wandering

4 minutes ago, databit said:

What do you mean, WORK? You CANNOT work in any capacity on a tourist visa, assuming you can get one in the future! The penalty is a lot worse than losing your ESTA privileges.

Meetings with potential customers & partners. This is allowed under both ESTA and a B1.

2 hours ago, CatherineA said:

Having a mobile job and not owning a home or business or having large cash reserves tied up in a bank makes that really difficult. 

I do own a business.   What qualifies as large cash reserves tied up?    Does this really make a difference?  Bank transfers between the UK and the US are pretty easy.

1 hour ago, caliliving said:

However, are you sure you weren't just denied entry? Why do you assume your esta was revoked just bc he didn't let you in? Did he tell you that? 

 

An automated email came through shortly after notifying me of the status change.

Just now, Going through said:

CO's are looking for reasons to return to the home country....

 

Just to play Devil's Advocate, the CO may come back with the response of "so whats to prevent you from giving up your apartment/job again at the drop of a hat like before?"  and perhaps questioning your online employment since it can, by your admission, be done from anywhere using a laptop....another lack of tie to your home country.

I completely agree.  This is what worries me so much.    What can I do to prove that I intend to stay?

4 minutes ago, NuestraUnion said:

Putting my CO hat on for interviewing your case, I can see you establishing those things right before our interview will cause me to raise an eyebrow.

If they were set up some time before it would definitely look better. 

Doing so so right before the interview would cause me to want to question why haven’t  these ties been established until now.

Thanks for your opinion.   Just to talk it through, in response to a CO questioning why they haven't been established before I would say that I actually have been continuously employed in the UK for 7 years, and have been renting various apartments continuously for that period as well.   I only stopped being employed and stopped renting just before I attempted to go travelling for 3 months.  Now that travel in the US is off the table I'm switching back to renting mode, although will continue to be self employed.  

To be clear I'm not trying to argue and value your input here, just trying to understand how the conversation will likely go.

Thanks for your responses. 

49 minutes ago, Going through said:

ESTA is done now, for life, due to your overstay.

Your option is to apply for a tourist/business visa.

 

It can make it more difficult to be approved for the visa, yes, because you've already shown that you have overstayed before. 

 

 

Does this count as an overstay?  I didn't actually even leave the UK, I was denied boarding.

42 minutes ago, Going through said:

On an aside, this part is confusing----if you were not planning on staying in the US more than 90 days, then why on earth would you have scheduled a return flight after that amount of time?  

SusieQQQ is right.  I was going to spend some time in Mexico as well.   With hindsight I can see that I should have seen this coming.

35 minutes ago, SusieQQQ said:

OP, having neither a residence or a job makes getting a visa very unlikely, especially after a revoked ESTA. Do you really want to commit to the financial obligation of a flat you won’t be in in the hopes of getting a visa? (Unless of course you just stay at home if you don’t get the visa, rather than traveling elsewhere, then you’ll need the flat anyway...)

I really need the visa for work, so yes, I'm seriously considering renting a flat to expedite the process of getting a visa again.   And as you say, if don't have a visa I probably won't be traveling as much so will need it anyway.

2 minutes ago, NuestraUnion said:

We can not say for certain if you will get approved for a tourist visa or not. Only thing for you to do is apply. 

I'm really looking for advice on how long I should wait, and how important various things like having a flat, owning a car are etc. are?  And if there's any risk that setting these up just before an interview will ring alarm bells.

I was recently denied boarding and had my ESTA revoked when I foolishly tried to travel to the US for more than 90 days.  CBP asked me questions at the check-in desk.  I wasn't planning to be in the US the whole time, but the fact that my return flight was more than 90 days in the future triggered further questioning.  Unfortunately I don't have an address at the moment, I just moved out of my old flat and was planning on doing some travelling before moving to a new place.  I also had just left my job and have started my own business, which is legally based in the UK but I can do from anywhere on my laptop.  I showed the officer some financials and convinced him that I could support myself, but the fact that I didn't have a job or an address in the UK was enough to deny me boarding and revoke the ESTA.

Losing the cost of the flight and the disruption to my plans was obviously very annoying.  But the thing that concerns me most is that I can't travel to the US, which I need to do now and then for business. I would also still like to do a shorter version of my planned travels. The CBP officer told me I should make an appointment at the embassy to get a visa, as they would be able to look into my situation in more depth than he could.  But I'm very worried that they will deny it for the same reasons. I don't want a denied visa on my record, I assume that will only make things harder in the future.

I know that the main reason visas are denied is lack of evidence of attachment to the home country (UK in my case), so I feel like I should start renting my new flat before my travels (annoying since I have to pay the rent while I'm away).  One problem is that I was planning on renting a room from a friend.  Is there a risk this will look to casual?  Would I be better renting more formally through an estate agent instead?

Once I start renting will I be able to reapply for an ESTA? Or is a visa the only option now?  Which is more likely to be successful?  Is a denied ESTA application a bad thing to have on record if I then need to get a visa?

How bad is it if I'm denied a visa?  Will that weigh against me if I try again a few months later?

Is there any risk that reapplying for ESTA or a visa too soon after starting renting will make it look like I'm renting on purpose just to be able to get a visa?  I'm also probably going to buy a car when I move to the new area (I used to live in central London where a car is a burden).  I assume this will also help, but I also worry that will look suspicious since I bought it just before the visa interview.

I genuinely have no plans to leave the UK, I just want to travel to the states for pleasure & business.   I just currently don't have a residence or a job.  This is no coincidence!  Part of the appeal of working for myself was that I'd be able to travel!

Really hoping someone can give me some advice!