Visa & International Traveling on disability

[Upside Down Eagle]

Hi old friends & forum folks,

For the last four years I've been doing well - made lots of changes in my life. I'm able to live a more or less normal life.
One of the things that has been helpful in my mental progress is hiking. I've hiked some 2500 miles since 2019.

I would really, really like to come to the USA and do some hiking across the Northern States.
However. I'm on a disability income - so that's a limited monthly income tied to my home country. Which is more than enough to get by.

I´m worried that people at the border will be asking questions about that. A friend of mine tried to get into Canada on disability income, she also has PTSD.
They told her to go back. Now, I'm not a hazard to anyone, nor to myself. I'm not on meds nor do I need them. I'm not a liability. But neither was my friend.

Do you think that my idea is stupid and I should just stay in Europe? And just wait until I can "get a job"?
What do you think the process at the border might be like? Do you have any experiences with travel on a disability income?

Thanks a lot,
Gwaihir

 

[Friday]

Regular B1/B2 Tourist Visas are good for 6mo & 10 years from most places in the EU. (IE, you only have to apply once in 10 years, but can only stay in country for 6mo at a time).

From knowing a loooooooot of state dept. employees (who are required to do 1-2 miserable years doing Visas in the beginning of their careers) the BIGGEST aspect in being approved is proving you will go HOME, in some tangible way, ideally in many tangible ways. Having your income tied to living your home country? Is actually one of the better ones, (Oh, ai’m on disability, I HAVE to come back! Or I lose my benefits!), but you’ll also need an address (so if you’re planning on relinquishing your flat/house/rooms whilst you’re gone? Before applying for your visa get your next residence set up. Similarly, the fewer ties you have in the US (friends, family, work/school, etc.) the better. AND the more concrete your plans (like a map with an Appalachian trail hike, with dates along different way points, including the date you “plan” on going home all circled in red so it grabs the eye (Home! Yay!) and even a little hand written note like “Remember to call landlord to get power turned on” with their number attached… as well as a portfolio, if you have one, &/or training dates/locations of past hikes. The more the state dept. person is convinced that you hike all over the world …and. then. come. home… the faster/easier things will go.

As far as border crossings? They’re boring, 99.999 percent of the time, and almost exactly like border crossings in Western Europe, pre EU. Long lines, bored/exhausted/hungry/short tempered people, looking for any excuse to be interested in anything. Be boring. Have your papers. Next!

 

[Upside Down Eagle]

Sounds good Friday, I have most of those covered, so I feel a bit more at ease!
I'll probably try the waiver, that's 90 days.