Beet83

Thought I’d update this in case anyone else find themselves in the same situation. 

I applied for an ESTA which was approved straightaway. We used the machines at immigration as we’d had ESTA’s on the same passports a number of years ago. The agent who stamped them noticed my husbands old L1 and asked him a couple of questions about his occupation before stamping both the passports and waving us on. 

Thanks to your input - it’s much appreciated. 

I’ll try London next week and also contact our attorney in the US who helped us with the initial visa applications but I suspect they’ll be non-committal. I’m leaning towards an ESTA at present as the annotation, to me, reads like a restriction. 

18 minutes ago, Boiler said:

Did they sound Scottish?

I ended up calling Zurich as that’s where I live. I was planning on trying London next week so I guess if they’re Scottish sounding they’re the Call Center?

To be honest I think whether I go with the b2 or get an ESTA it’s all going to be dependant on the POE Officer on the day. 

15 minutes ago, Boiler said:

You spoke to the Embassy/Consulate, or the Call Center?

I called the number provided on the Embassy website. Possibly just the call center? 

It’s a headache isn’t it? I called the embassy but still don’t feel a great deal of comfort. The lady said the visa was valid as long as the purpose of my visit was tourism. Obviously I got the usual disclaimer about the decision being made by the POE but my lack of comfort is that she didn’t seem to listen to the situation or annotation. She kept talking to me about getting an L2 even though I kept telling her that a) I had one and b) we don’t live in the US anymore. 

1 hour ago, Boiler said:

Why can you not apply for ESTA?

 

I had assumed you do not qualify.

The ESTA website states you can apply for an ESTA if “You are currently not in possession of a visitors visa”. 

I have a UK passport so I would qualify for an ESTA if it wasn’t for the above. 

The L1 visa was issued for the same 5 years as the B2 - we had the embassy interview together so they were issued at the same time and it was intended for this purpose. 

I will give them a call today and see what they say. It’s a 10 day trip and we don’t have any ties to the US anymore but plenty to the UK - jobs, property, leases - our furniture shipment has even arrived back here now! 

Thanks for your help. 

4 hours ago, Boiler said:

when they ask you where the l1 partner is what will you say?

We are travelling together but the L1 is the the problem. 

I’m pretty stuck really, I can’t apply for an ESTA as I have this B2 but you’re suggesting that I can’t use the B2 either. Can I cancel the visa somehow?

32 minutes ago, Boiler said:

You have answered you own question.

Ok so the purpose is irrelevant as long as it’s in date and for multiple entries? I guess I’m just a worrier  

13 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

Is your visa a still- valid, multiple entry visa?

Yes it’s valid until December 2020. It has an M under entries so I’m assuming that means multiple. 

I’ve actually just looked at it again and under annotations it states “to accompany blanket L1 partner: xxxxx xxxxx” and states his EAC number. 

I was issued with a B2 visa in December 2015 as my boyfriend took a secondment to the US. The visa specifically states on it that it is “to accompany xxxx xxxx”. We later married and I was issued with an L2 visa. 

We have since returned to Europe but we have a holiday in the US later this year. I know that our L1/L2 visas are no longer valid and my husband will apply for an ESTA. My question is, what about my B2? Is it valid for this trip even though it’s not the purpose for which it was originally intended? It seems I can’t apply for an ESTA as I have a visitors visa. 

I did complete a contact form on the embassy website but got a generic response to look on their website.... 

I had a B2 visa and applied for an L2 last year. I am British and had a trip back home planned anyway so I went to London. It was all very smooth - I had my interview on the Friday and I picked up my passport from Heathrow the following Thursday so just under a week. This was end June/start July so it could be a busy time for them too. 

From my research I could file a change of status form whilst living in the US in order to get my L2 visa without going out of the country. However I know to then come back into the country I would need to visit an embassy to get the sticker in my passport. Not sure if you could do this too? 

I did the b2 cohabit visa thing for 6 months and, whilst it meant we could be together, I honestly found it the hardest 6 months of my life. Moving to a new country where you don't know anyone, you're not able to work and your partner is out at work all day makes for a very lonely time. You'd think that not working would be amazing but it quickly gets boring, especially when you have no one to share it with. After we got married I actually ended up going back to the UK to pick up some temp work for a couple of months whilst waiting for my EAD to come through as I was going insane.

Just get married, I know it's not that romantic but working has made a HUGE difference to my experience out here. If you move and one of you isn't happy then it will be a big strain on your relationship.

Hi all,

My husband has an L1 visa and I have an L2. We often travel separately and I have entered the US on three occasions (once via air and twice driving across the Canadian border) with photocopies of both the I-129S and blanket petition and had no problems. However, last week when I flew into Boston the Immigration Officer was irate that I didn't have the originals and said that next time I'd be "sent downstairs". He threw the copies back at me telling me that they are useless as the originals have security features (I've since looked at the original I-129S and it just looks like a standard piece of paper to me?). 

My husband and I have only ever had one original stamped I-129S. Does anyone know how to go about getting a second one? If not my husband and I will always have to travel together which isn't very realistic for us. 

Thanks! 

Hi everyone, I thought I'd update this thread as we've been for our interview today. It all went well and both our visas were approved. It's such a relief! We took a lot of documentation and evidence but in the end they didn't ask to see any of it and didn't even ask me any questions. Thanks for all your input and advice.

Thanks Boiler. Do we just need to make it clear at the interview that it's a B2 cohabitating visa? There was nothing on the DS 160 to indicate that it was this variation?

I don't think VWP is viable, at 32 I feel a little old for a long distance relationship. I'm feeling a little disappointed in our attorney for not advising us that the B2 would difficult to obtain. I've only found that out through these forums! Marriage may be the only option then!

Thanks for such a quick response! I don't yet have the visa, both my boyfriend and I are applying for our visas at the moment. Apparently mine is linked in someway to his? I'm not sure how true this is though.

My reluctance to use the VWP is that I can only spend 3 months at a time in the U.S. and I'd need to return for a period of time inbetween.

Hi everyone,

My boyfriend has accepted a contract in the U.S. and will be obtaining 2 year L1 visa as an inter company transferee.

I plan to take a career break in order to join him on a B2 visa. We're both UK citizens and we have lived together for over 3 years. We own a property each in the UK (mine is rented out and we currently live in his). I have over £30k in savings, although my boyfriend will pay my living costs whilst in the U.S. His company are paying for the accommodation and his whole package is around $150k so it won't be a problem financially that I won't be earning.

However, my company aren't able to give me a career break and consequently I will need to leave my employment. I'm wondering how much of a problem this will be in proving I have sufficient ties?

I don't plan to be in the U.S. permanently for 2 years but I will be there longer than the VWP allows, hence the B2 application. I do have to return to the UK to sit exams in June (we plan to leave the UK in Jan) and I will stay in the UK for a couple of months to hopefully do some contract work before returning to the U.S. I'm a qualified accountant in the UK and the exams that I will sit are UK specific and not a qualification recognised in the U.S. I'm not sure if that would help the application?

Your thoughts on this would be really welcome. As for marriage - we have discussed this but feel marrying for a visa isn't the right reason and we'd be rushing it.

Many thanks!