Please read some of my earlier posts. There is absolutely no visa that would be available to somebody who wanted to enter the US for house sitting. You mentioned a “tourist work visa” in an earlier post. There is no such thing. You may be thinking of a B-1 Visa, which is for business visitors, but that does not permit working in the US.
The “working holiday visa” that you refer to is a J-1 Visa. J-1s have been around for many years, at least since I was in college 40 years ago. There are many different categories of J-1s, and none of them is suitable for house sitting. J-1s require extensive planning and being sponsored by a J-1 program sponsor.
I’ve been a US immigration lawyer for almost 30 years, specializing in employment-based immigration.
I have applied for a couple of US sits (im English), but this thread has got me thinking!
My sister lives in the USA, with full citizenship…….I would combine any housesit with a visit to see her.
….. so my question is, how would border control know if I was to do a 7-14 day sit in between? Or am I being very naive in thinking, who would know about the intended sit??
I do have concerns anyway about the current situation in America, though I would hate to be banned from the US on a visa violation, which would mean I d never be able to visit my sister again!
The question is, would a neighbor, who you stopped to chat with while dog walking, mention to authorities you were housesitting? Not that the average neighbor would call ICE to report this, but things are crazy now.
It’s hard to imagine this being at all likely. 1 in every 6 individuals in the US is foreign born. That ratio rises to 1 in every 2.5 individuals in major urban areas. We’re a VERY diverse population and encountering foreigners is a daily occurrence. Asking strangers their immigration status and getting an answer would be as likely as having them tell you their annual income on demand. Get past that hurdle and your dime dropping neighbor would have to learn they’re foreign born and visiting on a tourist visa, clock the idea that such a combination is an immigration violation, track down and find an interested law enforcement officer to report that civil violation and actually have any action taken. Maybe but highly highly unlikely.
I think in your case it would be pretty simple. Delete your apps or conversations related to sitting. Have your return dates so it’s clear you aren’t going to overstay. Mention tourism as purpose. Have some specific sites. Staying at your sister’s not necessary to mention other details as your plans aren’t speculative.
The added caveat is that these days you might also want to delete all social media critical to the current regime and people involved in it.
True, but you also have to tip Uber drivers, all food delivery people, hairdressers, nail salon technicians…I’m missing a lot more but those I mentioned are an absolute must.
Actually no.
During the first year and a half after February 2020, we (being me and mine) were generous in tipping everybody to the extent we could. It was a TERRIBLE time with service industries considered “essential workers” being put in harms way and tipping was one way to pitch in. That raised the expectations bar for tipping to include everyone from traditional to marginal.
Today, it is incumbent on everyone to reset the expectations bar. It ain’t Covid times no more. I’m back to 15% for wait staff and 0% for anyone else who didn’t expect or was not reasonably entitled a tip prior to February 2020. Pull up your big boy britches and don’t be intimated into a nonsensical tipping culture. If we all do that, today’s tipping silliness will be tomorrow’s rear view mirror and peace and sanity will prevail in the world. .
Of course, YMMV.
I think there is a lot more tipping before covid and after. Like nail staff, hair salons, taxi service, food delivery. I don’t tip counter service, though I do tip the bartender…confusing myself on that one. I know many countries were around 10% in the olden days but US took up wait staff to 20% in the last half of the 20th century and now it is become a norm. Though at that time, we looked at the tax (8.5% in NYC) and basically doubled it. Then the tip did NOT include tax. Now with the machines, it seems they ask you to add 20% on the total.
HI there, I would like information if this is ok to travel to Uk if a dual citizen of an EU country since UK is not part of EU anymore? The thought hadn’t crossed my mind, but now I am wondering. Is this something that has to be coordinated with a potential host in UK so if questions arise from UK border control you are visiting friends and both parties are aware of these responses? Thank you
Ofcourse you can travel to the UK. You will just need to get a UK ETA, online, ahead of time. This costs £16 and lasts for two years.
Regarding housesitting in the UK it would definitely be a good idea to coordinate with your host and have matching responses, in the unlikely event either of you are questioned. I would also suggest you travel in on your EU passport and not your other one. EU ties to the UK are still closer than with other countries so you are less likely to be questioned.
Whether you can work in the UK depends on which EU passport you hold. My nieces with Irish passports are authorized to work in the UK, but that is a special arrangement. Right to reside - GOV.UK
I would not rely on this forum for answers, but check with a UK immigration expert instead. I am a US immigration lawyer and I see a LOT of incorrect immigration information here.
Housesitting is regarded as work in most countries even though it is only payment-in-kind (accomodation) rather that actual earnings. Therefore technically you can only housesit in the UK, or anywhere else, if you have the right to work there.
However housesitting is a really grey area and most countries have a pretty relaxed attitude to it- in our experience. (Except the US where the border control is particularly strict and many sitters are avoiding going there.) As housesitting has boomed there seems to be more attention placed on it- at least from what I’m reading here on the forum. My hubby & I have been sitting around the world (except US) since 2018 and have never had any problems at borders. We are usually not questioned but if we are we just say we are tourists travelling in the country and provide the first address if required. This is not a lie as we ARE actually visiting the country out of choice, and interest, and the housesitting part is just keeping the accomodation costs down. Keep it simple. As long as you are relaxed and not acting suspiciously not much can go wrong. Thousands of housesits are happening all around the world at any one time and I’d hazard a guess that a large % of those sitters don’t have the “correct” status to be housesitting but they do it anyway without problems.
