Touring America

Former Member

Hey all,

I'm thinking about touring America next year for a few months. Ideally I'd like to get a working visa for 6 months so that I'd be able to work the odd seasonal job (waitressing, bartending etc), but I know they can be difficult to obtain. If worst came to worst a tourist visa would have to do, I'd just like the opportunity to work temporarily if funds became low.

Does anyone have any experience obtaining working visas in the USA? Has anyone travelled around the USA? Advice? Tips?

Thanks muchly.

Former Member

If you got to California go to Yosmite National Park, I went camping there for 5 days and fell in love with the place! After you could make your way up to San fransico and then takr the pacific highway all the way down to san diego..

Former Member

I don't have any advice on visas etc but just wanted to say *jealous* I would love to do something like that. I've got friends who've spent some time in the States and they recommend the national parks too, they're supposed to be lovely. My brother did Camp America so I'll ask him about the visa thing and let you know.

ETA: Just had a response from my brother. He said the bulk of his visa application was done for him as it was through Camp America, but said "the best advice is patience when you arrive at the embassy office, and to make sure you print absolutely everything that the embassy could possibly want. This is because they'll be looking to turn you away if they can get away with it (means less work for them) – and so if you're missing a form, that gives them an excuse!" Something to bear in mind when you're off to the embassy anyway

Former Member

StupidGirl wrote: »

wanted to say *jealous*

:yes:

Getting working visas for the U.S. can be a pain. In fact, getting any visa that's longer than the standard 90 days you get under the visa waiver scheme, can be a serious ball-ache. Defo look into it an research it thoroughly before you make an application - I had a friend apply for a 6 month travel visa, and he was only allowed to make two applications before they cut him off.

Former Member

craicjunkie wrote: »

If you got to California go to Yosmite National Park, I went camping there for 5 days and fell in love with the place! After you could make your way up to San fransico and then takr the pacific highway all the way down to san diego..

:yes: Yosemite is great.

Former Member

Just wrote a big reply and then hit back by mistake Will write it again later!

Former Member

I lived in the US for a year and did a bit of travelling while I was there. There are lots of places I'd recommend to visit if you can.

The west coast is cool, especially if you do a road trip. I drove from Seattle (WA) down to San Fransisco (CA), then east through the Sierra Nevada mountains and Yosemite, and across Death Valley into Las Vegas (NV). After that I went east to the Grand Canyon, then south to Phoenix (AZ) and finally west again to San Diego and LA (CA). A lot of people travel straight down highway 1 along the coast, which is a different way to the inland route I took. I recommend all the places from that trip, apart from LA, which is quite rubbish unless you're rich. California alone has loads of different places - beaches, mountains, forests, deserts, cities, whatever you want to see! Factor in the surrounding states and the west coast is a pretty nice location to visit.

Other places I recommend are... New Orleans (LA) is good, especially at Mardi Gras, but every Saturday night on Bourbon Street is pretty crazy! Chicago (IL) and New York (NY) are good, I liked Chicago more though, as I found the people more friendly. It's great just to be in New York though, there's lots to do and see (and many ways to spend money).

If you go to Florida, which is where I lived, avoid Orlando! Unless you want to go to the theme parks, there's really nothing else there apart from English people. There are loads of nice places in Florida, including Tampa, the Keys, the Everglades and St Augustine.

Former Member

StupidGirl wrote: »

ETA: Just had a response from my brother. He said the bulk of his visa application was done for him as it was through Camp America, but said "the best advice is patience when you arrive at the embassy office, and to make sure you print absolutely everything that the embassy could possibly want. This is because they'll be looking to turn you away if they can get away with it (means less work for them) – and so if you're missing a form, that gives them an excuse!" Something to bear in mind when you're off to the embassy anyway

Thanks so much for asking your brother for me, I appreciate his advice. I didn't want to do the whole camp America thing, mainly because it means staying in one place.

Former Member

craicjunkie wrote: »

If you got to California go to Yosmite National Park, I went camping there for 5 days and fell in love with the place! After you could make your way up to San fransico and then takr the pacific highway all the way down to san diego..

Now that sounds awesome. I'm taking notes, here.:D

Former Member

CptCoatHanger wrote: »

:yes:

Getting working visas for the U.S. can be a pain. In fact, getting any visa that's longer than the standard 90 days you get under the visa waiver scheme, can be a serious ball-ache. Defo look into it an research it thoroughly before you make an application - I had a friend apply for a 6 month travel visa, and he was only allowed to make two applications before they cut him off.

Oh, wow, really? Was there a specific reason he got rejected for a tourist visa? I know the standard visa is 90 days, and perhaps I'm being naive, but I wouldn't have thought getting a 6 month tourist visa would be incredibly hard (as you can work).

God damn America for being so strict. :banghead:

Former Member

wooooooooah wrote: »

Just wrote a big reply and then hit back by mistake Will write it again later!

Aw, thank you for going through the effort of typing it again for me!

wooooooooah wrote: »

I lived in the US for a year and did a bit of travelling while I was there. There are lots of places I'd recommend to visit if you can.

How did you manage to live in America for a year? What kind of visa did you get (or did you slip 'below the radar' so to speak)?

The west coast is cool, especially if you do a road trip. I drove from Seattle (WA) down to San Fransisco (CA), then east through the Sierra Nevada mountains and Yosemite, and across Death Valley into Las Vegas (NV). After that I went east to the Grand Canyon, then south to Phoenix (AZ) and finally west again to San Diego and LA (CA). A lot of people travel straight down highway 1 along the coast, which is a different way to the inland route I took. I recommend all the places from that trip, apart from LA, which is quite rubbish unless you're rich. California alone has loads of different places - beaches, mountains, forests, deserts, cities, whatever you want to see! Factor in the surrounding states and the west coast is a pretty nice location to visit.

Other places I recommend are... New Orleans (LA) is good, especially at Mardi Gras, but every Saturday night on Bourbon Street is pretty crazy! Chicago (IL) and New York (NY) are good, I liked Chicago more though, as I found the people more friendly. It's great just to be in New York though, there's lots to do and see (and many ways to spend money).

If you go to Florida, which is where I lived, avoid Orlando! Unless you want to go to the theme parks, there's really nothing else there apart from English people. There are loads of nice places in Florida, including Tampa, the Keys, the Everglades and St Augustine.

Thanks so much for this, loads of good advice. We'd definitely be looking to road trip through America, Especially California. I've been to America a few times, and San Fran is one place I'm dying to go back to!

Done New York, love it and miss it, will be heading that way. New Orleans sounds great, I hear it's like a mini Las Vegas.

Been to Orlando, and I agree with you completely. Haven't been to Miami, and would definitely want to spend some time there.

Thanks again.:D

Former Member

TintedLens wrote: »

Aw, thank you for going through the effort of typing it again for me!

No problem, I love talking about America!

How did you manage to live in America for a year? What kind of visa did you get (or did you slip 'below the radar' so to speak)?

I was doing research for a year as part of my undergraduate degree. I had a J-1 visa, which is a student visa. This was sorted out mainly by the HR people at the institution I was going to work for. I think it's easier to get a visa if a place will sponsor you, otherwise I don't know about the other types. I don't know if they have an equivalent of the working and travelling visa in Australia?

Thanks so much for this, loads of good advice. We'd definitely be looking to road trip through America, Especially California. I've been to America a few times, and San Fran is one place I'm dying to go back to!

Done New York, love it and miss it, will be heading that way. New Orleans sounds great, I hear it's like a mini Las Vegas.

Been to Orlando, and I agree with you completely. Haven't been to Miami, and would definitely want to spend some time there.

Thanks again.:D

I'm sure you'll have a great time whatever you do. Hope it all works out!

Former Member

One thing I would say is that the public transport between cities isn't that great. Trains tend to be a lot more expensive than in the UK and the coaches aren't great - I got a coach from Baltimore to New York, it was really expensive and kept breaking down, the coach station was just a mound of earth so you didn't know where the coaches were going, they weren't clearly labelled or sign posted. I think it's because they are so big on cars over there. Although the Metro does run 24 hours in New York (but it's harder to get about as there are far fewer interchange stations than the underground here).

Former Member

Randomgirl wrote: »

One thing I would say is that the public transport between cities isn't that great. Trains tend to be a lot more expensive than in the UK and the coaches aren't great - I got a coach from Baltimore to New York, it was really expensive and kept breaking down, the coach station was just a mound of earth so you didn't know where the coaches were going, they weren't clearly labelled or sign posted. I think it's because they are so big on cars over there. Although the Metro does run 24 hours in New York (but it's harder to get about as there are far fewer interchange stations than the underground here).

Did you use the greyhound buses at all? I know they take forever and aren't always convenient, but I hear they're cheap!

I used the subway every day when I went to New York earlier this year, and I thought it was awesome. Never really had a problem going from one end of the city to the other, but I know that New York has much better public transport than a lot of other states.

We'd rent a car, so we'd be driving from state to state (road trip!)... so luckily I'll only really be using public transport within the city if I didn't want to drive around constantly.

Former Member

TintedLens wrote: »

Did you use the greyhound buses at all? I know they take forever and aren't always convenient, but I hear they're cheap!

I used the subway every day when I went to New York earlier this year, and I thought it was awesome. Never really had a problem going from one end of the city to the other, but I know that New York has much better public transport than a lot of other states.

We'd rent a car, so we'd be driving from state to state (road trip!)... so luckily I'll only really be using public transport within the city if I didn't want to drive around constantly.

We used a different coach company that was half the price of the greyhound coach... big mistake though!!

Former Member

TintedLens wrote: »

Oh, wow, really? Was there a specific reason he got rejected for a tourist visa? I know the standard visa is 90 days, and perhaps I'm being naive, but I wouldn't have thought getting a 6 month tourist visa would be incredibly hard (as you can work).

God damn America for being so strict. :banghead:

My understanding is that you cannot work in the US on a tourist visa. I believe you need something like a "working holiday visa", which is age-restricted. However, I can find no mention of such a visa on the US Embassy site, so they may define it as something else.

Tourist visas for 6 months or more might be difficult for young people, because you have to show the US authorities that you have a) the funds to support yourself for the whole visit, b) a cast-iron reason for wanting to return home and c) a return ticket. If there is any doubt over any of these things, the authorities will turn down your application as they will assume that you will have to work to support yourself or may just disappear and become an illegal immigrant.

My husband and I got 10 year visas (allowing us to enter the US for up to 6 months at a time for 10 years) in 2001 with no difficulty at all. But, then we are much older, with a home of our own, mortgage, kids in the UK, money behind us, etc., etc.

TBH your best bet is to get an offer of work from Camp America or something similar. I know it isn't what you want ideally but, once your contract is up, you will get a chance to do some travelling before coming home. The scheme has been going for years and a lot of my friends had a great time doing it.

Former Member

I would say do Camp America as well - you get time off and a bit of spending money at the end of the summer to go travelling and they sort out all of the visa stuff for you - any other option is practically impossible as the US are cracking down on visa's - my dad now has to go to the embassy and get a proper working visa just to go to visit his office in the US for a couple of weeks.

BUNAC do a working holiday scheme though which is worth investigating http://www.bunac.org/uk/workAmerica/

Ohh and i'd buy a car rather than hire one as it will work out much cheaper if your there for more than a few weeks as you can use it whilst your working as well.