Extending my stay with ESTA by re-entering?

[Ariannakim 0]

I am going to America at the end of November and I am planning to stay there for the 90 days my ESTA allows. This is more like a gap year for me, or graduation trip. I have a lot of friends here and relatives to visit. This is also an opportunity for me to look at potential companies I could work at. Thus, why I need quotes but if time. Of course I will be flying back to my home country before any plans of moving into the US. 

Is it possible to extend my stay for another 2 months by going out of the country and then applying for another ESTA and re-entering America? Will it be guaranteed? 

 

I have been to the US before, one for my student exchange, and twice my ESTA applications have been approved  over the past 2 years. 

 

Will it also be a problem of showing a return ticket that exceeds more than 90 days that my ESTA allows?

 

 

thanks!! 

[mindthegap 2,607]

13 minutes ago, Ariannakim said:

 

Is it possible to extend my stay for another 2 months by going out of the country

 

No. If you leave to Mexico or Canada, it does not reset the 90 day clock. You cannot extend a VWP entry (without adjusting status or similar).

You must leave (again, not to mexico or canada) and then try to re-enter again as an entirely new entry.

 

13 minutes ago, Ariannakim said:

and then applying for another ESTA and re-entering America?

 

An approved ESTA is valid for two years. You do not need to re-apply every time.

Entry with a valid ESTA is at the discretion of CBP at your POE.

 

13 minutes ago, Ariannakim said:

Will it be guaranteed? 

Nothing is guaranteed...especially with regards to US immigration. 

 

13 minutes ago, Ariannakim said:

Will it also be a problem of showing a return ticket that exceeds more than 90 days that my ESTA allows?

 

Not if you fancy a really short trip!

 

Edited October 16, 2017 by mindthegap

[Ariannakim 0]

3 minutes ago, mindthegap said:

 

An approved ESTA is valid for two years. You do not need to re-apply every time.

Entry with a valid ESTA is at the discretion of CBP at your POE.

Does this mean that once I leave the US, my 90 days resets? Because I have already spent 60 days this summer in America, so in my understanding I would have 30 days left. So I was thinking of applying for another ESTA to get back the 90 days again. 

 

[JFH 12,191]

5 minutes ago, Ariannakim said:

Does this mean that once I leave the US, my 90 days resets? Because I have already spent 60 days this summer in America, so in my understanding I would have 30 days left. So I was thinking of applying for another ESTA to get back the 90 days again. 

 

No. The ESTA approval allows you to board a plane without a visa. Nothing more. Once you arrive you request admission under the VWP (visa waiver program) for 90 days. This can be done as many times as you wish. But no entry is ever guaranteed. You must have a round-trip ticket to make use of the VWP. 

An approved ESTA application does not guarantee admission into the USA. Only American citizens are guaranteed admission. The rest must ask for permission and hope for the best.  

Returning again so soon after a 90-day stay is risky. 

[JFH 12,191]

To clarify, it's 90 days per visit. Not per year.

[mindthegap 2,607]

Just now, JFH said:

Returning again so soon after a 90-day stay is risky. 

 

Especially after a 60 day stay just a few months prior....

[JFH 12,191]

1 minute ago, mindthegap said:

 

Especially after a 60 day stay just a few months prior....

Indeed. So we are already at 150 days before we even think about the third trip. 

 

OP, don't be surprised if you are turned away due to suspected immigration intent.

 

Why spend all of your gap year in one place? Get out and see the world. If you want to spend a longer period here, look into a J-1 visa which is ideal for gap year people. 

[usmsbow 802]

23 minutes ago, mindthegap said:

No. If you leave to Mexico or Canada, it does not reset the 90 day clock. You cannot extend a VWP entry (without adjusting status or similar).

You must leave (again, not to mexico or canada) and then try to re-enter again as an entirely new entry.

You also cannot go to a "nearby island" (i.e. a country in the Caribbean) to reset the 90 day clock. While I believe Central America is OK to reset the clock, I have a hunch it would raise some red flags when you tried to re-enter the USA.  

[Ariannakim 0]

6 hours ago, JFH said:

Indeed. So we are already at 150 days before we even think about the third trip. 

 

OP, don't be surprised if you are turned away due to suspected immigration intent.

 

Why spend all of your gap year in one place? Get out and see the world. If you want to spend a longer period here, look into a J-1 visa which is ideal for gap year people. 

So coming back 4 months later after staying there for 2 months raises some flags ? 

 

Also, just to be sure, I do not need to re-apply for an ESTA right? I went back to my home  country in Germany, so that means instead of 30 days left, it re-clocks back to 90 days?

[Unlockable 7,315]

Yes, when you return you will have another 90 days.

 

Of course frequent trips raises red flags. Too much time in the US will jeopardize your ESTA. You could be denied entry and have your ESTA revoked. Plan accordingly.

 

And to confirm what others said, making trips to neighboring countries do not reset the clock.

[Ariannakim 0]

5 hours ago, NuestraUnion said:

Yes, when you return you will have another 90 days.

 

Of course frequent trips raises red flags. Too much time in the US will jeopardize your ESTA. You could be denied entry and have your ESTA revoked. Plan accordingly.

 

And to confirm what others said, making trips to neighboring countries do not reset the clock.

Hi Thanks for your comment. 

 

I have reconsidered my trip for my gap year. I was thinking of staying in the US for 2 weeks then to Canada for 2-3 weeks to visit other relatives. However, do I have to show the officers a returning ticket where I originally came from? I will be flying from Amsterdam as I am there for my graduation but after Canada I will be flying to Thailand because that is where my parents live, then travel some countries in South East Asia. (Note that i hold a German passport). 

My question is, is showing an outbound ticket of me leaving America to Canada good enough? Since this is all last minute I typically will book tickets a month or so prior to my departure. Or do I have the show  them all the tickets of my planned travel? 

[mindthegap 2,607]

58 minutes ago, Ariannakim said:

do I have to show the officers a returning ticket where I originally came from?

 

No. Return ticket or onward travel out of the US. It does not have to be back to your point of origin.

[broppy 204]

2 hours ago, Ariannakim said:

My question is, is showing an outbound ticket of me leaving America to Canada good enough?

No. Unless you're a resident, outbound tickets to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean don't count - you'll need the onward flight to Thailand too.

[Ariannakim 0]

1 minute ago, broppy said:

No. Unless you're a resident, outbound tickets to Canada, Mexico, Bermuda, or the Caribbean don't count - you'll need the onward flight to Thailand too.

So i would have to show tickets From Amsterdam to America --> America to Canada --> Canada to Thailand?

[broppy 204]

1 minute ago, Ariannakim said:

So i would have to show tickets From Amsterdam to America --> America to Canada --> Canada to Thailand?

Yup (or Canada to pretty much anywhere except Mexico/Bermuda/Caribbean). Or book yourself a return ticket from Amsterdam (within the 90 days), then make the rest of the travel bookings and throw away or cancel the return leg once you've left the US.