Yahoo Answers is shutting down on May 4th, 2021 (Eastern Time) and beginning April 20th, 2021 (Eastern Time) the Yahoo Answers website will be in read-only mode. There will be no changes to other Yahoo properties or services, or your Yahoo account. You can find more information about the Yahoo Answers shutdown and how to download your data on this help page.

How can someone from France who is already in the US, get a visa to stay longer than 90 days.?

The person is in the US, but came with no visa as the French can visit with no visa for 90 days. This person would now like to prolong their stay and wants to apply for a visa - how does she go about doing it?

8 Answers

Relevance
  • 1 decade ago
    Favorite Answer

    A person who comes to the U.S. using the Visa Waiver Program must leave the country within 90 days ... if they do not they risk a total ban from entering the U.S. for 10 years. Being a recent immigrant, I applied for a fiance visa at the British embassy, it's a long process but worth it. I believe a stay can be extended but you have to leave the country ... to Canada or Mexico, then come back into the country using your French passport using the Visa Waiver Program again ... as long as your green VWP card is returned when you leave the country ... you'll get a new one when you re-enter the country. On the Visa, there are multiple ways of getting one ... if you're in love ... a fiance visa, if you can find a sponser (work) apply for an H1B visa, if you have time to go to school apply for a student visa (this will require you to go home at the end of your course and not come back for some time). Check out the USCIS website for more information.

    http://www.uscis.gov/

  • 1 decade ago

    The purpose of the emigration requirements is frankly to prevent what you are trying to do. If every 3rd visitor to the US entered as a tourist, and then tried to get a visa to work...well you get the picture. So you will need to leave the US and reenter at the 90 day point. So - if you are French you should look at French companies with a lot of biz in the US - Schlumberger, Airliquide, michelin, Accor, etc. and try to come to the US on an L1 visa.

    Or find an American to marry you and sponsor you.

    Or just live here illegally and work under the table (gee, there are only a couple million people doing this now). Really, how tough could it be to work in a restaurant, pub, etc. If you are at least slightly charming and can speak some english, you can get away with this and get paid in cash. However I don't believe you would want to live the rest of your life this way. Get in touch with the French community in your area, and try to work for a French person that has their own business.

    Source(s): Real life experience
  • 1 decade ago

    I assume she arrived under what is called the "Visa Waiver Program" and has a green-colored card attached to her passport. This allows certain foreign nationals to visit the US as tourists for up to 90 days. There are restrictions on the Visa Waiver and I understand that one of the restrictions is that the holder cannot apply for an extension of stay (as opposed to a visitor who enters the US on a non-immigrant visa). I believe the only exception to the rule is if she were to marry a US citizen while in the US on a Visa Waiver. Otherwise, my understanding is that she would have to leave the US before the 90 days expire, and then seek re-admission. Don't take my word for it, though. Visit the United States citizenship and immigration service website for info.

  • 1 decade ago

    I am not sure but I think that he may not stay any longer and should first leave the country and apply in a US consulate ideally in France. He needs to check with the US consulate or embassy which visa suits the best his needs... is he a student? attending school? Visa can't take a long time before being delivered. Maybe there is another way but thats the only one I know and the one I followed

  • How do you think about the answers? You can sign in to vote the answer.
  • 1 decade ago

    Try getting a student visa and take a class.

  • 1 decade ago

    that person can get a stable job and then apply for a visa, saying he/she works in the us.

    also check out this site.

    http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/obtainingvisa/ind...

  • 1 decade ago

    Leave the country and reenter! The US Government is very particular and strict with immigration laws

  • Baby
    Lv 6
    1 decade ago

    school, work . apply for it.

Still have questions? Get your answers by asking now.