As UK citizens, if we bought an RV to travel through the US for several months, longer than 90 days, would we have to exit the country and return for periods?
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7Not at all an answer to your question, but a thought for you. You may want to consider renting/leasing one instead of purchasing. For what you pay to purchase a low- to mid-range RV, you might be able to rent a high-end one instead. Depends on your needs/desires/budget.– FreeManCommented Mar 19, 2019 at 12:34
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2 Answers
If you want to stay longer than 90 days, you can apply for a Visa. That might be the better alternative than hopping out and in, as it removes the cost - and the risk of not being allowed back in (as well of the need to lie about your plans when entering).
Note that travelling to Canada or Mexico does not reset your day count; you need to go 'further' than that to be able to start another 90 day period.
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5More info for the answer, apply for a B2 visa and you can stay for up to 6 months at a time. uk.usembassy.gov/visas/tourism-visitor Commented Mar 19, 2019 at 14:08
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Note that the visa validity is not immediately tied to the stay time granted by the immigration officer, which routinely is just a few months, no matter what your visa says (I had a 10 year tourist visa starting in 2006). You must then extend your granted time by mail (complicated, needs time) or still exit and enter the U.S. But in 2006/7 it was sufficient to go to Mexico and Canada for a couple days or weeks, respectively, and then re-enter the U.S. Commented Mar 20, 2019 at 13:59
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(ctd.) But you must sure to check in with the border agent when you exit the U.S. to get the exit stamp proving that you left before your time ran out; when entering Mexico there was no check at all by U.S. (or Mexican) agents, so we were in Mexico before we knew it and had to return to the border to obtain the exit stamp which was a multi-hour endeavor and a mile-long wait. Commented Mar 20, 2019 at 14:02
For staying longer than 90 days, you should get a visa. Trying to make multiple stays of around 90 days, with short gaps in between is almost certain to get you refused entry.
People often assume that visa free entry to whatever country means that you have some kind of right to enter the country, as long as you're out within 90 days. It doesn't work like that. Rather, you turn up at the border and they can, at their discretion, let you in for up to 90 days. Normally, they do exactly that and, even if you say you're staying for two weeks, they'll stamp your passport with a date 90 days in the future. However, if they suspect you're abusing the system, they can give you a shorter period or just refuse entry altogether.
answered Mar 19, 2019 at 13:41
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They can turn you away with a visa as well. It's probably rarer because they have done a background check already but it's at the discretion of the officer. So be nice, smile (but hey, no fake smile!), and have a coherent story with material backup (travel plans, bookings, return tickets, sufficient funds to sustain yourself, contact addresses etc.). Commented Mar 20, 2019 at 14:06