Visiting boyfriend in US, what to expect from Border Security?
 

I'm travelling from Australia to US in less than 2 weeks, with a return ticket. My boyfriend lives in Georgia and I live in Queensland... so its quite a long distance. What I am worried about is Customs and Immigration. Being a lone traveller, and female, at age 20, I worry that they might pick me out. I plan to stay with my boyfriend and his family for 5 weeks, we have all (his family, him and myself with the knowledge of my own family) been planning this trip all year and I am afraid of getting detained or denied at Border Security. My layover is in Los Angeles and honestly, I have no idea what to expect from US border security. Do I tell them I'm just visiting a friend so they don't think I intend to marry illegally or something? If my length of stay is a concern with regards to expenses, I can bring a bank statement to show I have money but it'll only be spending money.... as I will be staying at their home the entire time, and also he will be driving me as a means of transport. So... I don't really need too much. It is our first time meeting after a year and a bit of dating, i just don't know what to expect from Border Security or what to say.. and I'm really nervous! Has anyone been in this position before? If so, what happened and how did you go with it? I am under the VISA waiver program, so no, I definitely do not intend to work or anything. I am just visiting him and we will be driving around Atlanta looking at all the tourist attractions.

Thanks~

It is not illegal to marry.:(
Relax and be honest. You are not the first to visit a boyfriend.

You obviously haven't been exposed to the immigration scrutiny that sometimes is common in the US and Canada....

I'd carry a written invitation from his family that makes clear that you will stay with the family.

Do you have a job? Are you a student? If so, carry some documentation (regular wage information and any written vacation time approval, a business card, etc. for a job, and a transcript and list of current courses or course registration for next semester if you're a student) as this could be viewed as evidence that you plan to return to Australia.

Don't say you're visiting a boyfriend. Say you're visiting friends and their families. Which is true. At least I hope your boyfriend is a friend. You might need to show them a return ticket and enough funds to stay in the country until the date of your return if things go south.

Try not to show nervousness. You are breaking no laws by visiting the US. Act that way (but of course, don't be pushy or demanding).

I am a student and I can provide my student ID card, as well as a print-out of my current enrolment for my subjects which commence in mid-February in 2015. I can confidently provide info on the family if needed, as I get along very well with his family and have all their contact details and know their full names etc all off by heart. I'll try get my boss to write a letter saying they are expecting me back in February also, seeing as my departure date is January 30. Do you think I'll need anything else? Also, what kind of questions do they ask? I can indeed say I'm just visiting and staying with a friend, as he was my friend before we got together. I don't see how that would be lying or breaking any US laws, right?

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I stand by my point ( re marriage)

Great comeback... Now for some facts....

It's pretty standard for immigration to question people at lenght when they indicate they have a romantic connection with someone that is a US citizen when they are not. And some of these interrogations, that's what they are not some random friendly questions, tend to turn nasty. And when there's even a hint of someone that intends to overstay or even marry they might get refused entry. Marriage might be legal, so is refusing entry.

So the question has a lot of merrit. Stick to the truth but don't hint at a future together either. Simply calling him a friend and visiting him and his family is the best way to approach this. Don't elaborate and stick to answering just what is asked in short replies. These people are just doing their job, but they are not your friends.

Nothing to be overly concerned about, but smart to be prepared.

Immigration may ask for the address and phone number where you are staying. Make sure you have this information on hand although I suspect you already have it memorized.

I would also carry a copy of a transcript showing the courses you completed (hopefully a full time load) during the previous semester. Some people are aware that any student can enroll in lots of courses and later drop them around the start of the semester, so your past course record helps to establish that you really are a student and seem to be serious about finishing your education.

I've seen foreign students re-entering the USA on student be visas asked to prove that they're really full time students. Having the transcript as well as a document listing the registered courses for the coming semester seems to end this discussion favorably.

Relax,Australia is a richer country than the US !!!:D

And,anyway,-its not illegal for somebody to travel from a rich country to marry somebody from a poor one,-so,why worry!!

That never stopped England and Canada from asking USA citizens if they're sure they're not attempting to enter for a job or job interview.

What one considers as excessive-scrutiny countries depends on where you live.
I have tales of demeaning immigration grilling horrors Asians experience in European countries.

I always advise people not to lie to immigration officials. If you start by calling him "a friend" they might press you on the nature of the relationship, then you will ultimately admit he's your boyfriend, then they may think you were lying with the friend nonsense, etc.

You're coming from Australia, you're visiting your boyfriend, you absolutely plan to go back to Australia because you're not ready to marry this guy and because Australia is a nice place and people don't have to flee Australia to marry Americans.

If you have a return ticket, this well help. If you have proof of a job in Australia or student enrollment or a reason to return, that wouldn't hurt. It would also help if you are not carrying all of your worldly possessions and baby pictures and copies your CV like an immigrant would.

I encourage you to be totally honest with the immigration officers. 20 year old women don't usually travel around the world to spend five weeks with casual, platonic male "friends." They would find that suspicious, more so than someone from a first world country visiting a boyfriend for five weeks.

Wait, I have a follow up question, have you ever met this guy in real life? If not, they may think that's weird and interrogate you about that for a while, ask who paid for your trip, etc. I can't tell if "first time meeting after a year a half of dating" means internet dating.