British Expatriate Network

Hi again,

I have discovered that I have to attend an appointment at the American Embassy in London in order to apply for a B2 Tourist Visa.
I have a couple of questions regarding this....I understand that the onus is on me to supply evidence that I am not intending to stay in the States illegally. However, as I am retired I am not sure what evidence I should supply. I do not own my own home (so cannot supply details of a mortgage). I am not working (so cannot supply pay slips, etc). I do have a reasonable income with two pensions. I do have a bank account. I do have my son living in the same city.
My other question is with regard to, after I have received hopefully my B2 Tourist Visa, and I have travelled to the States for six months. Do I then have to return to England for a while (how long?) before I can use the visa waiver. As I am now retired I have the time to travel for long periods!
Thanks for any information.

Hi,

I just saw your questions and thought I would give my unexpert opinion as my mother has recently aquired a B2 visa for a 6 month stay. She used to be a homeowner so she took her deeds in, but she also furnished her English bank account information, and her income from UK. She has now retired.

When she comes here, she still can only stay for 6months in any 12 month period. So she is currently here, and her ticket to return must be before the 6 months (obviously) - then she must have a six month break before returning or she will be here in excess of that time.

However, I am applying for my mother to be here permanently by I-130 green card, and she is applying now for "adjustment of status" to a permanent resident in conjunction with that application.

Hi Carole.

I went through all this in Septmeber of 2004 and I assume thngs haven't changed too much since then. However, my motives were a little different from yours, and I now live over here. wink

Here's my tuppence-worth.

As well as your last couple of bank statements, you can take your utility bills, council tax bill.. that kind of stuff with you to your interview - they take that to mean that you have obligations in the U.K. that you can't exactly walk out on. I'd also suggest taking a good book because you're in for a wait of a few hours - I sat there for about 4 1/2 hours! !

One piece of advice, you HAVE to provide an address over here where you will be "based". I did that, but still had to provide an e-mail from my friend over here telling immigration that I was welcome to stay with her for the whole six months. (That friend is now actually my mother-in-law!!!).

The visa allows you to be here for anything up to 6 months. You can apply for an extension of the 6-month period once you're here, but I get the impression they don't much like people to do that, so assume you have to return to the U.K. after 6 months.

There is actually no documentation that I could find that sets a limit on how long you need to wait before you come back, but once again, the general consensus seems to be that it's best to wait at least a few months.

Once you actually have the visa in your passport, it's valid for travel for 10 years, so you won't need to travel under the visa waiver scheme until your visa expires.

Hope all this is of some help to you. Good luck with everything, and a very happy retirement.

smile