visiting girlfriend on vwp/esta

[Scandi 3,979]

I personally never had any problems visting my boyfriend/fiancé on the VWP. The officers at the airport asked the same two questions everytime:

 

-What is the purpose of your trip? (I always answered "to visit boyfriend").

-When are you going back to Sweden? (I always answered with a specific date, not "in about 6 weeks").

 

No one checked how much money I had, if I had any ties to Sweden or anything like that. Always very smooth at LAX.

[jptl85 25]

Be honest. If you are planning to go back then I do not see why you wouldn't be admitted. At the end of the day I imagine many people come in everyday to visit partners. 

[mallafri76 1,012]

I flew over to visit my now husband about 16 to 18 times before I immigrated and never had any issues. Just be confident and honest but don't give more information than what's being asked. 

[A'n'L 735]

4 hours ago, mallafri76 said:

I flew over to visit my now husband about 16 to 18 times before I immigrated and never had any issues. Just be confident and honest but don't give more information than what's being asked. 

I think confidence is key. The one time I ended up in secondary was also the time I had read horror stories about denied entry on VJ, and probably presented myself like a apologetic scaredy-cat to the first CBP officer. 

 

Keeping proof on reasons to return helped me keep a confident composure on the later entries. Even the one time the CBP officer suggested I would quit my job and remain in the US if my boyfriend presented me with a diamond "thiiiis" big. Some CBP officers have a bad day or just a bad attitude. 

[DJ6372 111]

I flew numerous times on an ESTA, I never carried anything that tied me to the country, Same question every time, "purpose of your visit' answer 'vacation'

 

Answer what they ask, don't volunteer extra information, you'll be good its soooooooooooooooooo easy!!

 

[JFH 12,189]

The VWP is available to citizens of countries that the USA has deemed to be at "low risk" of immigration fraud or overstay. Based on the statistics over the years, the citizens from the VWP countries are least likely to overstay or attempt anything illegal such as working with permission. However, that doesn't mean we are all admitted with open arms. Many of us from

VWP countries have found ourselves in secondary or being questioned intensively. I visited under the VWP over 40

times (working for an airline really helps when your husband is overseas) and on one occasion I was interrogated intensely whereby the officer kept saying that he "knew" my husband was planning to file AOS for me and have me overstay. He asked me questions about my job, how long the company had been in existence, who my line manager was, how long I'd been there, my role, my salary. 

 

Last year I entered three times under the VWP before immigrating and on each occasion I was asked how much money I had with me. I'd never been asked that before. Must be a new line of questioning. I always told them I had about $20 cash on me plus my debit and credit cards from the U.K. That seemed to please them and convince them that I hadn't liquidated everything at home and closed the account down.

 

Since I personally know three people who have abused the VWP and arrived here posing as tourists  but with every intention of staying and AOSing the CBP officers are right to be a little cautious even of the so-called "low risk" VWP citizens. And VWP users are right to be mindful that entry is never guaranteed and CBP officers are within their rights to question you as much as they feel necessary to determine your intentions. You can thank those who have abused the VWP in the past for any problems you have at the border. 

[broppy 204]

5 hours ago, A'n'L said:

I think confidence is key. The one time I ended up in secondary was also the time I had read horror stories about denied entry on VJ, and probably presented myself like a apologetic scaredy-cat to the first CBP officer. 

It's not confidence. Just blending in with the crowd. If you look and act just like one of the millions of tourists, there are no problems entering on VWP. There's no need to make things complicated by mentioning boyfriend/girlfriend/fiance/spouse - when asked, purpose of the trip is simply visiting disneyland/opryland/manhatten/whatever.

 

[Sirisaysyes 7]

I have as well visited frequently back then my girlfriend I would say about 4 times in 6 months I got questioned and put into secondary inspection but never had any issue with getting. I have never carried anything relating to my ties to Canada just told them what they wanted to know. Good luck. 

[geowrian 22,336]

30 minutes ago, broppy said:

It's not confidence. Just blending in with the crowd. If you look and act just like one of the millions of tourists, there are no problems entering on VWP. There's no need to make things complicated by mentioning boyfriend/girlfriend/fiance/spouse - when asked, purpose of the trip is simply visiting disneyland/opryland/manhatten/whatever.

I'll just add that you need to always be 100% truthful with CBP, and don't tell half-truths. You don't need to volunteer information that isn't asked, but they are trained to recognize when somebody is hiding something and probe about it. If the purpose of your trip is to see your boyfriend/girlfriend/fiance/spouse, then just say so. That's not a disqualifier by any means, especially from a VWP country. Once CPB has reason to believe you are hiding something, that's when things can get nasty.

[broppy 204]

7 minutes ago, geowrian said:

I'll just add that you need to always be 100% truthful with CBP, and don't tell half-truths. You don't need to volunteer information that isn't asked, but they are trained to recognize when somebody is hiding something and probe about it. If the purpose of your trip is to see your boyfriend/girlfriend/fiance/spouse, then just say so. That's not a disqualifier by any means, especially from a VWP country. Once CPB has reason to believe you are hiding something, that's when things can get nasty.

Of course, I'm not suggesting lying to CBP. But if you're visiting boyfriend and doing tourist stuff, it's a lot easier to mention only the tourist stuff at POE - they don't need to know about boyfriend unless they ask.

[A'n'L 735]

1 hour ago, broppy said:

It's not confidence. Just blending in with the crowd. If you look and act just like one of the millions of tourists, there are no problems entering on VWP. There's no need to make things complicated by mentioning boyfriend/girlfriend/fiance/spouse - when asked, purpose of the trip is simply visiting disneyland/opryland/manhatten/whatever.

 

It depends where you're going. Not a lot of tourists flying into Detroit, especially not young females travelling alone. I was always asked who I was visiting. Never-ever lie to immigration officers.

[grumpymax 2]

53 minutes ago, A'n'L said:

It depends where you're going. Not a lot of tourists flying into Detroit, especially not young females travelling alone. I was always asked who I was visiting. Never-ever lie to immigration officers.

New orleans louisianna i wil answer every question asked as well as i can after a 32 hour day but i kinda hope  the hype to see my love one again will make it a simple task with all the "happy" feels that come from it .you people rock dho thanks for all tos advice for my first post i didnt expected anything so fast 

[JFH 12,189]

1 hour ago, A'n'L said:

It depends where you're going. Not a lot of tourists flying into Detroit, especially not young females travelling alone. I was always asked who I was visiting. Never-ever lie to immigration officers.

I agree! Not many solo female travelers have flight tickets to Pasco, WA (which is where my husband was living at the time I had the most hassle) and staying at a residential apartment. What touristy things could I possibly be doing there? And especially on my 35th or so visit? Surely there's only so many times one can admire the remains of the Manhattan Project! 

 

There is nothing illegal or wrong or risky in having a foreign spouse or partner. Saying you are visiting your spouse or partner is not unacceptable to CBP. Remember, they keep the address on file that you write on your blue customs card. Repeated visits to the same address are seen. They're not stupid and don't try and beat them at the game they invented. It won't work. They know more about you than you think. 

Edited May 2, 2017 by JFH

[grumpymax 2]

Hey guys so I landed in MSY (New Orleans ) and it goes like this . Super friendly officer see I m. Young so talk like hi how are you doing my man ? What s the purpose of the trip ? I said on vacation to see my gf then he didn't even ask if I would come back he was just so friendly like he saw a teddy bear on the backpack was like gotta treat her well .moral of the story don't get spooked by visa journey bad story  than you all