Advice for an Aussie travelling to Wisconsin?

[oneaussieboy]

Hi everyone!

I'm flying to Wisconsin from Adelaide in November and just looking for any advice I can get really. I've booked all my flights, got travel insurance, and been approved for visa waiver.
I just need to know what I should expect at border control? As far as I know all I need to have with me is my ticket and passport right? I shouldn't actually need the printoff of my approval from what I could work out from the website. I've read a lot about people being harassed by US border control so I'm a bit nervous...
Also someone was saying I should say I'm staying with a friend, not my girlfriend? Is that right? Or would I be better off just telling the whole truth?

Any other general advice also welcome!

[Tooki]

I believe that the Visa Waiver is all electronic and it will come up on the system when Border Control scans your passport (so no need to print anything off)

From what I've read on here, US Customs is another devil compared to Australian Customs. I recommend that you get proof that you WILL be going home, like your uni card (if you study), any rental documents showing that you have a house to go back to, maybe even a letter from your work boss.

And like all customs situations, it really comes down to who handles you in customs. It could be really easy or really hard.

And if they ask, just say that you will be staying with a friend. Make a lie up if necessary, but I would keep her family in the loop about it!

[pink elephant]

It really depends on the immigration officer. They'll probably ask you the usual: your purpose for coming to the US (in your case, visiting your girlfriend), how long you intend to stay, and perhaps where you will be staying and maybe even how much you have in funds (though, I've never really heard of anyone being asked this myself.. but I've been asked this when traveling to other countries). As long as you don't have a shady background in your passport, plan on doing anything wrong in the US that might raise a red flag (like saying to the IO that you're deciding to work or get married in the US instead of "visiting a friend"), or intend on overstaying your visa, then you shouldn't be given any problems.

As Tooki said, make sure to bring evidence of your ties to Australia (return tickets receipt and itinerary, letter from your employer saying when you need to be back at your job, university enrollment letter, etc.). If you tell an IO you are staying with a girlfriend, the IO may become suspicious of you because they may think of her as a reason for you to stay in the US. However, by bringing your evidence of ties to Australia, you would be demonstrating to the IO that you intend to leave the US at whatever time and date you specify to the IO.

When my husband (but at the time of this story, fiance) visited me in the US for the first time, I sent him a letter of invitation to visit me. He presented it to the IO upon his arrival in Minneapolis. Basically, the letter contained a.) he was coming to see me from Aug XX 2010 - Oct XX 2010, b.) the address he would be staying at, c.) I would be supporting him financially and providing accommodation during the entire duration of his stay, and d.) my contact information if they had questions. We never ran into any problems or further questioning the two times he has come to visit me. But both times he went, he said he was "visiting a friend."

Do you know where your first point of entry in the US is? Whenever my international friends fly to the US, they comment on how IOs seem to be grumpier at airports in larger cities.

Also, depending on what part of November you'll arrive, it's probably going to be pretty darn cold! (I live in Minnesota, the state right next door.) Things'll become a lot more lively too if you're arriving around Thanksgiving/third weekend of November because it is the busiest travel season in the US.

Good luck with it all! I hope you have a wonderful time!

[Tooki]

The only question that I have been asked when I have travelled to Europe, is the purpose of my trip. I didn't need to show my return plane tickets or anything.

Unless you appear really dodgy, you should get through with relative ease.

[BlueCat]

I've never had much trouble. They always simply asked me the purpose of my trip, to which I would tell them I was visiting a friend. I always get nervous waiting in line, but they know how to pick the people that might be trouble etc, they do it all day every day and know what they're looking for and you're not one of them. I was always told to have a copy of the address I was staying at in the U.S with me to give them, but I never needed it. Can't hurt just in case, doesn't so much matter if you know it off by heart I don't think :P