tomayira:


I appreciate your candid advice...it`s ok to preempt that my moves screams "I don`t plan to return". I really try not to judge others too quick. Thanks and Keep up the good job!

seyewest:

The truth is I know it's stressful trying to renew the visa but it will save you a lot of stress if you do the needful. Have a good day.

tomayira:


Yea you are right, especially for my type that live and work outside Abuja and Lagos. I will do as you have advised. Thanks.

tomayira:


Yea you are right, especially for my type that live and work outside Abuja and Lagos. I will do as you have advised. Thanks.

ozim:
Hello pee,
Am kind of confused here, people keep saying they stamp them 6months at POE, am presently in Orlando Florida, got in almost a month ago and the stamp I have on my passport is Admitted, please, where is the 6months written there cos I no see anything like that?

shrekandfiona:

Truth is if you had used the visa for its original purpose, I would have advised you to travel with its less than 2 months validity. However, you haven't. So to be safe, just renew

shrekandfiona:

There's a US site you can use to check the duration. Can't recall it though but someone had posted it here before

ozim:
Hello pee,
Am kind of confused here, people keep saying they stamp them 6months at POE, am presently in Orlando Florida, got in almost a month ago and the stamp I have on my passport is Admitted, please, where is the 6months written there cos I no see anything like that?

petersje8:
My people. Am traveling to the USA next month for vacation. We have made hotel reservation but havent paid. I have the option of pay upon arrival. Will this be an issue at POE ?

FrontPageLawyer:


Nothing to worry about, but next time, it's advisable to always confirm from the CBP officer or check your I-94 online so you are sure exactly how long you're permitted to stay in the US. Was also stamped in (Admitted) and the the duration of stay wasn't written. Once I noticed, I went back to the CBP officer and he said it's nothing to worry about. Told him the last time I came in, I was given 6 months and it was boldly written with a blue pen; he insisted it's nothing with a smile.

Checked my I-94 online. I was adnitted until October 2017. I nor wan hear story.

Maybe it's an integrity test, but I can't see myself doing three weeks outside Nigeria.

ozim:
Thanks so much,came back yesterday and I spent only 19nights so I don't think I have anything to worry about, but just that when we were leaving our passports was not stamped out, I told my friend and he said US and UK don't stamp out,please, is that info correct?

keleks:
Hello house. Please i will be travelling with my hubby and daughter by the end of the month to texas and we will be spending 10 days. Tho we will be staying in a hotel but one of my hubby's friend said we should bring some food stuff over for him, like groundnut, egusi, dried fish, palm oil and other things. Its our first time travelling to the us, i hope we wont encounter any problem at the POE. And pls can i visit any hospital in us to see a gynecologist? Just to ask some questions and possibly solutions for conceiving?. I dont want to disobey any immigration rules o. We have a b1/b2 visa

seyewest:

Don't you think 2 month left on a visa is too risky what if they don't allow you in? you should do dropbox and travel if they renew it.

tomayira:



Thanks for your response, But does the numbers of months left on my visa determines if i would be granted entry or not? Since a visa can only take one to the port of entry and ones stay is determined by the CBP. A visa should be valid till the very last day of its validity.

9jaStar:
Nah. Even one day left on a visa is fine.
On my last NIV visa, I travelled with just days left on the visa and was stamped in for 6 months.
I renewed when I got back

seyewest:
Have you traveled with the said visa before?

9jaStar:
Not quite sure which of the visas you mean.
But I travelled with the first one when it had just days to expire. Stayed for about six weeks, came back, renewed via Dropbox and travelled again one more time with the renewed visa before I got my Immigrant Visa

seyewest:
I mean have you traveled earlier with the said visa before you decided to travel few days to the expiration of the same visa?

9jaStar:
Oh I see now.

Yes, I had travelled with it prior to that time.

To the point you are making, I am a frequent traveller. I think I must have used that particular visa at least four times prior to that.

In my opinion, I still think he can use it, provided he can clearly explain to the CBP Officer why he could not travel the first time

9jaStar:
Nah. Even one day left on a visa is fine.
On my last NIV visa, I travelled with just days left on the visa and was stamped in for 6 months.
I renewed when I got back

NaGodwin:
Before you mislead people, remember that ticket is very expensive now.

shrekandfiona:

No he isn't misleading. He is right if it isn't your 1st US trip that means you had used the visa for its initial stated purpose.

seyewest:
The issue is that this is the first time he/she want to use the visa.

ladylco:


It's not a problem, provided the person give reason why he is using it at that time, and also ensure he answer all question correctly as it relates to what he filled on the ds form

tomayira:
Thanks all for your wonderful inputs. This platform is for everyone to learn and gain wealth of experience. I have taken time to read through all the post as regard my question on if it would be ok to use my visa as a first time traveler to the U.S with just less than 2 months left on it? Please note that the initial intention (Conference) has not changed, I intend going for another conference. Now the questions are:
1. Would a CBP officer be more relaxed with a frequent traveler with the same visa validity as mine?
2. Has it become a crime or an offence if ones plan(s) changes?
3. Has anyone been returned to Naija from the POE simply cos he chooses to use his/her visa at any particular time within the visa validity?

In furtherance to my findings, this particular website explains a lot. https://travel.state.gov/content/visas/en/general/visa-expiration-date.html

Here are few extracts on what we have been trying to piece together.

A U.S. visa in his/her passport gives a foreign citizen permission to apply to enter the United States. A visa by itself doesn’t authorize entry to the U.S. A visa simply indicates that your application has been reviewed by a consular officer at a U.S. Embassy or Consulate, and that the officer determined you’re eligible to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry for a specific purpose. The port-of-entry can be an airport, a seaport or a land border crossing.
At the port-of-entry, a U.S. immigration officer of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) decides whether to allow you to enter and how long you can stay for any particular visit, as part of the Admission process. Only the U.S. immigration officer has the authority to permit you to enter the United States.

What the Visa Expiration Date Means
The visa expiration date is shown on the visa along with the visa issuance date. The time between visa issuance and expiration date is called your visa validity. The visa validity is the length of time you are permitted to travel to a port-of-entry in the United States.

Depending on your nationality, visas can be issued from a single entry (application) up to multiple/unlimited entries.

A visa issued for a single entry (denoted on the visa under “Entries” with the number 1) is valid, or can be used from the date it is issued until the date it expires to travel to a U.S. port-of-entry one time.
A visa issued for multiple entries (denoted under “entries” with a certain number (2, 3, etc.) or “M” for multiple/unlimited entries) is valid, or can be used from the date it is issued until the date it expires to travel to the U.S. port-of-entry as many times as your visa states, provided that:
Applying for a new visa is not necessary if your visa has not expired and you have not exceeded the number of entries permitted on your visa.
Multiple uses of a visa must be for the same purpose of travel allowable on the type of visa you have.


Thanks Guys once again, i will use the visa and make it a point of duty to report back here on however the trip goes.