My girlfriend is coming to visit me in America for 3 months. It is possible to stay in the states as a tourist for up to 3 months with no visa but my girlfriend is worried about going through customs. Is there anything she needs to be careful about saying? She is afraid if she tells them she is staying with her boyfriend for three months they might not let her in? Would it be better to fib and say she's staying with friends or something? It would be terrible for her to get all the way to america and then get sent back at the border. Please any advice would be appreciated.
2006-07-20 05:59:11 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ United States ➔ San Francisco
My girlfriend is Japanese by the way. So she'll be coming through the SF International airport.
2006-07-20 06:00:20 · update #1
She needs to check the visa requirements for staying here that long. She may need special permission to do so - and a return ticket home. Japan is a visa waiver country, but the max is 90 days, so this would be cutting it close. . .
She also needs to be sure that she's not carrying anything banned or prohibited int he US. I'd recommend that she not transport any foods and to verify that any medications that she brings are in fact legal here. She also needs to travel with those original prescription bottles to avoid problems.
She may also want to carry receipts if she's bringing with any expensive items (jewelry, handbags, watches, electronics, etc) When she returns, Japan may try to charge her some sort of import tax if they think she bought it while here.
Otherwise, she should just tell the truth and she shouldn't have a problem.
2006-07-21 13:42:47 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Don't LIE! Just make sure she doesn't have anything on her that she shouldn't have, and tell her not to worry and to tell the truth. I've been through customs in different countries many times and I find even if they're intimidating sometimes just to smile, have all your necessary papers out and ready, and don't speak unless you're spoken to (meaning don't talk too much, when they ask the reason why she's coming she could just say "I'm visiting my boyfriend" don't go into detail, they don't really care about your reasons for having a long distance relationship) I'm surprised she didn't need a visa though, isn't there a tourist visa? Oh well, I guess she wouldn't have made it this far is she really did need one. Hope it all works out and you guys have fun together! ^_^
2006-07-20 06:12:04 · answer #2 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No fruits or vegetables (especially in CA we're such a huge agricultural state, that it's an issue), no meat products (unless really pre-packaged, dried stuff), no funky cheeses (you can get away with this, and if you do, I wouldn't mind a sample). Basically nothing fresh that's not sterile wrapped (an example, you can't bring sugarcane from Hawaii unless it's processed and wrapped). As far as the boyfriend thing, I don't think it would make a bit of difference coming from Japan (it might from other countries), but I would stick with visit to friends while speaking with customs (it's true after all). How nice that you'll get to spend time with her. I hope she has a lovely trip.
2006-07-20 16:05:40 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
All US electorate require a passport to fly from the U. S. to a distinctive u . s . or back into the U. S.. That now includes Canada. For journeys ending via Sept 30 there became into an exemption made as long as you had evidence that a passport were utilized for. you will could clean Customs getting into Canada and US Customs going back into the U. S., comparable as in case you have been utilizing. as long as you're a US citizen with suited identity there are no longer any immigration standards notwithstanding you may could circulate in the direction of the comparable line as worldwide visitors. For the present in case you come back to a determination to stress you will choose your beginning certificates and a central authority issued image identity.
2016-10-08 03:15:53 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No need to lie.
If she has a tourist visa (or maybe they don't need one coming from Japan, they have a waiver) and no plants, food, animals or those things that are not allowed to bring in to the country, she will be fine.
I did it four times or so and never had any problems.
I hope she likes this. Enjoy life!
2006-07-21 12:54:47 · answer #5 · answered by MardeVigo 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It would be far better to tell the truth. If she lies, they will know it. Then they'll ask a few more questions, she'll get confused, start giving contradictory answers, and they'll haul her to secondary for a few hours. They might even send her home, since they won't believe anything she says any more. Tell her to just tell the turth.
2006-07-20 06:08:43 · answer #6 · answered by dognhorsemom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Coming from Japan she will have no problem..Just have her say she is staying with friends..Saying a boyfriend might suggest she will stay forever.
2006-07-20 06:06:23 · answer #7 · answered by dwh12345 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i have nothing brilliant to suggest, but it appears to me she IS staying "with a friend", you are one, aren't you. also, and i don't know this for a fact, but i would think that visitors from our "allies", are met with less drama. oh, and don't obsess about the situation, it's best to not "put that energy out there". my intuition is it will be a problem free encounter. you might think about it that way, too. have fun together!
2006-07-20 06:12:07 · answer #8 · answered by drakke1 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
She has nothing to fear. They WILL let her in, only if she has a visa and doesnt bring in anything illeagal.
2006-07-20 16:46:00 · answer #9 · answered by avrangergoalie 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I think you'd have more to worry about if she were from a poor country.
2006-07-20 11:57:17 · answer #10 · answered by Rossonero NorCal SFECU 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋