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Old 03-07-2011, 19:34   #16
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Re: Sailing the USA as a Brit!

I have a multiple entry B1 B2 Visa.

Crackers if you are not going for a year to not take the tiime and get one yourslef.





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Old 03-07-2011, 19:57   #17
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Re: Sailing the USA as a Brit!

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Originally Posted by MarkJ View Post
I have a multiple entry B1 B2 Visa.

Crackers if you are not going for a year to not take the tiime and get one yourslef.





Mark

In order to obtain said B1 B2 visa I would have to fly back to London , make an appointment with the US embassy ( I hear there is currently a waiting backlog of 2 to 3 weeks ) obtain the visa & fly all the way back here ( currently ahore in Lunenburg NS doing engine rebuild ) ...

Pablothesailor , who initiated this thread , has stated that he would need to fly from Spain to London & back ( include the waiting time in London ) in order to get a B1 B2 visa ...

Since a US B1 B2 visa can only be issued by the US embassy in one's own country ... as an Ozzie what are your plans for when you need a new visa ?

Anyhoo ... 90 days at a time works just fine for me
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Old 03-07-2011, 20:31   #18
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Re: Sailing the USA as a Brit!

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Since a US B1 B2 visa can only be issued by the US embassy in one's own country ...
Thats not right.

You can get a US B1 B2 in any country the US has an embassy. I got one in Frankfurt in Germany once. Multi year, multi entry.
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Old 03-07-2011, 20:50   #19
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Re: Sailing the USA as a Brit!

There are previous CF threads on this subject that you can search for. There is a lot of misinformation in this thread.
First, you can get a B1/B2 Visa at US Embassy/consulates outside your home country. Europeans do it every season in Barbados after their Atlantic crossing.
Second, unless you are a US citizen/legal resident you cannot enter the USA in a private recreational vessel/aircraft without a valid B1/B2 in your passport. (Canadian/Mexican/Bermudian citizens have different rules).

See - from the US government website: Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
and scroll down to: Which travelers may use the VWP to enter the United States?

Scroll down to below the fourth bullet paragraph and you will find that it is a requirement that "If arriving by air or sea, they are traveling on an approved carrier (See the approved carriers list) and have a return trip ticket to any foreign destination; "

It is not that difficult to get a B1/B2 and many, many cruisers from Europe and other major western countries get them all the time. In fact you do the application process completely on the internet and then get an "appointment" date/time at the closest Consulate also from the CBP website after successfully completing the application.
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Old 03-07-2011, 21:18   #20
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Re: Sailing the USA as a Brit!

Quote:
Originally Posted by osirissail View Post
There are previous CF threads on this subject that you can search for. There is a lot of misinformation in this thread.
First, you can get a B1/B2 Visa at US Embassy/consulates outside your home country. Europeans do it every season in Barbados after their Atlantic crossing.
Second, unless you are a US citizen/legal resident you cannot enter the USA in a private recreational vessel/aircraft without a valid B1/B2 in your passport. (Canadian/Mexican/Bermudian citizens have different rules).

See - from the US government website: Visa Waiver Program (VWP)
and scroll down to: Which travelers may use the VWP to enter the United States?

Scroll down to below the fourth bullet paragraph and you will find that it is a requirement that "If arriving by air or sea, they are traveling on an approved carrier (See the approved carriers list) and have a return trip ticket to any foreign destination; "

It is not that difficult to get a B1/B2 and many, many cruisers from Europe and other major western countries get them all the time. In fact you do the application process completely on the internet and then get an "appointment" date/time at the closest Consulate also from the CBP website after successfully completing the application.
Except for the fact that svtadpole is doing it all the time... it seems like there may be some differences between the rules and the practical application.
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Old 04-07-2011, 02:39   #21
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I would agree with mark. I was told get a B1/B2 my understanding is that you can actually get 6 months stay if you justify it. ( that's what the UK can give US tourists. )

As to 90 days again and again I was told it was 6 months in a year on a B1.

Note if you are in the US for more then 3 months in a year you can become a tax resident. !!

I was also told on no account could I enter the US by yacht on a visa wavier scheme. I could however rent or use a yacht in the US as long as I didn't attempt a 're-entry

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Old 04-07-2011, 03:06   #22
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Re: Sailing the USA as a Brit!

[QUOTE=svtadpole;721201]In order to obtain said B1 B2 visa I would have to fly back to London , make an appointment with the US embassy ( I hear there is currently a waiting backlog of 2 to 3 weeks ) obtain the visa & fly all the way back here ( currently ahore in Lunenburg NS doing engine rebuild ) ...

Pablothesailor , who initiated this thread , has stated that he would need to fly from Spain to London & back ( include the waiting time in London ) in order to get a B1 B2 visa ...


Its not a problem for me to travel to London as will need to go there before we set sail!! So, it seems from reading on the AE web page that without the B1 B2 Visa I would not be allowed entry on my own sailing boat? Then, according to the AE web page you get the 90 days? If that is the case then its rather frustrating as 90 days in 12 months is not really enough for us! However, without ever wanting to break the law, it is true that there is often a ¨¨loop hole¨¨ in many cases, I remember before 1986 Brits had problems working in Spain (Spainwere not in the common market at that stage), we managed to find loop holes and get around it though! We are not looking to work in the US, just travel and spend more than 90 days per year there, from reading the thread it seems that this can be achieved?
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Old 04-07-2011, 04:55   #23
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Re: Sailing the USA as a Brit!

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Originally Posted by VirtualVagabond View Post
Except for the fact that svtadpole is doing it all the time... it seems like there may be some differences between the rules and the practical application.
We do not know which country svtadpole is from and in one of his posts #14 he says: "And another thing .... the visa waiver system has worked for me by air , by sea & overland from Canada ..." I stated and it is listed in the US government website that Canadians, Mexicans and Bermudians have different rules and do not use the VWP.

- - When hundreds of European cruisers crossing the Atlantic every year get their USA B1/B2 in Barbados and other coming from the Pacific get it in Belize and others who haven't made up their minds about cruising the USA get their B1/B2 in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, it is pretty obvious that you do not need to return to your home country to get one.
- - Of course you can do it that way, and it is preferred, but not a requirement. See: Visitor Visas - Business and Pleasure
"Applicants for visitor visas should generally apply the U.S. Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over their place of permanent residence. Although visa applicants may apply at any U.S. consular office abroad, it may be more difficult to qualify for the visa outside the country of permanent residence. Visa applications are now subject to a greater degree of review than in the past so it is important to apply for your visa well in advance of your travel departure date. "

- - You cannot go to a US Embassy/Consulate outside your home country and apply for the visa - it must be done via the internet via the website: http://travel.state.gov/visa/forms/forms_4230.html\
- - After that is done you apply for an "interview" where you provide your "proof of ties to your home country." You can get information on the various "wait times for the "interview" at: Visa Wait Times - for Interview Appointments and Processing

- - The massive stumbling block to getting a tourist visa is contained in the first link where it says:
"Qualifying for a Visitor Visa

There are specific requirements which must be met by applicants to qualify for a visitor visa under provisions of the Immigration and Nationality Act. The consular officer at the embassy or consulate will determine whether you qualify for the visa.

The presumption in the law is that every visitor visa applicant is an intending immigrant. Therefore, applicants for visitor visas must overcome this presumption by demonstrating that:
  • The purpose of their trip is to enter the U.S. for business, pleasure, or medical treatment;
  • That they plan to remain for a specific, limited period;
  • Evidence of funds to cover expenses in the United States;
  • Evidence of compelling social and economic ties abroad; and
  • That they have a residence outside the U.S. as well as other binding ties that will insure their return abroad at the end of the visit."
- - In other simpler words this means it is official USA policy that anybody applying for a visitor visa is a liar. I have a deep seated objection as a US citizen to this policy, but it really is the controlling regulation, like it or not. Therefore, having physical documentation - with you - when applying from other than your home country, where presumably you have access to your personal records, etc. - can possibly be difficult.
- - However, over the years cruisers have found out that certain US Embassy/Consulates like Barbados and Belize have a lot of experience with cruisers from major European, etc. countries and do not make the "proof" requirements obscenely difficult. Going to other US Embassy/consulates can be a nightmare of problems.
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Old 04-07-2011, 05:07   #24
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Re: Sailing the USA as a Brit!

What a bloody nightmare! I think i will have to set a meeting with the AE in the UK! Is it fair to say that the US is perhaps the most complex when it comes to visas, etc? We are really keen on traveling at the end of 2012, just hope its not like this everywhere?
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Old 04-07-2011, 05:32   #25
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Re: Sailing the USA as a Brit!

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Thats not right.

You can get a US B1 B2 in any country the US has an embassy. I got one in Frankfurt in Germany once. Multi year, multi entry.

Very interesting & completely contrary to information from the US authorities published online ...
"Applicants for visitor visas should generally apply the U.S. Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over their place of permanent residence."
This rule means I would only be able to get a visa from the US embassy in London ...

HOWEVER .... even more interesting to learn that I could make an application online then collect my visa from the US embassy in Ottawa ( since I am currently in Nova Scotia )
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Old 04-07-2011, 05:58   #26
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Re: Sailing the USA as a Brit!

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Originally Posted by svtadpole View Post
Very interesting & completely contrary to information from the US authorities published online ...
"Applicants for visitor visas should generally apply the U.S. Embassy or Consulate with jurisdiction over their place of permanent residence."
This rule means I would only be able to get a visa from the US embassy in London ...

HOWEVER .... even more interesting to learn that I could make an application online then collect my visa from the US embassy in Ottawa ( since I am currently in Nova Scotia )
In your own quote you missed the controlling word - "generally."
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Old 04-07-2011, 06:02   #27
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Re: Sailing the USA as a Brit!

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In your own quote you missed the controlling word - "generally."

Nope .... it's there .... in post#25 ....
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Old 04-07-2011, 06:08   #28
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Re: Sailing the USA as a Brit!

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Originally Posted by pablothesailor View Post
What a bloody nightmare! I think i will have to set a meeting with the AE in the UK! Is it fair to say that the US is perhaps the most complex when it comes to visas, etc? We are really keen on traveling at the end of 2012, just hope its not like this everywhere?
Yes, the USA system is a royal (well, we don't have a queen/king) pain in the ass. But, as I said, because of the presumption by US Consulate officials that everybody is lying until proven innocent, you need to get your "ducks in line" when it comes to proving your "ties" to your home country. Having a long term job or having huge amounts of money or having real estate in your home country goes a long way to smoothing the process.
- - This is why where you get your "interview and processing" makes a huge difference especially for a cruiser. Having an expensive "yacht" and being able to sail across the Atlantic along with having bank accounts and investments back in your home country is enough to prove your intentions as far as the Barbados Consulate is concerned. Additionally they get a large number of "super yachts" being processed there so are not keen on pissing off super rich and politically connected folks. Other Embassy/Consulates that are not familiar with the "cruising yachtsman" should be avoided at all costs. Although it is not "officially" admitted, the Consulate officials are rated by how many applicants they can turn down for visas.
- - Possibly the only other "horribly" complicated visa system than the USA is the Russian Federation. But at least there you can grease your way through their process with liberal donations.
- - Every other country in the eastern Caribbean than the USA islands are easy and welcome most everybody openly - they just ask that you bring money and enjoy spending it in their country.
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Old 04-07-2011, 06:17   #29
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Re: Sailing the USA as a Brit!

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Nope .... it's there .... in post#25 ....
Sorry, I meant you missed "reading" the word "generally" - you included the word but did not acknowledge its meaning. That is not uncommon as we all read what we want to hear most often and miss the modifiers that actually are quite important.
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Old 04-07-2011, 06:22   #30
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Re: Sailing the USA as a Brit!

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Nope .... it's there .... in post#25 ....

You missed reading the word in your own post! LOL

Now, whats your problem? Why make things more difficult than they need be? Are you an anarchist? Do you hate authority?

The easiest way to get into the USA as a foreigner (not Mexican or Canadian) is to go to ANY US Embassy and get an interview and proper Visa.

Visa waiver is really designed for package tourists with return flights or onward flights.

The interview is about 10 minutes long and really not invasive. They just want to count the number of heads on your shoulders and check you exist and take your fingerprints.

Its easy, you can do it in any language and I found it quite fun.

You might not respect Americans, but as its their national day, just spare a thought for their security difficulties.

They have nice, happy officials and I have always had trouble free entries, but I make sure my paperwork is right before going in.

So take my advice and stop making stuff difficult. Go see the friendly dude in his embassy or consulate in the country you are in and do the interview.





Screw them around or try to make things difficult and they will win.... they will screw you longer, deeper and more painfully than you do them.
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