pug123

Hey, i was thinking about visiting an friend from USA 2 weeks living at him i would not spend any money on rent or so only food etc, i would have around 600 dollar to spend. I live in Europe, and i have an esta visa passport creditcard yeah everything i need for the trip. Ofcourse i would buy a returnticket immediatly when i book so it is very clear when i go to US and when i go home again, my question is i think it is very blurry.. how much money do i need is what i have ok? this person that invites me to live with him could also confirm his invitation in writing with all his information adress name workplace etc, my question is more, should my situation be ok?

This was the information i've found about money: "Travelers visiting the U.S. from a foreign country must be able to prove to a CBP Officer that they have sufficient funds" and then "CBP Officers are aware that there may be circumstances in which a traveler may have limited funds. In those cases they will determine the admissibility of the traveler based on the information provided to support the reason the traveler has insufficient funds." and about me living with"

And this was the information about visiting: "If you have invited someone to visit you with the understanding that you will be hosting them at your house and providing meals, etc., it is advised that you confirm your invitation in writing so that they have something to show the CBP Officer. The letter should include your full name and address. This will not guarantee their admission into the U.S., but it will help the CBP Officer fully assess their situation."

Maluku_Flyer

When the agents ask me how much money I'm bringing with me, my standard answer is always "enough to get to the next atm and lots of plastic". That's always been the end of it.

pug123

Yeah alright so they usually don't ask so much? well i have more than enough to make it through the trip. I could just say that i have enough and if they ask for details i'll give them that of course. I have no idea how it works travelling to USA really so i would really benefit from information, the thing is i don't really find so clear information about things either so that is why i started this thread. I'm going a long way so i would like if it went smooth both my way there and back home =)

etch5895

A credit card should suffice. CBP could also call your friend and verify that they will be lodging you, which might help settle any concerns.

WorldLux

Be careful with providing such documents. Especially if your friend is of the opposite gender a "He will be living with me" could easily be construed as a "We are a couple. We want to live together", which is usually a big "no no".

Have invitation ready and give it to them if they start asking questions, which is IMO unlikely. Have the contact information (address + phone number) of your host ready if they want to verify. Ask your host to be available in case they contact him by phone.

It is unlikely, that you are asked to prove that you have sufficient funds. None of my relatives were asked to provide such proof. 600$/2 weeks is obviously not that much, but IMO should be sufficient. If you have a credit card (I presume you have a credit line of another X00$), you should have sufficient funds.

The general rule about immigration is: Be calm, be honest, don't ffs lie, reply correctly, straightforward but with as little words (e.g. Answer a "yes/non question" with "yes" or "no" and not "Yes. I'm here to visit the Gran Canyon, visit my friend, etc...").

The officer won't give you a hard time, unless you give him reason to do so. And don't lie.

Doc Savage

A small linguistic point: don't say you're gong to "live with" your friend. Say you're going to "stay with" a friend, or "stay at a friend's house."

"Live with" has slightly different connotations which might pique an agent's interest.

beachmouse

For all the reputation that US immigration officers seem to have around the world, keep in mind that they have 30-60 seconds to profile you as they look over your entry card. On their end, the questions pretty much come down to:

1. Is this person a risk to commit a crime?

The two red flags here these days are entry from certain Central and South American countries (illegal drug concerns) or if you've got an Islamic-sounding name. If neither of these apply, the vast majority of the time you get parsed as 'low risk'

2. Is this person a risk of overstay?

While I generally agree with not saying more than needed, phrasing it as:

"I'm here on a two week holiday from work to visit friends'

or

"I'm here on two week holiday from university classes to visit friends'

is a reminder that you intended to fly the return leg of your ticket because you've got something to go back to.

3. Is this person planning on working while they're here for alleged tourism purposes?

Two weeks is a normal holiday time frame for our European guests. It's also not really enough time to do work illegally outside of Visa Waiver/tourist visa. There is far more concern about illegal work and sufficient funds if your return ticket is 10-12 weeks out of arrival.

As for staying with friends- perfectly normal. My parents have even found themselves offering to put up kids of German friends for free so they could extend a trip to the USA for a week and sty on budget.

As for credit cards- so very easy to get over here (plenty of stories about a pet cat or dog being given a credit card with a $10K limit) and the assumption is that if someone has one, they've got sufficient credit limit to cover what cash does not.

I'd actually recommend not carrying too much cash across a border- large amounts can be a sign of illegal activity like drug payments, and the exchange rate you get an an ATM upon arrival is pretty much the same to somewhat better than what you'd get arranging for US Dollars from your home bank before you leave.

pug123

I'm sorry english is not my first language "Stay/Visiting" sounds so much better thanks for pointing that out.

i will have all information and my friend could of course talk to the CBP officer and confirm what i've told IF they ask, i just hope it is not going to be a long procedure but it will probably go fine

StartinSanDiego

Moderator action, please follow the thread as it moves to the Practical Travel Safety forum.

TravelingNomads

Just my 2 cents, but if questioned, I'd just explain that my credit cards offer free exchange rates which is cheaper than trying to exchange your money at a bank or paying international bank fees every time you need to use an ATM.

Also $600 is more than enough for food and entertainment for over a month actually. Just shop at stores like Aldi's (you can view their advertisements online to get an idea about food costs). For eating out or movie discounts use sites like slickdeals.net, groupon.com, livingsocial, etc. They often post Uber codes there as well. Many bars offer $1 beers on slow days, so just try to plan your activities for those days vs Friday and Saturday. Also, I have no idea where you are traveling from, but don't forget to account for tax + tips which aren't included in the menu price.

MSPeconomist

When and how did you meet your friend? Does he speak your language?

pug123

MSPeconomist i'm pretty fluent at english it just isn't my first language which is noticeable when i use wrong grammar at times. We are onlinefriends since long back ago(i know everything about him) and i also know people who know him that is how we got in contact.

flwrlover1 Yes, and he is going to be able to provide me also with some, so my money should be more than enough.

bbtrvl

Credit cards and bank/debit/ATM cards count toward "sufficient money", if you have the money in your bank account or credit limit.

You would be surprised how many people show up at the border with:
1. No evidence of any place to sleep past their first night
2. No bank cards
3. Carrying, at most, several hundred $ in cash (sometimes for multiple people)

In cases like that, CBP will challenge whether the visitor can support themselves without working. That is why there is financial support requirement.

If you think this is something you might be questioned about, bring bank statement or credit card statement, or maybe letter from your friend with name/address and number of days you will stay.

buylowsellhigh

Are you from a visa-exempt country? The us embassy, in many countries when applying for visa to visit the USA, require you to provide them financial information (most commonly bank statement) before approving for a VISA. Of course, they might ask again when you enter, I think the standard "cash & credit cards" would suffice.

TWA884

A Visa Waiver Program country.