I94W to I94

[paul82]

I am a British Citizen currently staying with my cousin in the US they have agreed to "sponsor" a longer stay in the US, I entered on under the I94W Visa Waiver program (Green) and wish to stay longer than the 3 months and possibly apply for a green card at a later date (yes i understand about the economy ).

I know that I can not under any circumstances extend my current visa and have to leave the continent of north america in order to get another 90 days.

My question(s) is this: -

As far as I understand it, in order to apply for an extension of a US visa you need to have entered on an I94 with a visa applied for at a US embassy (non-visa waiver)?

As A british citizen can I apply for a US Visa at a US embassy and then enter on a standard I94 and be eligable to apply to extend my visa?

If I do not leave north america i.e goto canada, when i re-enter to US my visa's expiration date will not change. However if I went to canada applied for a tourist visa in my passport and entered on a non-visa waiver, non-immigrant visa would i be able to reenter on the I94 and extend my stay upto 1 year and be able to apply for a green card?

Or, is it just better to leave the continent get the visa, enter on a normal I94 and then start to extend it.

Or, can I apply for the Visa in the US and leave, then reenter with the Visa in my passport either by going to canada and coming back.

I am just trying to go from a I94W to an I94.

Any help you can provide me is greatly appreciated.

 

[TheRealCanadian]

As far as I understand it, in order to apply for an extension of a US visa you need to have entered on an I94 with a visa applied for at a US embassy (non-visa waiver)?

Yes.

As A british citizen can I apply for a US Visa at a US embassy and then enter on a standard I94 and be eligable to apply to extend my visa?

Yes.

However if I went to canada applied for a tourist visa in my passport and entered on a non-visa waiver, non-immigrant visa would i be able to reenter on the I94 and extend my stay upto 1 year and be able to apply for a green card?

First, since you are not a Canadian citizen or Permanent Resident the consulate may ask you to return to the UK to get a visa. Second, you might be able to enter but expect questioning at both the consulate and the POE as to why you want the visa, and why you want to stay for more than 90 days.

Finally, on what basis do you plan on applying for a Green Card?

 

[paul82]

Green Card is a lot later on and right now I just want to get the right visa so that its not a issue getting the right visa should that step come, I am here visiting a cousin I have in the US, they have said they will provide me with the relevant letters of sponsorship for my visa application and re-entering the US.

Should I try to phone the canadian embassy to ask? I doubt I will be able to get an answer without actually going there and asking?

 

[TheRealCanadian]

they have said they will provide me with the relevant letters of sponsorship for my visa application and re-entering the US.

You cannot be "sponsored" for a visitor visa. You'll need to apply on your own, although you can bring the letter. The consul will be very interested in why you want to stay for more than 90 days.

Should I try to phone the canadian embassy to ask? I doubt I will be able to get an answer without actually going there and asking?

The Canadian embassy has nothing to do with it. It's one of the US Consulates in Canada you want to deal with.