Spending summer in the US - how much money do I need to bring?!

[Nymphadora 1]

I'm going to spend this coming summer in the US together with my boyfriend. I'm leaving 3rd of june, and I return back to sweden on the 29th of august.

I'll live at my boyfriends house, and he lives at home still so I won't need any money for hotels or to rent a car or stuff like that.

I just need pocket money, and we're going to live cheap this summer.

I was planning to bring about 700-800 USD for my stay. Will that be enough? I'm not planning to do a lot of shopping at all.

Im used to cheap living, since I'm a poor student.

I'm so worried that the immigrant officer may think that this is not enough money, and send me back to Sweden.

I'm not going to work illegal either, it's just that I don't have a lot of money to bring.

I would really appreciate your opinions in this matter!

Thanks!

[aaydrian 479]

Immigration doesn't care how much money you're going to have during your vacation or even enter the US with (as long you're not traveling with US $10,000 undeclared). The only thing that matters is not working (includes simple paid/unpaid babysitting or volunteering) on your visitor's visa and not over-staying.

Best travels and happy vacation.

[jaycali 415]

I visited my ex gf for the summer back in 2004 and lived at her house. I had about $1,000 not including airfare and did just fine.

Coming from Scandinavia you'll notice the US is a really cheap place to visit in comparison. Prices are about 30% lower on average than in Scandinavia.

IMO, if you're not planning to shop much out go on big excursions, you'll be fine.

CBP (immigration) might ask how much you're bringing and how you plan to support yourself but my experience is that's not common when traveling on the VWP.

Edited April 10, 2012 by jaejayC

[Nymphadora 1]

Thank you so much for your answers!

It makes me feel more calm.

It's just that some people tell me that I'm never gonna make it with only 700USD and that the immigrant officers will get suspicious and that's my worst nightmare, that they'd send me back to Sweden. :/

I've heard from everyone that I've asked that it's a lot cheaper in the US, compared to Scandinavia, so that is a good thing.

I hope to be able to bring a little bit more than 700USD, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to make that money before I go.

I probably should aim to have 1000USD with me, then...

I just want to be on the safe side.

[Noah Lot 391]

You might consider transferring to a college in Costa Rica...I hear that the entire population gets 6 months of paid annual leave with no questions asked....sounds a whole lot better than Sweden! (not!)....

I doubt you will have any issues...Swedes are not a culture whose demographic includes overstaying, mind changing and taking up unauthorized employment (like some other cultures I know of)...

best of luck

[Nymphadora 1]

You might consider transferring to a college in Costa Rica...I hear that the entire population gets 6 months of paid annual leave with no questions asked....sounds a whole lot better than Sweden! (not!)....

I doubt you will have any issues...Swedes are not a culture whose demographic includes overstaying, mind changing and taking up unauthorized employment (like some other cultures I know of)...

best of luck

That's what I thought too.

But I read in another forum about this matter, and the answers there are much more negative! Ant that worries me.

Some people say that because I'm a girl, I'm young, I don't have any work certificate to show and now certificate for studies that binds me to Sweden, I'll stay at my boyfriend's house for almost 3 months, and that will make the immigrant officers suspicious and that they may send me back home immediately. :/

And it worries me that I don't really have any "paper evidence" that ties me to Sweden. All I have is my family. And I have no intention at all to overstay in the US.

[RyLu 0]

It's kinda hard to say if you're gonna be able to manage on that amount of money or not. It does sound too little to me (I'm a big spender tho), but like you said, you're use to live cheap so you could be fine

My first trip to the states was with my best friend in 2009. We stayed for almost 3 months. We only brought $100 cash with us since we didn't want to run around with a lot of cash on us. And you can pay with your Visa or get cash in the ATM for about a $2-3 fee each time.

Anyways, going thru the customs was the easiest thing ever. The guy was the nicest one I've had so far. He was talking to us both at the same time, joking saying "Oh, two young swedes on vacation in California can only mean trouble! Have a great trip!!". Didn't ask anything about how much money we had.

My two other trips has been to visit my, at the time, boyfriend. Went for 1-2 months. I was just honest and said I was visiting family and friends. They asked what family. I said my boyfriend. They asked for his name and where he worked. I didnt bring cash at all, and they never asked about my money. None of the times have I had any documents to show I'm bound to Sweden. Only my return ticket.

I don't understand where your worry comes from Relax!! And good luck!

[Boiler 45,666]

Last time I entered as a Visitor I had no US Currency on me. Not a lot of GBP either.

[Nymphadora 1]

It's kinda hard to say if you're gonna be able to manage on that amount of money or not. It does sound too little to me (I'm a big spender tho), but like you said, you're use to live cheap so you could be fine

My first trip to the states was with my best friend in 2009. We stayed for almost 3 months. We only brought $100 cash with us since we didn't want to run around with a lot of cash on us. And you can pay with your Visa or get cash in the ATM for about a $2-3 fee each time.

Anyways, going thru the customs was the easiest thing ever. The guy was the nicest one I've had so far. He was talking to us both at the same time, joking saying "Oh, two young swedes on vacation in California can only mean trouble! Have a great trip!!". Didn't ask anything about how much money we had.

My two other trips has been to visit my, at the time, boyfriend. Went for 1-2 months. I was just honest and said I was visiting family and friends. They asked what family. I said my boyfriend. They asked for his name and where he worked. I didnt bring cash at all, and they never asked about my money. None of the times have I had any documents to show I'm bound to Sweden. Only my return ticket.

I don't understand where your worry comes from Relax!! And good luck!

I'm hoping to be able to bring more than 700USD, though, since I'm going to by some summer clothes over there, since everything's cheaper in the US compared to Sweden. Perhaps 1000USD would be better to bring?

I worry, because I'm looking forward to this trip. I'm so excited about it, and my worst nightmare is that they'd send me back to Sweden at the boarder.

I've nothing to hide, and I'm not going to work illegal or overstay. I'm worried that it doesn't seem like that, since I'm young, I don't have any evidence about things that ties me to Sweden, and I'm staying there for almost 3 months. And some people's comments about this matter scares me, because to them it seems like I'm not going to make it. :/

[jaycali 415]

That's what I thought too.But I read in another forum about this matter, and the answers there are much more negative! Ant that worries me.Some people say that because I'm a girl, I'm young, I don't have any work certificate to show and now certificate for studies that binds me to Sweden, I'll stay at my boyfriend's house for almost 3 months, and that will make the immigrant officers suspicious and that they may send me back home immediately. :/And it worries me that I don't really have any "paper evidence" that ties me to Sweden. All I have is my family. And I have no intention at all to overstay in the US.

Calm down.

Here's what will likely happen and I speak from experience. You'll be nervous about this for the next few months. You'll exit the plane in the US and enter immigration. The CBP officer will scan your passport, and ask you "what's your purpose of traveling today?" You'll tell him you're visitng, he'll ask you some very general questions and you'll be at baggage claim before you know it. You'll then think to yourself "that was it!? I worried for months about that!? "

I've been to the US on the VWP probably 15 times. I've been nervous too. Hey, it's a long and expensive flight, and there are horror stories out there of detention and ruined vacations. But I have never, ever been asked to provide any evidence of finances or ties to Norway at all. (But lord knows I've had plenty of employers write me letters through the years.)

When you read about these things online, you don't get a realistic picture for your situation. Information online is often very general, and typically tend to prepare you for worst case scenarios.

By general I mean info online typically makes no difference as to whether you're from Sweden, or some highly unstable third world country. Obviously to an immigration officer, a young girl traveling alone from Sweden and Africa are two very different things.

To even participate in the VWP, the country must have a visa refusal rate of less than 3%, well-functioning government agencies and be a stable, high income economy. This alone takes away most suspicion of immigrant intent or insufficient finances. Meaning, as long as you have a return flight and coherent travel plans, there is nothing to suggest that a young Swedish girl is likely to be running away from a horrible life in Sweden. They have bigger fish to worry about than you. In essence, whatever you read online about certain profiles, you don't fit that profile.

Unless you specifically tell the CBP officer that you barely have money, I'm 95% certain they won't even ask.

So look forward to your trip, don't work or overstay, and have a great summer!!

Edited April 11, 2012 by jaejayC

[Penguin_ie 5,994]

Usually if you have a credit card on you, they won;t even ask how much is in the account.

[aaydrian 479]

I'm hoping to be able to bring more than 700USD, though, since I'm going to by some summer clothes over there, since everything's cheaper in the US compared to Sweden. Perhaps 1000USD would be better to bring?

I worry, because I'm looking forward to this trip. I'm so excited about it, and my worst nightmare is that they'd send me back to Sweden at the boarder.

I've nothing to hide, and I'm not going to work illegal or overstay. I'm worried that it doesn't seem like that, since I'm young, I don't have any evidence about things that ties me to Sweden, and I'm staying there for almost 3 months. And some people's comments about this matter scares me, because to them it seems like I'm not going to make it. :/

First and foremost relax. If you don't do anything illegal you won't have anything to fret about. Second, students travel to the US all the time to spend their entire summer (3 months with no evidence) vacation without any hassle. If you're truthful about your intentions (when they ask), passing through immigration will be a breeze.

Now as for the amount of spending money. Bring what YOU feel is enough. At the end of your stay, you will know if you need to bring more, the same or less cash for your next trip. This is my view because this will be your maiden voyage to the US and so full of learning experiences. You will know how thrifty you can be or how extravagant. What will in the end determine if $700 or $20,000 is enough are: the state/city in which you stay, the type of things you will do for fun, your taste in clothes, where your boyfriend and his family/friends tell you are 'good shopping places' and how well you can manage your money (considering that the US is cheaper than Sweden [perception-you may be disappointed it's not as affordable as you thought] you could get excited and spend your cash too quickly).

Edited April 11, 2012 by aaydrian

[jaycali 415]

where your boyfriend and his family/friends tell you are 'good shopping places' and how well you can manage your money (considering that the US is cheaper than Sweden [perception-you may be disappointed it's not as affordable as you thought] you could get excited and spend your cash too quickly).

Excellent point.

[lucybelle 453]

You might consider transferring to a college in Costa Rica...I hear that the entire population gets 6 months of paid annual leave with no questions asked....sounds a whole lot better than Sweden! (not!)....

I doubt you will have any issues...Swedes are not a culture whose demographic includes overstaying, mind changing and taking up unauthorized employment (like some other cultures I know of)...

best of luck

Seriously. . .

[mmlz 6]

Immigration doesn't care how much money you're going to have during your vacation or even enter the US with (as long you're not traveling with US $10,000 undeclared). The only thing that matters is not working (includes simple paid/unpaid babysitting or volunteering) on your visitor's visa and not over-staying.

Best travels and happy vacation.

Actually they DO care how much money you have AND what kind of ties you have to your home country. We lost $1,200 because my then boyfriend was turned away at POE for not having proof of being able to support himself while here. We knew nothing about the requirements in place to use the VWP at the time. We thought you could just come as long as you were from a VWP country and had a return ticket that was not further than 90 days from arrival. NOT the case.

Good luck to the OP, hopefully you'll have no problems, but I'd be prepared and do my "homework" on the requirements of people using VWP to come for an extended visit to the US.