Proving ties in the UK

[puredestiny 0]

I'm a UK citizen and am looking to travel to the US for 5 months. I know I need to apply for a B1/B2 visa, but am worried about getting turned down.

 

I am self employed, I run a small publishing company which I have been running for 12 years and have recently formed a Ltd company in the same industry. It is, however, online based with no physical presence.

 

I am 37 years old, female. I am not married and don't have children, but I have lived with my partner for 14 years. My family are all in the UK and I have no family in the USA.

 

I will be travelling to the US to do research for a new book. The research will also assist with my business in the UK as the US is more advanced in my field.

 

I wonder if, based on my circumstances, I will be deemed to have enough ties in the UK? Or will I be seen as a risk factor? What can I do to demonstrate stronger ties?

[Boiler 45,939]

Break it into several trips and use the VWP.

[puredestiny 0]

Hi Boiler. With the visa waiver, would it be a problem coming back in after leaving? 

[Boiler 45,939]

Not as long as you space it out and may not take as long as you think.

[puredestiny 0]

Okay, thanks Boiler. I will do that then rather than take a risk. 

[N-o-l-a 7,168]

I would definitely not risk getting turned down for the B1...it will bar you from using the VWP.

[Boiler 45,939]

Not bar, could make it complicated with a visa refusal.

[puredestiny 0]

If I have my acceptance letter to study the final year at university, will that help?

 

I could split the trip and go in on a waiver each time, but that would mean staying out of the country for another 3 months after leaving, is that correct? This isn't ideal for what i have planned. I'm just weighting up options. 

 

I am dabbling with the idea of applying for an E2 visa later. How does this affect things? Let's say that my trip became a trip based on setting up a business there, do I still need to prove ties in the UK?

 

Below is a what I have read regarding the E2 visa. So basically a business trip to the US under the B1 visa would be used for the purposes of actually setting up the business prior to applying for the E2. So then, how would one approach the B1 visa interview with this being the case?

 

Quote

From the perspective of an E-2 applicant, the drawback of starting a new business is that the necessary expenditures must be made prior to the submission of the visa application. Simply depositing funds in a business account is insufficient to demonstrate that funds have been adequately and irrevocably committed to the business.

 

Edited November 12, 2017 by puredestiny

[Boiler 45,939]

You can do the same things on a B as you can on the VWP.