Senior Gap Year

[Nigeluk]

My wife and I are from UK (both 56) and have decided to bite the bullet and have a year in the US with intention of seeing as much as possible. We intend to start in Florida in January 2018 where we hope to purchase a Winnebago View.
Our plan is to try and follow a mild as possible (70 degrees) weather pattern.
After buying the RV we have a budget of around 750 dollars a week.
We are both excited though apprehensive we would love to know of anyone who has done the same thing and what route they took. We are sure their will be huge huge highs and big lows on the way. Advice would be appreciated on how to try and avoid the lows.

 

[Tom]

Welcome Nigel from an ex-pat Taff. We have quite a bit of info on our Visitors to the USA message board, and a number of articles in our forum Library section of the same name (Library button in the menu above). You'll also find some useful/relevant info in our Trip reports board and Library section.


Meanwhile, be advised that on a B1/B2 visa, you can only be granted entry for 6 months on a single visit. There are legal ways to extend this, and these are discussed on our Visitors to the USA board. Be sure to follow the links and read the current rules, because they do change.


Which part of the Olde country are you from?

 

[Nigeluk]

Thanks Tom, will take a look.
We have our 6 month visas and understand we can apply for another 6 months while in US. Which we hope to do if things are still going well

 

[Nigeluk]

We are from Hertfordshire by the way

 

[Tom]

Herts., a nice part of the UK. But, of course, I'm biased towards the other side of the Severn Bridge.


For clarification, unless something has changed, a visa (normally stamped in your passport at a US embassy) only gives you permission to land in the US. Whether you'll be allowed in, and for how long, will be determined by the Border Patrol officer at the port of entry. This is not normally an issue, and they'll normally grant you a 6 months stay.

 

[TonyDtorch]

6 months or a year,  it sure sounds like a dream vacation to me.

Welcome and have fun in our country,  I would love to go back to the U/K for the same kind of vacation.

 

[Oldgator73]

We are from Hertfordshire by the way

We lived in Cambridge for 5 years. Loved our time in the U.K. Have many friends there we keep in contact with on FB. Let us know if your are in the vincinity of Dover, DE.

 

[Hfx_Cdn]

    Don't forget about your cousins north of the border, particularly if you cannot get your extension.  However, your goal of weather in the 70s will likely be difficult, particularly in July and August where temps particularly out west have been above 90 or 100 for much of the summer.  As for visa requirements for people travelling on an UK passport you will need to check.  I do know that previously they were not required.

Ed

PS:  Welcome to the forum

 

[Tom]

As for visa requirements for people travelling on an UK passport you will need to check.  I do know that previously they were not required.[/size][/font]

Ed, you may be thinking about the 'visa waiver' program  ???  This was/is limited to a stay of up to 3 months, with no provision for extending the length of stay. FWIW when I lived in the UK in the 70's and traveled to the US, a visa was required, and the same has been true for numerous friends and family members who have visited for longer than 3 months overy the years. A number who came for short visits were able to go online and apply for the waiver/authorization via the ESTA system. There have some changes to this program, and I always encourage folks to read the latest rules. Links to the respective US government Web pages are provided on our Visitors to the USA board.

 

[Hfx_Cdn]

    Tom, I was referring to UK passport holders travelling to Canada should they decide to come north.  Here is a link to a UK government site which provides information:  https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/canada/entry-requirements, and a Canadian government site:  http://www.canadainternational.gc.ca/united_kingdom-royaume_uni/visa.aspx?lang=eng

Ed

 

[Tom]

Oops, Thanks for the clarification/correction Ed. I should have realized you meant Canada. Thanks also for the links..

 

[Nigeluk]

Many thanks all for the warm welcome all, if everyone is like you in the states we won't want to leave.
As regards the weather we know it will be difficult to achieve a moderate climate we hope to nudge into Canada in July visiting Vancouver I don't mind a bit of heat but my wife wilts like a delicate flower.
Yes Oldgator Cambridge is indeed a beautiful City filled with history and not far from us, thanks for the invite.
We can't wait for January to come, although we have our work cut out as we are renting out our house while away so have to do all those diy jobs we have been meaning to do for years, as well as packing everything up. We will need a year's vacation when we are done.

 

[Tom]

There was a time when a detour into Canada could extend your allowed stay in the US. When you re-entered the US, the clock would start over on a new 6 months stay. However, I recently read on one of those Border Patrol web pages that they now treat the two visits (to the US) as a single contiguous visit. Another example of the rules changing, and the need to read the current rules.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

70 F. is going to be a tough target - even Florida in January is warmer than that. Often much warmer in South Florida. By early June,  all the USA is well above 70 during the day, and many areas stay around 70 at night as well. You may have to shade and water your flower extensively! And make sure that View has good air conditioning!

 

[Oldgator73]

Weather is extremely unpredictable. We have lived in 13 states and visited about 48. It snowed in North Florida (Crestview) in January one year we lived there. It was 100 F in San Antonio one year in January and the next year there was a horrific ice storm. Mountain Home, ID can get down to -50F in the winter and over 100F in summer. It's getting hard for us plan more than a few days in advance due to weather changes. We planned a trip to 6 Flags in NJ because it was supposed to be 79F. Ended up being 91F. Same this week. We planned a trip to the D.C. 6 Flags for Wednesday because the forecast was for 80F. Now it is up to 87 and probably going to go higher.

 

[Nigeluk]

Thanks for all the advice guys especially regards the weather perhaps I should keep my wife off this site for a while. We don't want her backing out at this late stage.

 

[jackiemac]

There was a time when a detour into Canada could extend your allowed stay in the US. When you re-entered the US, the clock would start over on a new 6 months stay. However, I recently read on one of those Border Patrol web pages that they now treat the two visits (to the US) as a single contiguous visit. Another example of the rules changing, and the need to read the current rules.

We got grilled this year coming in (2nd year on 6 month Visa) because I hadn't brought paperwork, particularly return ticket! The guy told us we need to be out for 6 months before we can come back for 6. Not sure if this was just his "opinion" or if it is fact, will need to check. We were here for 2 months then home for wedding and back for 4 last year with no issues. Think it depends on whether or not you get a grumpy guy!

If you have any questions let me know. I may not answer immediately as we don't have regular Wi-Fi and sometimes even mobile data won't let me access the forum.

Good luck...

 

[Tom]

Think it depends on whether or not you get a grumpy guy!

There's some truth to that, and the officer has the authority to decide if you'll be let in and for how long. When I used to travel from the UK on a visa (mine were unlimited entry and good for 10 years), I was always mindful of the fact that I was dealing with authority in another country where I was a guest, in addition to dealing with human factors.

Some 20 years after we became naturalized citizens, we made a trip down the Pacific coast to Mexico on our boat, picking up several friends in San Diego on the way. When we got back to San Diego, we followed the procedure, docked at the 'customs dock', and phoned the customs & immigration office at the airport. They promptly dispatched a couple of officers.

I couldn't find our passports that I'd put away somewhere 'safe' 3 months earlier. After clearing our American-born passengers, one officer told me I either needed a US birth certificate or a US passport. I sweated for a few minutes, and the guy asked for my drivers license. He made a phone call to his office, which he wasn't obligated to do, then said "you're in our computer and you're good to go" (I'd traveled extensively on business between the US and Asia and between the US and Europe/UK for years). Chris, who was ill in bed, wasn't asked for any paperwork.

 

[jackiemac]

There's some truth to that, and the officer has the authority to decide if you'll be let in and for how long. When I used to travel from the UK on a visa (mine were unlimited entry and good for 10 years), I was always mindful of the fact that I was dealing with authority in another country where I was a guest, in addition to dealing with human factors.

We are always extremely polite and are so grateful we can spend so much time here.  All of the other guys we encountered were really cheery and friendly. Guess he was having an off day.

I actually thanked the guys for being vigilant  as it is important that they are aware of who is coming into the country and for what reason.

 

[Tom]

One trip we crossed from Canada into the US in the coach. A small crossing in Maine, no lines, and only one officer on duty. He looked at every page of my passport and asked what I had done for a living. When I explained, he said "oh, that's why you have so many stamps from middle East countries". I politely corrected him that all those countries were in the far East.

This was the time of the mad cow disease scare, and he asked Chris to hand over the beef and eggs. Chris told him to take it home instead of trashing it. He said "thanks, but I can't do that".