visiting girlfriend, problems with customs

[crashandcari 0]

i came over to see cari for christmas time , i was there with my son for 3 weeks, and i was in the system then,cr1 for my son and me before that i was over in july for a month for our wedding with son and father in tow,i never had any problems at the immigration desks ,when asked i told the truth the reason for my trip was to visit family,in fact ever time i came over even for the wedding my answer was the same apart from my first visit nov 2004 it was to visit my then girlfriend

but every time i did come over i had a letter from my employer stating my return to work date just in case

lol never had to show it

[UKLady 0]

hey, i am new to this website but i have done a lot of reading on it and it seems like the most helpful website out there. i have a few questions. i met my girlfriend online a few years ago and then in the summer of 2005 i came to visit her on the VWP and i stayed for the 3 months that we are allowed, i then returned to the UK for 3 months and then came back for a month to visit her again. after that i was in the UK for 2 months and then came back for 6 weeks to surprise her on her birthday, however i got serious questions the last time i i tried to get past the customs man at chicago. he gave me a real hard time, he asked me how much money i had, what kind of job i had in the Uk and my reasons for visiting and what i`ll be doing the whole time. this lasted for about 10 minutes of me just standing there talking to him. it scared the ####### out of me. i understand now that i was entering too much, i just naively thought that if i didn`t overstay the 90 days then i`m not doing anything wrong. my question now is though, how long should i leave it before i try and come back? i know that a lot of you have reported trouble at the customs when trying to visit your boyfriends or girlfriends. we plan to file for the K1 visa next year and are trying to worko ut how to see eachother at least a couple of times a year without me being turned away and sent back to the UK. so can anyone give me any advice? any similar experiences? i`m thinking that i won`t be coming back for about 6 months, will this be sufficient? if i come back in like 6 months and only stay for about 4 weeks? or do you think that this could still be a big problem? i am so confused by it all!!

any help or advice at all would eb so hugely appreciated.

thank you, i hope to hear from you all

Paul

Hi Paul

I travel to Cleveland from the UK via Chicago every 3 months to see my boyfriend, I stay anything from one to 3weeks at a time. I never yet had any problems with immigration at chicago in fact I like going though Chicago because I think the immigration people there are the best. They usually ask me what my job is, who I am going to see - I tell them my Boyfriend, they then just say ok and off I go.

[Boiler 43,852]

hey, i am new to this website but i have done a lot of reading on it and it seems like the most helpful website out there. i have a few questions. i met my girlfriend online a few years ago and then in the summer of 2005 i came to visit her on the VWP and i stayed for the 3 months that we are allowed, i then returned to the UK for 3 months and then came back for a month to visit her again. after that i was in the UK for 2 months and then came back for 6 weeks to surprise her on her birthday, however i got serious questions the last time i i tried to get past the customs man at chicago. he gave me a real hard time, he asked me how much money i had, what kind of job i had in the Uk and my reasons for visiting and what i`ll be doing the whole time. this lasted for about 10 minutes of me just standing there talking to him. it scared the ####### out of me. i understand now that i was entering too much, i just naively thought that if i didn`t overstay the 90 days then i`m not doing anything wrong. my question now is though, how long should i leave it before i try and come back? i know that a lot of you have reported trouble at the customs when trying to visit your boyfriends or girlfriends. we plan to file for the K1 visa next year and are trying to worko ut how to see eachother at least a couple of times a year without me being turned away and sent back to the UK. so can anyone give me any advice? any similar experiences? i`m thinking that i won`t be coming back for about 6 months, will this be sufficient? if i come back in like 6 months and only stay for about 4 weeks? or do you think that this could still be a big problem? i am so confused by it all!!

any help or advice at all would eb so hugely appreciated.

thank you, i hope to hear from you all

Paul

Hi Paul

I travel to Cleveland from the UK via Chicago every 3 months to see my boyfriend, I stay anything from one to 3weeks at a time. I never yet had any problems with immigration at chicago in fact I like going though Chicago because I think the immigration people there are the best. They usually ask me what my job is, who I am going to see - I tell them my Boyfriend, they then just say ok and off I go.

Everbodys personal experiance vary, I have sen posts from those who effectively lived here on a Visitors Visa and those who got bounced first or second time.

You never know, helps to be prepared.

PS I also travelled whilst K was being processed without issues.

[creasy19 0]

hey everyone, thanks for yoru input, yes the meeting in canada would be an option and my girlfriend is coming to see me in the UK, that would be the reason why i wouldn`t be going over for another 6 months. its just very hard because she has a very busy schedule. i don`t own a house in the UK either so i can`t take a mortgage or antyhing like that, any ideas on what i could take?

another thing, when you say int he system, what does this mean exactly? do you mean that because i was grilled a little more than usual that they mark me and next time something comes up telling the new officer that i should be watched closely? sorry if i seem a little dumb, just all very new to me.

but thanks for your replies, hopefully if i`m not in for 6 months then it woudln`t be a problem the next time i came.

ok thanks

Creasy

on another note, anyone in here ever been turned away when trying to enter using the VWP? if so what implications does that have on your K1 petition?

[TracyTN 237]

hey everyone, thanks for yoru input, yes the meeting in canada would be an option and my girlfriend is coming to see me in the UK, that would be the reason why i wouldn`t be going over for another 6 months. its just very hard because she has a very busy schedule. i don`t own a house in the UK either so i can`t take a mortgage or antyhing like that, any ideas on what i could take?

Letter from an employer (saying when you are expected back at work)? Bank statement showing you still have an active account with money in it? Return ticket?

[zyggy 9]

hey everyone, thanks for yoru input, yes the meeting in canada would be an option and my girlfriend is coming to see me in the UK, that would be the reason why i wouldn`t be going over for another 6 months. its just very hard because she has a very busy schedule. i don`t own a house in the UK either so i can`t take a mortgage or antyhing like that, any ideas on what i could take?

another thing, when you say int he system, what does this mean exactly? do you mean that because i was grilled a little more than usual that they mark me and next time something comes up telling the new officer that i should be watched closely? sorry if i seem a little dumb, just all very new to me.

Yes... you have been flagged... in my opinion I think that your last admission into the US will be the last one that you will get until you get the K1 visa. I would not try to enter the US again... Your entry pattern indicates little to no ties to your home country.. that's difficult to overcome, even if you do lay low for awhile.

but thanks for your replies, hopefully if i`m not in for 6 months then it woudln`t be a problem the next time i came.

ok thanks

Creasy

on another note, anyone in here ever been turned away when trying to enter using the VWP? if so what implications does that have on your K1 petition?

Sure... people get rejected all the time... if the reason for your denial was due to the 214 B provision of the INA (immigrant intent), then it will have no impact on your K1 petition as the K1 overcomes that. If it was for another reason, like a misrepresentation, it will have an impact and will require a I-601 waiver to overcome.

Edited April 5, 2006 by zyggy

[Vagina Journey 0]

I think it just all depends on the day... all you can do is try...Steve came over for a week in feb then 3 months in april... tried to get back in in october all in 2005 and he was denied entry in october and was on the vwp and now he is unable to return with out getting a visa of some sort, so now its left up to me to get to the UK...hopefully only 1 more trip back to the UK at his interview and then back to the states we will come....best of luck in your decisions of travel, just try to prepare for the heart ache if your turned away!!

Denial was at dulles international

[TracyTN 237]

Dulles is the door to hell.

*but sorry to hear about your situation, tho.

[Kajikit 65]

Short trips are looked upon with much less suspicion than long ones... if you can pack up and leave your home country for two or three months at a time more than once a year the customs people are going to look at you and ask why you want to be in the US for so long... if I was you I wouldn't try to go back for at LEAST six months and preferably longer, because you might very well find yourself denied entry and told you can't come back again.

[creasy19 0]

what exactly does it mean if you have been flagged? the time i got hassle i was held for about 10 minutes or so and asked a few questions about why i`m travelling and what job i have. everyone on here is making it sound like i really shouldn`t try to go back to the US, if thats the case then i am totally lost, i mean my girlfriend can`t make it accross to the uk as easily as i can to the US. any more advice? i mean most people on here ar epeople who are either in the k1 process or people who have done it, how often did you all visit your boyfriends or girlfriends when you were going through this? i am so confused right now.

creasy

[Boiler 43,852]

what exactly does it mean if you have been flagged? the time i got hassle i was held for about 10 minutes or so and asked a few questions about why i`m travelling and what job i have. everyone on here is making it sound like i really shouldn`t try to go back to the US, if thats the case then i am totally lost, i mean my girlfriend can`t make it accross to the uk as easily as i can to the US. any more advice? i mean most people on here ar epeople who are either in the k1 process or people who have done it, how often did you all visit your boyfriends or girlfriends when you were going through this? i am so confused right now.

creasy

Next time they scan your passport, they will see your previous entry details and a note that there was a discussion.

I visited once.

She visited me 5 or 6 times. But several of those were on the back of work.

[Lyric 0]

what exactly does it mean if you have been flagged? the time i got hassle i was held for about 10 minutes or so and asked a few questions about why i`m travelling and what job i have. everyone on here is making it sound like i really shouldn`t try to go back to the US, if thats the case then i am totally lost, i mean my girlfriend can`t make it accross to the uk as easily as i can to the US. any more advice? i mean most people on here ar epeople who are either in the k1 process or people who have done it, how often did you all visit your boyfriends or girlfriends when you were going through this? i am so confused right now.

creasy

Next time they scan your passport, they will see your previous entry details and a note that there was a discussion.

I visited once.

She visited me 5 or 6 times. But several of those were on the back of work.

My fiance came here from Canada in April, then again in May then not again till August last year. He only stayed 8 days the first time, 5 days the second time and 12 days the third time(August). He was grilled for the 12 day trip.

Then he came again the first of January of this year and stayed for 6 days and the last time he came was the end of February...again for only 5 days. He wasn't given any problems the last two times. Only that third trip.

When they note that there was a discussion and not a denial, do they keep the details on the discussion? If so, I assume this is something that is kept permanently?

[Boiler 43,852]

what exactly does it mean if you have been flagged? the time i got hassle i was held for about 10 minutes or so and asked a few questions about why i`m travelling and what job i have. everyone on here is making it sound like i really shouldn`t try to go back to the US, if thats the case then i am totally lost, i mean my girlfriend can`t make it accross to the uk as easily as i can to the US. any more advice? i mean most people on here ar epeople who are either in the k1 process or people who have done it, how often did you all visit your boyfriends or girlfriends when you were going through this? i am so confused right now.

creasy

Next time they scan your passport, they will see your previous entry details and a note that there was a discussion.

I visited once.

She visited me 5 or 6 times. But several of those were on the back of work.

My fiance came here from Canada in April, then again in May then not again till August last year. He only stayed 8 days the first time, 5 days the second time and 12 days the third time(August). He was grilled for the 12 day trip.

Then he came again the first of January of this year and stayed for 6 days and the last time he came was the end of February...again for only 5 days. He wasn't given any problems the last two times. Only that third trip.

When they note that there was a discussion and not a denial, do they keep the details on the discussion? If so, I assume this is something that is kept permanently?

I believe they can enter notes.

I would expect it to be permanent.

[Euro 3]

what exactly does it mean if you have been flagged? the time i got hassle i was held for about 10 minutes or so and asked a few questions about why i`m travelling and what job i have. everyone on here is making it sound like i really shouldn`t try to go back to the US, if thats the case then i am totally lost, i mean my girlfriend can`t make it accross to the uk as easily as i can to the US. any more advice? i mean most people on here ar epeople who are either in the k1 process or people who have done it, how often did you all visit your boyfriends or girlfriends when you were going through this? i am so confused right now.

creasy

When you say "HELD" do you mean just at the immigration desk?........or did you get taken to secondary inspection??.....One of the guys on VJ got questioned every time he came to the US & was allowed to come in & visit every time!!

To be flagged just means the next time you present your passport to enter the US the officer would be aware you were questioned before!!

I dont think you should'nt try again, I say if you dont bet you cant win!! RIGHT ..............just make sure you take evidence of ties to the UK and also try not to stay for long periods of time!!....... i visited while going through the immigration process & traveled before also, only twice was i asked more questions than i had normaly experienced!!

But do be prepared if denied entry, you wont beable to use the VWP again!!

EDITED to add.......In one year alone i visited feb-march-june-august-oct,...but only short visits from 1 week to longest 4 weeks!!

Edited April 5, 2006 by euro

[Lyric 0]

what exactly does it mean if you have been flagged? the time i got hassle i was held for about 10 minutes or so and asked a few questions about why i`m travelling and what job i have. everyone on here is making it sound like i really shouldn`t try to go back to the US, if thats the case then i am totally lost, i mean my girlfriend can`t make it accross to the uk as easily as i can to the US. any more advice? i mean most people on here ar epeople who are either in the k1 process or people who have done it, how often did you all visit your boyfriends or girlfriends when you were going through this? i am so confused right now.

creasy

When you say "HELD" do you mean just at the immigration desk?........or did you get taken to secondary inspection??.....One of the guys on VJ got questioned every time he came to the US & was allowed to come in & visit every time!!

To be flagged just means the next time you present your passport to enter the US the officer would be aware you were questioned before!!

I dont think you should'nt try again, I say if you dont bet you cant win!! RIGHT ..............just make sure you take evidence of ties to the UK and also try not to stay for long periods of time!!....... i visited while going through the immigration process & traveled before also, only twice was i asked more questions than i had normaly experienced!!

But do be prepared if denied entry, you wont beable to use the VWP again!!

EDITED to add.......In one year alone i visited feb-march-june-august-oct,...but only short visits from 1 week to longest 4 weeks!!