Visiting several times a year?

[paradise found]

Hi everyone.

Last November, I started this thread:
http://www.orlando-guide.info/forums/topic_25741.asp

...basically asking how often you could visit the US each year
on the Visa Waiver Program, and I was very pleased with the replies,
especially the very first response, which was from from normajohnp,
who said that they had been five times in the past year, staying
between 2 and 7 weeks, and had not received any hassle at all.

However, on our most recent visit back in May, the Immigration
Officer was really nasty to us, almost reducing my wife to tears :(

He kept looking at the previous stamps in my passport
(five visits in two years, not one, no visit longer than
three weeks), and kept asking why we had made 'so many'
visits to the USA!!!!!

As always, I was polite/humble, and I said that we just loved
visiting and/or touring the US, and we come as often as we could,
but this still didn't impress him, and he started grilling me about
my job (I'm self-employed, which he didn't like at all!), and then
demanded to see our return tickets, by which time my wife was
getting really upset, and even I was getting worried...

Perhaps we were just really unlucky, and caught an I.O. on
a particularly 'bad day', but he processed the couple in front
of us very quickly, so I'm wondering if five trips in two years
breaks some kind of secret 'guideline' they have??

If so, does anyone have any suggestions what we can do to
avoid such nastiness next time?

I was thinking of renewing our passports early to 'get rid of'
the old visa stamps - is this a good idea, or am I being paranoid?

We want to visit Florida/rest of US more, not less in
the future, but not if there is a risk of being sent back home for no
better reason that the I.O. is jealous that we get more vacation time
than he does, which is what seemed to happen here!

What do people think - was this an isolated occurance,
or is there something about our pattern of visits which
would seem 'suspicious' to most Immigration Officers?

any help/advice appreciated,


~ MARK ~

[Genie]

I think you were just unlucky the year we bought our home we went 4 times in ONE year and nobody said a word !

[pieman790]

We have visited the US 3 times in one year and 5 times in two years and have never been questioned about this other than to be asked the purpose of our visit.
Think that Genie is right in that you have just been unlucky on this occassion.

[E. Cosgrove]

I think you were just unlucky, I went 4 times last year and have already been twice this year, and not only to Florida but other parts of the US as well.
My hubby sometimes gets extra questioning as he works for an oil company, but on the whole no problems.
I sometimes think they have a problem with how much holiday we get from work, I get 41 days and hubby 50 days which is almost unheard of in the US.
Good luck on your next trip.

[Lynnes]

We went 4 times last year and have been once this year with no problems at all. I suspect there may be something in the jealousy theory.
I was told that the I O had been told to be more polite to people, but that was only word of mouth.

[Rhosyn]

I have been 3 times in 9 months and never been asked any questions. I have read that this has happened to somebody else on another forum. I think you were unlucky.

[Paula D-S]

I think you have nothing to worry about. My parents have been over 10 times in the last 18 months and have never had any problems.

[normajohnp]

Hi Mark, You have just been unlucky. My sister on her last visit was asked for her return ticket. We travel with our two & half year old grandson and he comes out with us everytime. I allways expect them to grill us as he has his fathers surname on his passport.When they ask the reason for the visit I always tell them we are on holiday and they usually just ask if we have a home there. ( I think this must be a standard question for people who visit a lot )We have been twice already this year and will be going out for three weeks in July. You really were just unlucky.

One thing I have found is that they do not like you to be to freindly/chatty when you get to the desk, untill they have looked at all your bits and pieces. I think it makes them think, you are up to something. [msnsmile2]

norma.

[paradise found]

Thanks for all your reassuring comments!

MARK

[dolphinv]

We have a family friend who is only 19, last year he traveled out with us to florida on 3 occasions and to New York & Cape Cod with his family on two other occasions. He was asked why he was in the states so often and to see his return ticket. The 'IO' also seemed a bit miffed that he had so many holidays at 19!!

[SunLover]

I think you were just unlucky to catch someone having a bad day.

We travel to the USA regularly, and often for extended periods, and have never had a problem at all.

Although not all I.O. are overly chatty, I've always found them to be polite and professional.

My favourite however was one who asked if we owned a vacation home. When I said yes, he beamed a broad smile at us and said "Thank you for investing in our country. We appreciate your contribution to our economy" !!! [8D]

Seemed a weird thing to say, but the sentiment was appreciated.

[ShirleyD]

Sounds like you got the grumpy one Mark, I'm sure it will be OK next time

[Robert5988]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:I was thinking of renewing our passports early to "get rid of"
the old visa stamps - is this a good idea, or am I being paranoid?
[/quote]

The old 'Visa Stamps'(entry stamps?) are irrelevant as he gets all the data of your entry and exits on his screen when he ‘swipes’ your passport – that’s one purpose of machine readable passports.

If you are a frequent visitor this can work to your advantage as he can see a pattern of your visits.

The regulations for entry on a Visa Waiver are quite specific, in that there is no limit to the number of times you can enter.

[JoRo]

He sounds like he has a grudge. Never come across one like this in Orlando (usually New York where they are really grumpy). I agree that it's best not to chat to them though.
Joyce

[paradise found]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:The regulations for entry on a Visa Waiver are quite specific, in that there is no limit to the number of times you can enter.[/quote]
Thanks for that - I always thought that as long as:

a) You have no criminal convictions

b) You fill out the Visa Waiver form correctly,
and are able to tick all the 'NO' boxes honestly

c) you don't visit for more than 90 days in one trip,
or 180 days in one year.

...you could then visit as many times as you wished,
but I've heard that IOs can send you home even if all
the above are true, just because they consider that
your pattern of visiting the USA is not "in the spirit"
of the VWP rules.

Is this just an urban legend?

MARK

[Robert5988]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:quote:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The regulations for entry on a Visa Waiver are quite specific, in that there is no limit to the number of times you can enter.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Thanks for that - I always thought that as long as:

a) You have no criminal convictions

b) You fill out the Visa Waiver form correctly,
and are able to tick all the 'NO' boxes honestly

c) you don't visit for more than 90 days in one trip,
or 180 days in one year.

...you could then visit as many times as you wished,
but I've heard that IOs can send you home even if all
the above are true, just because they consider that
your pattern of visiting the USA is not "in the spirit"
of the VWP rules.

Is this just an urban legend?

MARK[/quote]

There is no restriction on the number of days(e.g. 180 days) you may visit for in a year - just not more than 90 at a time and you cannot go to a neighbouring country(e.g. Canada) and return.

IOs can send you home - and you have no appeal - if they believe you will not comply with the entry regulations.(or have lied on the I-94W)

In general these reasons would be:
Seeking work.
Not returning at the end of your stay.
Insufficient funds to support yourself - particularly with regard to potential medical problems.
Likely to commit a crime/cause trouble/terrorist connections.

They could also sent you home for those reasons even if you had a Visa - although you would have the right to an appeal; albeit you might be locked up awaiting that appeal.

There is no "spirit of the VWP rules" it is all in the regulations. In fact some people have stated that they applied for a Visa and were asked on interview why they wanted a Visa, as the Visa Waiver would meet their needs.

[paradise found]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Robert5988

-------------------------------------------------------------------
In general these reasons would be:
Seeking work.
Not returning at the end of your stay.
Insufficient funds to support yourself - particularly with regard to potential medical problems.
Likely to commit a crime/cause trouble/terrorist connections.
[/quote]
Thanks very much for the above - the return flight ticket
and insurance documents should obviously cover the middle two,
but how on earth do you prove that you are not "seeking work"?


MARK

[Cruella DeVilla]

He must have got out of bed on the wrong side that day. I went 7 times last year without a problem.

[luckylady]

I was told by an American friend, whose brother is a retired immigration officer.
The power on occasion goes to some IO heads,if they are having a bad day, or had a upset with the wife,or doesn't like the colour of your shoes ,he could be unpleasant .
These are isolated cases, unfortunate for you and your wife you were the unlucky ones.
You could go 5 more times in the next two years,and breeze through immigration without one single incident.
The majority of IO a pleasant and helpful,after all they are only human
:D:D

[steph_goodrum]

"Thanks very much for the above - the return flight ticket
and insurance documents should obviously cover the middle two,
but how on earth do you prove that you are not "seeking work"?"

That was worrying me earlier in the week when my daughter left for Boston, for 7 weeks stay, she'd signed the lease for her new flat the day before and had all her student things to say she was returning for September but as she is going to the same area she worked last year and has an expired visa in her passport thought they might think she had arranged a cash in hand job with one of her 2 employers. She landed at 10pm and phoned me at 11 to say she didnt have any trouble at all, no further questiooing etc. It's easy to prove what you DO intend to do but not what you don't. We had prepared though and also included her itinerary as she will be travelling to a few places and flying home on the same flight as us after we've met in Orlando so she also took all our flight itinerary.