Girlfriend visiting me in USA for the first time

[FluffyBalls 52]

Hey everyone, 

 

I met a Chinese girl online a while back (>6 months) and we figured we'll take a chance and meet for the first time this fall. She will come to visit me in the USA. Most of the questions I've read on this forum deal with getting a B1/B2 visa, but my friend already has a B1/B2 visa that she got for business travel for a previous job (she never ended up having to travel to the USA.) So the visa is not the issue, or so I thought. But now I realize that on top of her getting grilled at the embassy, she can also get hassled at the airport. Here's the situation:

• She'll be here for eight days, bought a round-trip ticket 
• She'll be arriving at one of the major international airports (JFK, ORD, SFO etc.)
• She was planning on flying to my city after arriving in the USA, spending a few nights at a hotel nearby, and then at my place if everything goes okay. We are planning on driving down to the city of the airport the day before for sightseeing. So no intra-US return ticket.
• She has a good job, one kid, a car etc. back in China.
• She'll have all my contact info and address
• She is 6 years older than me (I am 33, she is 39).

 

Is there anything we can do to avoid getting hassled, besides being honest? If asked, can she just say "I'm here to meet my boyfriend for the first time"? Obviously marriage is out of the question and she absolutely needs to go back to China after a week due insufficient vacation time.

 

Thanks. 

 

 

[az2014 381]

She already has the visa so has done the hard part.

 

At the POE tell her to be honest but not volunteer any infornation.

 

She should be fine.

[geowrian 22,335]

Exactly as above. She just needs to be calm and confident, and answer all questions fully, honestly, and respectfully. She doesn't need to volunteer information (but obviously don't come off as trying to hide information either).

 

While I'm a USC and guaranteed entry so it's different...I always see other USCs (and LPRs) getting held up in line for what I assume are benign reasons. Sometimes it's just luck how much hassle you will get. Otherwise, being cool and collected goes a long way.

 

I wouldn't anticipate any issues, but she should still carry proof of her ties to return home.

[FluffyBalls 52]

Thanks guys for the replies. 

I feel a bit better, but still a little nervous (and she doesn't arrive for another two months, yikes). 

 

As a side note, could there be any issue with her B1/B2 visa? She got it for business purposes at her previous company, but changed jobs before ever traveling to the USA?

[geowrian 22,335]

1 minute ago, FluffyBalls said:

Thanks guys for the replies. 

I feel a bit better, but still a little nervous (and she doesn't arrive for another two months, yikes). 

 

As a side note, could there be any issue with her B1/B2 visa? She got it for business purposes at her previous company, but changed jobs before ever traveling to the USA?

Good luck!

 

If it's a B1/B2 visa and is still valid, then there's no issue. If it was just a B1 then her entry would need to be for a business purpose.

[FluffyBalls 52]

3 minutes ago, geowrian said:

Good luck!

 

If it's a B1/B2 visa and is still valid, then there's no issue. If it was just a B1 then her entry would need to be for a business purpose.

Thanks! Yes, it's definitely a B1/B2 visa that'll be valid when she arrives. 

 

Funny enough, this doesn't appear to worry her in the slightest when I mentioned it - haha. Thanks again.