Norwegian, B2 for 6 months to visit US bf?

[Juliet85 2]

I've been with my bf for 8 months and we keep traveling back and forth to see each other, but it's getting quite expensive. We don't want to get engaged or married yet so I'm trying to find other options to be together for an extended time. I can go there for 90 days with a visa waiver but I'd really like to be there for 6 months and it seems like B2 is my best option, but from what I'm reading here on the boards it looks difficult. Here's my situation:

 

Family ties: I have a very strong and unusually close relationship with my parents and my mother is not in good health so I don't want to live in a different country, 6 months is the absolute maximum for me. 

Money: I have a part time job at a bookstore, but I also recieve a $1000 disability check per month (I'm disabled but have the ability to work some) which I will still recieve during my US visit, so I can support myself and also don't need to work while I'm there. Also, Norwegian salaries are about twice as high as US salaries, so entering to get a job there makes no sense. 

Plans: Stay for free at my boyfriend's house, but he travels for business 3-5 weeks at a time so I want to take this time to see as much of the US as possible by myself and also join him on some of his work trips (North and South America).

Boyfriend plans: we do NOT want to get married and when/if we do, we want to live in Norway because of the many economical benefits here and because of my family. 

 

Do I have a weak case? Is there anything I can do to make it stronger?

[Ontarkie 14,406]

Your ties are actually not that strong. 

 

You say your mother is not in great health but you're willing to leave her for  6 months. 

You don't have a job you need to get back too. 

You have a boyfriend in the US = tie to the US.

 

How much time have you spent in the US so far? The way it looks like right now is you're trying ot spend as much time in the US as possible and that looks like living in the US and not visiting. 

 

If you do try just be warned that if they deny you and can kiss the VWP good bye. 

[geowrian 22,338]

First things first, you should be aware of the risk. If refused any visa, you need to update your ESTA. In most cases, this will result in a denial of the ESTA (at least at this time). So you are basically risking not being able to visit him by applying for the visa. In most people's cases, this is probably not worth it.

 

For the lack of a more precise term, the ties back home are only "okay". Maybe a little below that. Having funds to support yourself is good. Having the past history is very good.

 

Having a US boyfriend is a tie to the US, which is bad. The job won't mean much...if you can leave it for 6 months, it's not exactly a compelling reason to return home.

I suggest having a clear itinerary ready for the interview. Beyond that, there's not really much you can do to make ties.

 

You may want to just make certain that you are still eligible to receive disability if you are outside the country for that long...I don't know how it works there, but many countries require 6+ months of physical presence over a year to qualify for public benefits (healthcare, disability, etc.). I'm not saying it won't qualify...just suggesting you should absolutely get confirmation that it won't be an issue so you aren't surprised later.

 

Edit: And one more important thing...there's no guarantee you would get 6 months duration of stay anyway. CBP might just give you 3 months (or any length of time under 6 months) still.

Edited November 30, 2017 by geowrian

[Juliet85 2]

My mother is stable but it's not likely she will live for more than 5-10 years and I want to be here with her for as much of that time as possible, in other words not move permanently to a different continent - but I see it might be best to leave that out. My network of friends, family and doctors here is something I can take a break from but there is no way I can move permanently from them - but I guess also no way I can prove that on a paper. 

 

As for bringing disability checks to a different country, it's 100% certainly possible and I have checked this thoroughy  

[Unlockable 7,315]

Another case of having an inch and wanting a mile. You realize that coming to the US on VWP is a great privilege that you should be happy to have? Because if you apply for a visitor visa and that is denied, you will no longer be eligible for the VWP. It is kind of like immigration saying "Since you didn't like the offer of coming to the US without having to go through the process of obtaining a visa, you gets nothing now." We see it from time to time here on VJ. There is a member on here that is going through the K1 process now because she used ESTA to come for 90 days, wanted to stay longer, applied for a tourist visa and was denied, then lost her ESTA. She had no idea of the risk of applying for the tourist visa when she had ESTA eligibility and admitted had she known before she would have never applied.

 

My personal advice (and you may find that many on VJ will feel the same) stick to the 90 days of the VWP.

 

You know the saying, "A bird in the hand..."

[Juliet85 2]

Oh, and I forgot to answer one of your questions, Orkantie  I visited for two weeks in july and another two weeks in october. I'll be going back for two weeks this Christmas and then the next time won't be until August which is when I'm hoping to stay longer, either on a visa waiver or B2. I'll settle for the 90 day visa waiver if applying for the B2 is too risky as you both mentioned. 

[Juliet85 2]

NuestraUnion, I see your point. I am just trying to figure out a way to spend more time together without having to get married before we are actually ready. It sucks that the reason I want a B2 (as opposed to K1 for example) is because I don't want it to be permanent, yet the reason I probably won't get it is because they might think I want to make it permanent. But I understand that's the way it goes and if there's nothing I can do about it I will stick to the shorter visits.

Edited November 30, 2017 by Juliet85

[Unlockable 7,315]

Just so you know, no one is saying that you can't apply for a tourist visa. Heck, you may actually get it.

 

It is just the risk of losing it all that you should be aware of.

[az2014 381]

You will not get a B2. Stop being greedy. 90 days is more than enough.

[Juliet85 2]

2 hours ago, az2014 said:

You will not get a B2. Stop being greedy. 90 days is more than enough.

In that case they should stop all tourist visas that last over 90 days because anything beyond that is greedy and unneccessary. 

[JE57 239]

I'm not the expert on here about ESTAs but you mention accompanying him on a business trip to South America.   It seems to me that if the timing of that trip was right you could then re-enter the USA on ESTA after the trip and get an additional 90 days.  I believe you'd want to make sure you had a ticket back home and reasons why you needed to return home documentation.  And then I believe you'd want to be prepared to withdraw your request to enter the USA and fly back if they give you a difficult time.

-

[Jeanne Adil 1,651]

In any case as soon as the officer asks at POE "Who will you visit and who will you stay with?  unless you have reservations at a hotel,  and you say my bf, they can turn you away and say apply for a K1.  your country is not high fraud but the question can  still be asked.   they can assume your intent is to marry here and AOS 

[az2014 381]

1 hour ago, Juliet85 said:

In that case they should stop all tourist visas that last over 90 days because anything beyond that is greedy and unneccessary. 

You are missing the point. You can visit for 90 days without needing a visa. Not everyone is eligible to use the VWP so count yourself lucky, very lucky. Wanting more is being greedy. The rest don't have a choice and have to apply for a visa.

 

Also a B2 visa does NOT guarantee you 6 months. You can be given 1 month, 1 week or even 1 day at the POE.

[Juliet85 2]

7 minutes ago, az2014 said:

You are missing the point. You can visit for 90 days without needing a visa. Not everyone is eligible to use the VWP so count yourself lucky, very lucky. Wanting more is being greedy. The rest don't have a choice and have to apply for a visa.

 

Also a B2 visa does NOT guarantee you 6 months. You can be given 1 month, 1 week or even 1 day at the POE.

Thanks for your opinion, I know I'm not ungrateful for being able to travel with a VWP, I'm simply trying to find other options than getting married too soon and just for the sake of citizenship, or spending $1000 on plane tickets every other month, and there is a type of visa that allows that and so of course I'm interested in looking into it. Sorry if you don't see the difference. 

[gregcrs2 1,778]

OP, based on your posts here, you have been coming to the USA for 2 weeks at a time.  Now you want to come for 6 months.  Seems unusual to want to be in USA for 6 months when you haven't stayed more than a few weeks previously.  Anyway, you've received solid advice here.  You can try for a tourist visa and possibly get that 6 months you want.  Or you can get denied and lose it all.