Port of Entry….length of stay determination

[Anniecia 0]

Question: I recently visited the US with my husband and son age 1. We were ask how many cash we had and how long we are planning to stay. I said for a month that we were ask who are we going to visit in said families. We were given only one month. Why? This was not a problem though cause that's the initial time we wanted but normally you should be granted 6 months. Anyway I wanted to visit my friend in California nx month would that be a problem is it too soon I just came back July 8. Please help any advice will be appreciated.

[Unlockable 7,315]

39 minutes ago, Anniecia said:

Question: I recently visited the US with my husband and son age 1. We were ask how many cash we had and how long we are planning to stay. I said for a month that we were ask who are we going to visit in said families. We were given only one month. Why? This was not a problem though cause that's the initial time we wanted but normally you should be granted 6 months. Anyway I wanted to visit my friend in California nx month would that be a problem is it too soon I just came back July 8. Please help any advice will be appreciated.

Hi,

 

This thread is 4 years old. I will request to have it split. In the future, please try not to reply to threads that has not been active. You are free to start you own discussion.

 

To answer your question, you got only a months time because that is what you told the officer. The biggest misconception people with tourist visas have is that they themselves get to choose how long they are in the US. This is not true. It is the officer who decides how long a person can stay in the US. Yes, it is true that it is usually 6 months. This is more of a safety net. But it is never a guarantee.

 

We have seen people who expected to be here for a certain time and only being allowed in for shorter than they planned. Then they have to change their plans to accommodate the time the officer gave them.

 

Sometimes when people have many frequent trips in and out the US it can trigger suspicion. This could also be a reason for the officers action. For example, if you come to the US for 4 weeks every odd month, then after a year you would have accumulated 6 months stay in the US, which is a no-no. I don’t think it will be a problem for you to go see your friend in Cali if it is a short duration trip, But I wouldn’t attempt it if you plan on it being a few months stay. 

[milimelo 4,553]

~Topic split from 4 yr old thread. ~

[Roel 7,193]

1 hour ago, Anniecia said:

Question: I recently visited the US with my husband and son age 1. We were ask how many cash we had and how long we are planning to stay. I said for a month that we were ask who are we going to visit in said families. We were given only one month. Why? This was not a problem though cause that's the initial time we wanted but normally you should be granted 6 months. Anyway I wanted to visit my friend in California nx month would that be a problem is it too soon I just came back July 8. Please help any advice will be appreciated.

If you were only given 1 months then obviously the officer didn't like something about your case. Going to the US again this soon you might face additional issues. 

 

6 months is average time allowed, but no one said everyone HAS to be allowed to stay that long. 

[Going through 5,671]

2 hours ago, Anniecia said:

Question: I recently visited the US with my husband and son age 1. We were ask how many cash we had and how long we are planning to stay. I said for a month that we were ask who are we going to visit in said families. We were given only one month. Why? This was not a problem though cause that's the initial time we wanted but normally you should be granted 6 months. Anyway I wanted to visit my friend in California nx month would that be a problem is it too soon I just came back July 8. Please help any advice will be appreciated.

You just answered your own question. As you said, it's not an issue since you were planning on staying only that length of time anyhow.

Edited July 27, 2018 by Going through

[WeGuyGal 1,052]

Another trip a month later isn't a good idea.  But if you must, be prepared for the possibility of a short entry again, or a denied entry and sent back on the next flight home. You're already on CBP's radar..

[Anniecia 0]

Thanks for your advice, any reason why the short entry though? I have one lyrics travelled twice. First for two weeks and I spent onky the two weeks even though they gave me six months. Then nx my last trip with my husband and son they gave me onky one month.

[Roel 7,193]

We don't know what's inside this officers heads. 

They flagged you for whatever reason. 

[SusieQQQ 11,587]

1 minute ago, Anniecia said:

Thanks for your advice, any reason why the short entry though? I have one lyrics travelled twice. First for two weeks and I spent onky the two weeks even though they gave me six months. Then nx my last trip with my husband and son they gave me onky one month.

Like someone said, something must have concerned the CBP officer. Not enough to refuse you entry, but to limit your stay. From what I understand it’s also fairly unusual to be asked how much money you have - not unheard of but not a common question. I travelled many times, I usually got 6 months but a couple of times I only got 3 months. I never worried about it because I always stayed far less than that.

[Anniecia 0]

Thanks again guys. I think I will wait until nx year to visit her. Thanks for all your replies.

[Going through 5,671]

1 hour ago, Anniecia said:

Thanks for your advice, any reason why the short entry though? I have one lyrics travelled twice. First for two weeks and I spent onky the two weeks even though they gave me six months. Then nx my last trip with my husband and son they gave me onky one month.

Could be a number of things----

 

1) how you answered the question of "how much cash do you have?" ---- if the officer felt you had a lot of cash on you for only a stated 1 month trip, this can work against you.

2) how recently you just traveled to the States (if you just came back from the previous 2-week trip).

3) if you had a lot of luggage with you (may make the officer think you were planning to overstay)

4) whatever reason the officer had

 

Also---your profile says you've filed for the EB-1 visa (unless this was in error)....possible the officer thought you were bringing over your husband and child with you to all remain in the US together.

Edited July 27, 2018 by Going through

[Anniecia 0]

2 hours ago, Going through said:

Could be a number of things----

 

1) how you answered the question of "how much cash do you have?" ---- if the officer felt you had a lot of cash on you for only a stated 1 month trip, this can work against you.

2) how recently you just traveled to the States (if you just came back from the previous 2-week trip).

3) if you had a lot of luggage with you (may make the officer think you were planning to overstay)

4) whatever reason the officer had

 

Also---your profile says you've filed for the EB-1 visa (unless this was in error)....possible the officer thought you were bringing over your husband and child with you to all remain in the US together.

Hi, yes that's an error it's a B2 visiting visa ten years my first travel was in 2014 I spend two weeks and this second trip is now 2018. I spent one mont the cash was Us$580. The first time I travelled was with my daughter and now with my son and husband. She was still going school so she couldn't make the trip. School was not yet on holiday. Thanks