Volunteering

[Rheanna 0]

Hi, can anyone help me please. I'm a British citizen and I'm planning to head to usa to volunteer and help with hurricane Helena. I'm travelling to north carolina. I'm in the process of filling out an application on ESTA and I'm waiting for my invitation from the charity. What I'm confused and stuck with is what else I need to enter the US. I'll be there for 42 days. 

[appleblossom 2,546]

3 minutes ago, Rheanna said:

Hi, can anyone help me please. I'm a British citizen and I'm planning to head to usa to volunteer and help with hurricane Helena. I'm travelling to north carolina. I'm in the process of filling out an application on ESTA and I'm waiting for my invitation from the charity. What I'm confused and stuck with is what else I need to enter the US. I'll be there for 42 days. 

 

Good travel insurance will be vital. And a return flight and a hotel booking of course.

 

Other than that, that'll be all you need - maybe proof that it's genuine volunteering (i.e. not admin work or anything anybody could be paid for), but I assume the invitation from the charity will cover that. And you might want to take a bank statement to show you have enough funds to live on for the 42 days just in case you're asked for it.

 

Good luck and well done for volunteering, I hope that Milton doesn't make things much worse. 

[Boiler 45,525]

Generally the VWP only allows you to volunteer for positions where no one would ever be paid, unclear if this is the case.

 

Think Soup Kitchen

[Rheanna 0]

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

Generally the VWP only allows you to volunteer for positions where no one would ever be paid, unclear if this is the case.

 

Think Soup Kitchen

I'm not getting paid by the charity 

[appleblossom 2,546]

15 minutes ago, Rheanna said:

I'm not getting paid by the charity 

 

It's not whether you specifically ar getting paid, it's whether anybody could ever be paid for the same role i.e. if you were doing a driving job that the charity would normally pay for. So as long as it's genuine volunteer work and they never compensate anybody for it (and you're not being compensated in any other way i.e. with accommodation) then it should be fine. 

[smilingstone 175]

As others advise, please make sure this is all in line with the requirements of the VWP. Check things with the organisation to ensure both you and them are able to arrange this.

 

Tourism is for tourism, which isn't voluntary work. Last thing you want is to lie at the POE or to be denied entry.