I don't want to go the language camp anymore. Can I still visit my friend?

[Mykyta 1]

Hi! Recently my friend got a b-2 type US visa for 6 months (She is from Ukraine). When she was applying, the purpose was to attend a language camp and live under "homestay" conditions, so the visa came with the annotation like "Name of the camp", HOMESTAY, CITY, STATE, and that the reason is to study English. After she received her visa, the plans have changed and she does not want to go to the camp (after further research we figured out that the camp does not match her preferences). She doesn't care about losing her deposit (which she paid for the camp), but she still wants to go to the US to see her friend (it is me) and stay with me for a couple weeks. Is it possible to visit the US for tourist purposes, but ignore the annotation and do not attend English courses? If not, what to do if she wants to come here anyway? 

Please, help!!!

 

Thank you!

[RJandHamid 1,133]

Coming to the US but then not attending the camp sounds like a very risky thing to do. An immigration officer at POE will likely see that annotation on her visa and ask her what her purpose is in visiting the US. If she says she wants to attend the camp, but has intentional plans not to attend, then she is lying to the immigration officer (never ever recommended to lie). If she is honest and says she doesn't intend to go to the camp, then she may be denied entry due to the specific conditions of the visa. 

[EmilyW 1,514]

My understanding is that these types of annotations are advisory only and information for the CBP to be aware of at POE.  As @RJandHamid said, she needs to be truthful to the CBP and tell them she has no intention of attending the camp.  They then determine whether to let her in or not.  The suspicion will be that she used the camp as a way to get the visa and to gain access to the US.  That the true and original intention of her visa application was to spend time with her 'friend', the camp being a ruse to add some legitimacy to her application.

 

Maybe she should contact the consulate, explain the change in circumstances and they might change the annotation in the visa.  That way, she is being upfront and honest about her intentions.

 

 

Edited March 16, 2018 by EmilyW
Added additional information.

[Boiler 45,932]

She needs to reapply and get a B2 without the annotation.

[gregcrs2 1,778]

First impression...language camp was used as a means to get a B2 visa.  

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

47 minutes ago, EmilyW said:

My understanding is that these types of annotations are advisory only and information for the CBP to be aware of at POE.  As @RJandHamid said, she needs to be truthful to the CBP and tell them she has no intention of attending the camp.  They then determine whether to let her in or not.  The suspicion will be that she used the camp as a way to get the visa and to gain access to the US.  That the true and original intention of her visa application was to spend time with her 'friend', the camp being a ruse to add some legitimacy to her application.

 

Maybe she should contact the consulate, explain the change in circumstances and they might change the annotation in the visa.  That way, she is being upfront and honest about her intentions.

 

 

 

43 minutes ago, Boiler said:

She needs to reapply and get a B2 without the annotation.

One or both of these.

it seems to me to be pretty rare to get a visa with an annotation like this, so while it may only be an advisory technically (I don’t know this for a fact, just going with what Emily says) it  also seems to be an indication that the visa would not have been granted othedwise. Hence ..I agree with this:

 

43 minutes ago, gregcrs2 said:

First impression...language camp was used as a means to get a B2 visa.  

 

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

2 hours ago, Mykyta said:

Hi! Recently my friend got a b-2 type US visa for 6 months (She is from Ukraine). When she was applying, the purpose was to attend a language camp and live under "homestay" conditions, so the visa came with the annotation like "Name of the camp", HOMESTAY, CITY, STATE, and that the reason is to study English. After she received her visa, the plans have changed and she does not want to go to the camp (after further research we figured out that the camp does not match her preferences). She doesn't care about losing her deposit (which she paid for the camp), but she still wants to go to the US to see her friend (it is me) and stay with me for a couple weeks. Is it possible to visit the US for tourist purposes, but ignore the annotation and do not attend English courses? If not, what to do if she wants to come here anyway? 

Please, help!!!

 

Thank you!

Also, do you mean that the total validity (expiry date) of the visa is 6 months from issue? That kind of very limited validity is typical for annotated visas, and if so that’s another indication that it was only intended for/issued because of the language camp. 

[az2014 381]

Its pretty clear what the visa was issued for, very specific in fact.

 

Any other reason and at the POE she's just making it easy for CBP to deny her entry.

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

Also to state what is obvious to us here but OP Mykyta may not realize, if she is denied admission on entry or is found to be lying to a CBP officer, it will be almost impossible for her to ever get another tourist visa to the US.

[Sunnyland 639]

So in other words she lied to the embassy saying she wanted to attend a camp but the real motive was to visit a "friend". Interesting.

[Roel 7,193]

Pretty sure they will question her a lot.

[EmilyW 1,514]

So I'm guessing language camp is back on then...? 

[Mykyta 1]

Nobody lied to anyone. Imagine a person having this issue and who under certain circumstances don’t want to attend it. For example, I have a desire to study English in the US, it’s currently October, so I’m planning ahead in order to have the visa in May in order to leave in July. However, as time goes, I realize that I’m taking 18 credits every quarter, and when it’s already June, I’m mentally frustrated and I understand that I won’t be able to handle other 3 month of studying. Additionally, I will be experiencing cultural shock, so I will probably start stressing out, give up, change the ticket and leave the next day. Consequences: Wasted time on getting visa and wasted money on buying those courses and further appointments to psychiatrist. 

So I’m thinking. Did I do this for nothing? I still know a girl there who can show me the city and my “study” trip can possibly  turns into two week vacation in the US.

 

What should a person like this do, if the  situation looks like a ruse?

 

Thank you!

[Boiler 45,932]

Apply for a B2 to visit.

[RJandHamid 1,133]

Quote

I still know a girl there who can show me the city and my “study” trip can possibly  turns into two week vacation in the US.

But if they follow through with this, then (even if they didn't lie to the CO in the initial interview for the visa and fully planned on attending the camp at that point), they will be lying to the CPB officer when they ask her what the purpose of her trip to the USA is. If there is an annotation about the camp on the visa, CPB will almost certainly ask about it. If she tells them she is attending the camp, but in her mind is planning on visiting you instead, then she will end up in a lie. Is it possible that she could lie and immigration never finds out? Maybe, but why risk potential bans or inadmissibility? She should contact the embassy where she received the initial visa and explain the situation to them. Maybe they will grant her a new visa without those conditions, maybe not. Either way I would not advise her to go through with the plan of ditching the camp and visiting you instead unless she gets a new B2 visa.