USA Visa
 

Hi,
Thought things were going well, then someone warned me of problems with USA visas. I am planning an open ended trip, first stop USA ( arriving East Coast Oct 2012); selling all inc house. However, I was warned that this would ring lots of alarm bells, and the USA Gov would be wary of going beyond a 3 month period.
Trouble is, my trip is all about going slowly, meeting the people, and getting a feel for the country; I don't want to have to blast through countries. Also, the Insurance appears crippling; got a quote that pro-rata was £2000 per annum. I was looking for at least 1 year in North America.
So, has anyone experience of this, or is it a question of, "Don't even try".
Hope someone has a few words of advice.
Surely not all the RTW folks are millionairs wanting to do a Long Way Round!!

William.

Get your USA visa before you sell the house. Appear to have a job. Develop lots of good reasons to return home, including (but not limited to) job, house, pets, wife, sick mother, school, volunteer experiences and more.

But before any of that, study the visa and visa waiver rules. I think you're confusing the two: the latter gives you 90 days, the former 180. Rules for what happens when you depart are different, too, and this really matters.

Insurance won't cost that much. Do a search for Progressive Insurance on this site.

Read, read, read. Almost anything you need to know has been asked and answered before. The Lonely Planet Thorntree forum USA branch has an extensive FAQ which addresses visa issues in ridiculous detail.

Hope that helps.

Mark

Hi Mark,
Thanks for the info; I know - I'm lazy, I shall search!
Well, my official plan now is not to do an open ended trip, but to return home. Taking all into account, and joking aside, I reckon it will make life easier just to hang on to the house; everyone seems happier when there is a base to find you at. I am now also planning to leave my other bike at the house with what left of my few possessions. Sounds a bit defeatist for an adventure, but it gives me a valid multi bike policy bit of paper to wave, current utility bills, and a licence with a real address on it.
Thanks again for the advice.
William.