help pls: annotated B1/B2

[chitomorales]

Good day Immihelp!

Please bear with me as I think a lot have asked a similar inquiry. But detailed responses have not cleared the matter for me. Here's my case:

I applied for a B1/B2 visa to take the US Medical Licensing Exam in Chicago on October 4. During the visa interview i specifically said i'd be going to the states to sit the exam and go home to my home country after the exam. I never mentioned about visiting relatives in the US (although i declared in my ds 160 that i have relatives in the states). I was issued with a B1/B2 visa, single entry with the annotation: "US Medical Licensing Exam, Chicago, October 2013". With this specified annotation, does that mean the IO at the POE would most likely grant me only a month for duration of stay? After this exam, I am eligible to apply to hospitals for further medical training. Most hospital interviews occur around November through January. But I did not mention this during the interview as I was told to be "minimal" with answers and not volunteer information not directly asked by the consul. Besides, should I fail this exam, I will not be eligible to apply and hence would not be called by hospitals for interview. During the interview I can't assume that I would definitely pass the exam so i did not mention about them at all. Now im confused if i'd book a 2 way ticket for October and a return flight on the same month or book a return flight on january 2014 (after the interviews are through) and hoping that the IO would grant me 6 mos duration of stay. Could i say after the exam i plan to visit my relatives so the IO would be more generous with the duration of stay? Please advise. Thank you so much! More power!

[peace999]

It is perfectly fine if you told them you will be visiting some relatives for some weeks after the test. Because that is perfectly within the scope of the visa.
But you also have to be careful NOT TO request too long a stay like several months.

You have to take this chance.

Book a return ticket for a month ( they can look at it to gauge your intent). Change it later if you get a longer stay.

Another piece of adv; Probably you know already, take step3 and go for H-1b rather than a J-1 for your residency.
J-1 decisions can be impacted by how much time spend currently on your annotated visa.

[chitomorales]

It is perfectly fine if you told them you will be visiting some relatives for some weeks after the test. Because that is perfectly within the scope of the visa.
But you also have to be careful NOT TO request too long a stay like several months.

You have to take this chance.

Book a return ticket for a month ( they can look at it to gauge your intent). Change it later if you get a longer stay.

Another piece of adv; Probably you know already, take step3 and go for H-1b rather than a J-1 for your residency.
J-1 decisions can be impacted by how much time spend currently on your annotated visa.

wow that was a prompt response. Thank you so much peace999. It's my first time to travel to the US, and I was kind of anxious that the annotation would only mean that i am to enter the US for that particular reason alone (i.e. to take the exam) and nothing else as i only indicated during visa application (ds 160) that i'll be going there to sit the exam. did not mention "visit relatives" because my primary reason for application was to take the exam. sorry for reiterating this, so if i arrive at the states 4 days prior to the exam and book a hotel for a 5 day stay, and tell the officer that i'd be staying thereafter with my relatives for a few weeks before my return flight, what document(s) do i need to show the officer that i'd be living with my relatives?

Yes, i know it's best to take step 3 and go for h1 later but can you elaborate when you wrote: "J-1 decisions can be impacted by how much time spend currently on your annotated visa"? I thought the annotation would not have an impact on J1 decisions as should the hospital be interested with my application, i would be applying for a different visa (J1) when i'll be back at my home country. big thanks!

[peace999]

B1 (business/exam) is allowed B2( pleasure) activities by default but vice-versa is not true.
When asked about the purpose of the visit you FIRST tell them you are here for the TEST , so they will give you a B1 stamp on your passport.
When asked how long you tell them a few weeks as you will visit some relatives / or do some sightseeing after the test.
No documents required. Just keep some contact info for one of your relatives even though it is not mandatory.

Besides serving a guide for the POE officer, a
an annotation is also looked at when you apply for a change of status or when you apply for another visa next time.
They will see if you really took the test .

J1 is a visa similar to B1/B2 in that you need to prove a non-immigrant intent.
That makes it subject to high level of officer discretion and whim.

so if you have a history of unexplainable long stays like 5-6 months on a b1/b2 , it may ( I am not saying it will)
impact a J-1 decision ( also depending on the officer).

H-1b is free of that.

[chitomorales]

B1 (business/exam) is allowed B2( pleasure) activities by default but vice-versa is not true.
When asked about the purpose of the visit you FIRST tell them you are here for the TEST , so they will give you a B1 stamp on your passport.
When asked how long you tell them a few weeks as you will visit some relatives / or do some sightseeing after the test.
No documents required. Just keep some contact info for one of your relatives even though it is not mandatory.

Besides serving a guide for the POE officer, a
an annotation is also looked at when you apply for a change of status or when you apply for another visa next time.
They will see if you really took the test .

J1 is a visa similar to B1/B2 in that you need to prove a non-immigrant intent.
That makes it subject to high level of officer discretion and whim.

so if you have a history of unexplainable long stays like 5-6 months on a b1/b2 , it may ( I am not saying it will)
impact a J-1 decision ( also depending on the officer).

H-1b is free of that.

thank you soooo much! i'll think i'd never get over all the paranoia and anxiety had i not asked help from people like you in sites as this.. God bless you!