Extendable visa to tour the US
 

Hi,
Well after meeting so many US citizens while touring Asia and Europe and reading some of the threads here, we are now really attracted by North-America; Canada and the US. I just have a question regarding visa's. I know europeans can enter the US without visa, but then you only get a three months non-extendable limit and you cannot cross-border, you have to fly in. Has anyone ever had a 6 months or more, or hear of someone that has? Do you really need a proof of exit to get in? I mean all of you that do the Ushuaia-Alaska, how do you do it?
I know I just have to pop in any consulate and ask the question, but if some of you have an answer now that would already help.
Thanks a lot

Alice

It depends on many factors. What country are you from? How old are you? What is your job? What sex are you and your fellow travelers? Do you have a reason to come back to your home country? (ie a family, good job, business that you own) How much money do you have in the bank?

These are all questions that are commonly asked for a long term US visa. If you can answer all these questions to the satisfaction of the counslor officer who interviews you, you can recieve a 10 year multiple entry visa.

One note, when applying for a US visa you need a photo that conforms to US standards, which if I recall corectly is 2 inches by 2 inches. A regular passport photo will not do. The home page of the local US embassy in your country should have a list of photo shops that can take photos in this non-standard size. Good luck.

Under the visa waiver program you can enter at a land border and you do not need to show a ticket out of the US. You do have to show evidence of you ability to pay for your trip. The problem with this in your example is that you would only have 90 days from the time you enter the US to complete your trip and leave the US. The time that it would take you to cross Canada is also included in your 90 days, you don't get 90 days for the continental US, then 90 more days when you reenter the US at Alaska.

According to 8 CFR if you have a visa there is no requirement to show a ticket out of the US. You will also receive 6 months for you stay and can request more time, up to 1 year, when you apply for addmission at the port of entry. The granting of more than the 6 months is done on a case by case basis however.

A pretty good website for you immigration realated needs is www.uscis.gov

^^

Also keep in mind that not all EU countries are part of the Visa Waiver program.