J-A-Y

Really great advice jw01 and many thanks for your reply.

Thanks for your reply.

Yes i very much understand that if i overstay the 90 days on the VMP or cross into another country, i will become ineligible to use a VMP ever again, hence why i'm asking about the B1/B2 Visa.

Many thanks for your reply.

No, not at all.

As said, previous years have just been visits once a year for a couple of weeks. All apart from my last visit which was 88 days.

I have family and children here in the UK.

Many thanks for all your replies.

So it sounds like i'm best sticking to the VMP for now.

Only reason i was asking about the other is 'what if' i stayed more than 90 days, instead of coming back for a couple of weeks and flying back, i could use the time to visit family etc, is all i was thinking.

So if i enter the USA on the VMP and i'm conducting research and seeing friends and family, what is my answer to the POE if it can be either one or the other if i'm conducting both?

landr, sounds similar to what i will be doing, exibits,conferences etc along with market research. But while i spend this time in the USA it is not paid for not will i be earning nothing for my services.

But many thanks for your input, as that is something to bare in mind down the road which i might have to look into if such occurance does get in the way of my visits.

Hello to all, hope I have posted in the right part of the forum for a little help.

All new to this visa business and looking for a little advice as I’m a little lost.

Firstly, over the last 5 years or so I have visited the USA every year for a couple of weeks, my last visit this year from which I returned being 88 days.

Every time staying with friends I have known for a long time, which I worked with here in the UK about 12 years ago.

I always applied for the Waiver Visa and never had any problems because it was simply visiting and tourism.

I run my own business and for my business, I must travel to the USA not only for seminar’s and meet other businessman but also research which all is non paid and is more of a learning curve for my business and develop here in the UK.

By reading a little around on the internet I believe I need a B1 Visa for this?

Some trips will be lengthy with travelling around and crossing into Canada also, is this a further problem travelling into Canada by car?

Also I would be visiting friends and distant family members (cousins) from time to time and read that for this purpose I would need a B2 Visa, but have read that a combined B1/B2 can be issued, is this true?

This is where it gets difficult for me to understand and getting lost, can I enter the USA on Business and Tourism as in visiting friends and family as well or if such a combined visa exists?

As I have been reading you have to state either one or the other and can’t do both?

Out of interest how long are B1/B2 Visa’s valid for, cost involved and is it a lengthy procedure to apply as I’m planning business trips for next August/September?

Sorry for so many questions and would be grateful to be pointed in the right direction.

Many thanks for your listening and your help.