A friend of mine was given a US visa to attend a submit scheduled for august. His visa is for 3 months. But in the visa it was written "annotation: 1 week maximum.

He wanted to go to the US 1 week prior to the submit to visit friends and family. Is it possible for immigration officials to extend his stay on request to two weeks? As far as is within the 3 month period of visa?

Please any help on this will be appreciated.

1st, what type of visa was he issued. If visitors visa, pay attention to the bolded parts of my explanation as it relates to your friend. . .

Visitors who come to the United States on a visitor visa can apply for extension of stay which may be granted or not granted, depending on the reason for extension, or whether the USCIS is convinced applicant does intend to return back to his country after temporary stay.

You should not apply for an extension of stay within 3 months of entry otherwise the USCIS may conclude that even before entering the US, you were planning to extend the visa which is contrast to what you said at the consulate or at the port of entry.

The duration for which a person can stay depends upon the expiration date of the I-94, and not the expiration date of the visa stamp. The date of the visa stamp is irrelevant. As long as you apply for the extension before the expiration date of the I-94, you would be in legal status up to 240 days and you will not have stayed in the U.S unlawfully.

It should be applied for between about 4 to 6 weeks before the I-94 expires

Your friend's probably in a much different/difficult situation here since he was given a duration time at the embassy in correlation with his reason for coming to the US (the 1 week summit)

@Mudley - Thanks. The visa is a B1/B2 visa i.e a business/conference visa. The visa starts from May18th - Sept 16th 2010 (sorry I earlier made a mistake, the visa is a 4month visa). and the submit holds from 3rd - 8th of August.
What if my friend goes on the 3rd and on the 7th he applies for an extension to visit family and friends. Do you think it would be granted? If so who does he apply to while in the US? What is the full meaning of USCIS?
Thanks for your help

i dont know what happened to my post but anyways, a visa doesnt tell you how long u can stay in the US. United states citizenship and immigration service (USCIS) officer at the point of entry can let ur friend stay for 6 months regardless of when his visa expires.
Your friend can visit the US anytime from now if he wants to but like i had earlier stated, he would have to show why he wants to spend a few wks before and after the conference.
Applying for an I-94 extension is a pain in the neck. It cost about $300 and it takes 3 months to get a response from USCIS.

Mudley313:
As long as you apply for the extension before the expiration date of the I-94, you would be in legal status up to 240 days and you will not have stayed in the U.S unlawfully.

It should be applied for between about 4 to 6 weeks before the I-94 expires

But if the extension is denied, then he would have overstayed starting from the day his I-94 expired and he'll have a hard time getting another Visa at a US embassy/consulate

johnkent:

i dont know what happened to my post but anyways, [b]a visa doesnt tell you how long u can stay in the US. United states citizenship and immigration service (USCIS) officer at the point of entry can let your friend stay for 6 months regardless of when his visa expires.
Your friend can visit the US anytime from now if he wants to but like i had earlier stated, he would have to show why he wants to spend a few wks before and after the conference.[/b]Applying for an I-94 extension is a pain in the neck. It cost about $300 and it takes 3 months to get a response from USCIS.

Are you for really? So if you are given 3months visa u can go ahead and stay as long as u want? Please where is ur source?

justwise:

Are you for really? So if you are given 3months visa u can go ahead and stay as long as u want? Please where is your source?

He never said this. Please read again. He's saying USCIS port of entry officer determines the length of the person's stay which is absolutely true. The officer could deny entry, may elongate or cut short the duration given by Visa officer in Naija.

_________:

He never said this. Please read again. He's saying USCIS port of entry officer determines the length of the person's stay which is absolutely true. The officer could deny entry, may elongate or cut short the duration given by Visa officer in Naija.

Thank you

justwise:

Are you for really? So if you are given 3months visa u can go ahead and stay as long as u want? Please where is your source?

USCIS officer at the point of entry determines how long u can stay and not the visa in ur passport. My mom arrived the US ona visa that expires in a week but she was given an I-94 for 3 months. Again, it depends on who you meet at the point of entry. Some of them are really nice and some of then are a pain in the u know where.

_________:

He never said this. Please read again. He's saying USCIS port of entry officer determines the length of the person's stay which is absolutely true. The officer could deny entry, may elongate or cut short the duration given by Visa officer in Naija.

I see your point.

johnkent:

USCIS officer at the point of entry determines how long u can stay and not the visa in your passport. My mom arrived the US ona visa that expires in a week but she was given an I-94 for 3 months. Again, it depends on who you meet at the point of entry. Some of them are really nice and some of then are a pain in the u know where.

I clearly see where you coming from now.