Do I have to stick to the length of stay mentioned to the immigration officer during my entry to the US? [duplicate]

I work remotely for a company in the US and I'm traveling next week to meet with the team along with some teambuilding. After that I'll return to my home country in South America. The company paid for a round-trip ticket from South America to the US with a 1 week stay in CO. I have a B1/B2 visa.

However, I'd like to do some tourism as well. Would it be safe to "miss" my flight home and instead fly to SFO or NYC and stay for an extra week? I'd buy another ticket to fly back home a week later. I have no intention whatsoever of overstaying of course.

I'm worried about immigration thinking I'm trying to overstay by missing my flight on purpose. Is my worry justified? Should I play it safe and just return in my original flight?

usa customs-and-immigration

Best Answer

Your approach makes no sense. Sort out your plane tickets before you leave and, when you arrive at immigration, tell them that you're staying for two weeks – one for business and one for tourism.

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How do immigration know if you overstay your visa?

Travel Records It's pretty easy for foreigners in the U.S. to know if they've overstayed their visas. All they need to do is look at their I-94 arrival and departure cards, which clearly state how long they can stay.

What happens if I leave the US before my i-539 Application to Extend status is approved?

If you travel abroad while a change of status application (I-539) is pending, USCIS considers the application abandoned and will reject it. You will need to go to a U.S. embassy or consulate to apply for a new visa to re-enter.

What if I file on time for an extension but I leave the United States before USCIS makes a decision on my application?

If you leave the U.S. before a decision is made on your application to extend and you plan to return to the U.S. in the future, please keep a copy of your application plus the receipt notice to show to the Immigration Inspector on your return travel to the U.S. Otherwise, you may be denied entry for overstaying on your ...

What if your visa expires while waiting for another one?

Your best option in such a situation is to leave the United States and either visit a U.S. consulate to get a new visa for reentry or, if you haven't yet reached the expiration date on your old visa and multiple entries are allowed on it, simply return.

Full B2 First (FCE) Listening Test 1 with answers

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