B2 visa extension - will I be approved?

[mrkat 0]

Hi everyone,

My partner and I have been travelling the world for the past year and a half. We arrived in San Francisco 2 months ago on a 6 month B2 visa and had plans to travel around until August before going to Canada for 3 months and then eventually back to the UK where we both live. Since then however, my partner's mother came to visit for one month and now her sister is here for another month so we've stayed in San Francisco. It is now obvious we won't be able to do all we had planned so want to extend the visa for another 6 months. This will bring us to February but, as it will be freezing in Canada, we would then like to extend another 3-4 months until it is summer and we can enjoy British columbia before going back to the UK.

How likely are we to get the visa extended for 6 months? Is the 3-4 months after that also viable?

When would be the best time to apply for the extension? Would applying 3 months before our current visas expire cause suspisions?

Our situations are... we are a couple but not married, though have a joint account which will show enough money to fund our trip. I run a small business in the UK where I am usually the only worker but I have hired someone to run things while I am away. I have no intention of immigrating to the US and have my business at home to prove this but my partner has no such ties and as we would have to apply separately, as we are not married, will this be a problem?

Thanks for any advice anyone may be able to offer

[Penguin_ie 5,994]

You cannot extend more than once so the extra 3-4 months is impossible.

In my opinion, the 6 months extension is also quite unlikely, as it is meant for extenuating circumstances (you broke a leg and need to recuperate, a US family member is pregnant and you want to be there for the birth), not because you want to sightsee for more than 6 months- remember, the tourist visa is for visiting and tourism, not for living in the USA.

How about going back to the UK now for a few months, then do Canada, then the US again?

Edited April 10, 2013 by Penguin_ie

[canadian_wife 1,823]

I agree, unlikely that you will be approved for an extension.

There are places in Canada that are not freezing you know. Why not go now, it is pleasant there now

good luck

[mrkat 0]

Thanks for the reply. We actually have 2 dogs who we adopted from thailand and brought with us to the US (they couldn't fly to the UK at the time due to UK import regulations) so once we fly back to the UK, it will be for good as we don't want them to fly anymore than they have to and because of the obvious costs involved.

I thought that with a B2 visa you're allowed to stay for a year (though I got 6 months) and then could extend it for 6 months at a time but that they would consider extensions on a case by case basis.

Another option would be for us to leave the US in August, stay in Canada for 3 months and then would it be possible to return to the US after that?

[Penguin_ie 5,994]

No, a B2 is a tourist visa and the max you can be given is 6 months at a time. You are also supposed to be outside the US more than inside in any rolling year, so if you stay the full 6 months, you may have difficulty getting back in unless you stay in Canada/ the UK for 6+ months.

They do consider an extension on a case by case basis, but you can only get one.