugal visit would be good evidence).

I did about 3 visits a year for the 2 years before we married.

I've seen very few people on here denied entry - some have had the finger wagging like me, but I think I've only seen one or two who were actually denied and I think in one case they had no return flight, which is a condition of ESTA I believe. So don't worry too much.

[racheldrake200666 0]

Hey everyone! I found I passed my exam so I could go out to placement as soon as I finished my clinical placements, I've booked to go 15th November till the 7th January so I am hoping that I don't experience any problems.