Holiday trip to the USA

[Confuscious]

I am planning a holiday trip (about 1 month) for my child to the USA in March/April next year.

My child will be next year in May, 16 years old.
My child will be staying with the family of a friend.

As neither one of us has ever been to the USA, I would be glad to receive more information about the visiting the USA on holiday (Visa; places to visit; specific laws; etc.).

TIA

[keeniau96]

USA is fairly large place, suggest you check good guidebook first eg. Lonely Planet.

[grollies]

Your child will be classed as an unaccompanied minor and as such will need, in addition to ESTA, permission letters from parental guardian, details of address they will stay, etc.

 

I've sent my three boys at different times to the USA as unaccompanied minors. PM me and I can send you all the example paperwork.

[dddave]

OP   Your original message does not make clear whether you will be going along with the child or not.  Makes a big difference.

[Confuscious]

26 minutes ago, dddave said:

OP   Your original message does not make clear whether you will be going along with the child or not.  Makes a big difference.

My child will be travelling alone.
Maybe travelling to the USA with friends of mine.
My child has travelled alone already a few times.
Travel as "Unattended Minor".

For the lodging in the USA, I have 2 families who are willing to take care of my child during the holidays.

 

One family lives in Nevada and another lives in Florida.

HTH

Edited August 23, 2017 by Confuscious

[dddave]

Disneyland in Florida if at all convenient to where your friends live.  No way to do it cheaply so make sure she has funds for such attractions.  Florida has some great natural areas such as the Everglades and the inland waterway.  

 

Nevada has Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Hoover Dam, parts of the Grand Canyon and wide open spaces along with a few cowboys.

 

Sorry, but I do have to say that 16 is a dangerous age to be travelling alone.

 

 

[bwpage3]

5 hours ago, Confuscious said:

My child will be travelling alone.
Maybe travelling to the USA with friends of mine.
My child has travelled alone already a few times.
Travel as "Unattended Minor".

For the lodging in the USA, I have 2 families who are willing to take care of my child during the holidays.

 

One family lives in Nevada and another lives in Florida.

HTH

Tons of Thai people in Florida. Florida is more like Thailand than Nevada. Lots of things to see and do outside of Disney. Since moving to Florida a few years back my Thai wife has never wanted to even visit Thailand. To many Caribbean Island adventures that put any beaches in Thailand to shame. Just way to much to see and do from Florida. 

[Confuscious]

1 hour ago, bwpage3 said:

Tons of Thai people in Florida. Florida is more like Thailand than Nevada. Lots of things to see and do outside of Disney. Since moving to Florida a few years back my Thai wife has never wanted to even visit Thailand. To many Caribbean Island adventures that put any beaches in Thailand to shame. Just way to much to see and do from Florida. 

Thank you for the information.

I want to add that the "Holiday" will not be 1 month of  joy and spending money.

 

We discussed some of the details already and my child will attend a few days a public school and see if she can adapt to the life in the USA.
The people who are offering a lodging, are teachers in the USA.

My child will also need to learn the "American way of life and the typical American customs".

Not at all the "dream holiday".

 

[gk10002000]

2 hours ago, bwpage3 said:

Tons of Thai people in Florida. Florida is more like Thailand than Nevada. Lots of things to see and do outside of Disney. Since moving to Florida a few years back my Thai wife has never wanted to even visit Thailand. To many Caribbean Island adventures that put any beaches in Thailand to shame. Just way to much to see and do from Florida. 

I live in Melbourne, Florida on the east coast.  There is a very nice semi-outdoor Thai Temple here that has food court on Sundays.  Towards Orlando there are others also.  Disney is pushing $100 bucks a ticket.  There are packages that combine Universal, Disney, Epcot etc.  The beaches here are in general pretty good and the water is clean.  The weather is just starting to think about breaking a little bit and the summer heat might taper off a little bit soon.

[gk10002000]

1 hour ago, Confuscious said:

Thank you for the information.

I want to add that the "Holiday" will not be 1 month of  joy and spending money.

 

We discussed some of the details already and my child will attend a few days a public school and see if she can adapt to the life in the USA.
The people who are offering a lodging, are teachers in the USA.

My child will also need to learn the "American way of life and the typical American customs".

Not at all the "dream holiday".

 

Speaking frankly, Nevada and Florida are likely to be very different experiences.  Florida will be humid.  Nevada, I just naively assume near the population center of Las Vegas will be dry.  If Las Vegas is where he will be visiting, well, he will see all the casino action and street action and on some blocks he may think he is in Pattaya!  Going to school is a fantastic idea.  Depending on where in Florida and Nevada and what type of school he goes to, he is probably going to see some cultural and ethnic things he is not used to.  Haitians, Puerto Ricans, Blacks, not to mention all the Caucasians etc.  might seem a little alien to him.    The old saying "Travel broadens the mind" is likely to apply here.  He will see the lack of road side food stalls, how one typically drives every where.  He might experience a suburb and a commute.   Happy trails
 

[Mrjlh]

If you and your child is Thai (that's what I presume) you are in for a very difficult road in getting a Visa to the USA from the US Embassy.  One thing you will need is a USA sponsor. Need proof he will return. It's s long list.  Best you consult a Visa Specialist. I cannot recommend one.  But there is a list on the US Embassy website.  Do not buy any tickets until "after" you have visa in hand.

[Confuscious]

18 minutes ago, Mrjlh said:

If you and your child is Thai (that's what I presume) you are in for a very difficult road in getting a Visa to the USA from the US Embassy.  One thing you will need is a USA sponsor. Need proof he will return. It's s long list.  Best you consult a Visa Specialist. I cannot recommend one.  But there is a list on the US Embassy website.  Do not buy any tickets until "after" you have visa in hand.

I just visited the USA website, and my child don't even need to have a Visa.
My child has the DOUBLE Nationality and can travel to the USA under the VWP if she travels to the USA with the passport of her second/first home country.
Even the Visa on Arrival is free.

I don't argue about the validity of your statement, but maybe you forgot that my child has the double nationality.

[p_brownstone]

9 hours ago, Confuscious said:

I just visited the USA website, and my child don't even need to have a Visa.
My child has the DOUBLE Nationality and can travel to the USA under the VWP if she travels to the USA with the passport of her second/first home country.
Even the Visa on Arrival is free.

I don't argue about the validity of your statement, but maybe you forgot that my child has the double nationality.

 

He did not forget - you never mentioned it!

 

Patrick

[steelepulse]

Getting your child in a public school will be tough to do if you abide by the laws/rules.  Is there a tax paying family member there that lives there and has legal standing for your child as such?  Legally I've not heard of just sending your child to a public school just because you are friends of the teacher unless the teacher has legal guardianship or some other legal standing and is a tax paying citizen in that school district.  

[Scott]

13 minutes ago, steelepulse said:

Getting your child in a public school will be tough to do if you abide by the laws/rules.  Is there a tax paying family member there that lives there and has legal standing for your child as such?  Legally I've not heard of just sending your child to a public school just because you are friends of the teacher unless the teacher has legal guardianship or some other legal standing and is a tax paying citizen in that school district.  

Generally, it has to do with being a resident of the school district and residency is usually given to the parent or legal guardian.   For example, if a child is placed in a foster home in a district that is different from the one where the child was removed, the tuition has to be paid by the school district where the child was living.   They do not gain new residency simply by being moved.  

 

If the host family are teachers they may be able to work out something with the school, especially if it is going to be a short stay at the school.   It would become an issue if your child was planning on attending for a long period of time.  

[steelepulse]

4 minutes ago, Scott said:

Generally, it has to do with being a resident of the school district and residency is usually given to the parent or legal guardian.   For example, if a child is placed in a foster home in a district that is different from the one where the child was removed, the tuition has to be paid by the school district where the child was living.   They do not gain new residency simply by being moved.  

 

If the host family are teachers they may be able to work out something with the school, especially if it is going to be a short stay at the school.   It would become an issue if your child was planning on attending for a long period of time.  

"work out something with the school"

 

Not exactly legal is it? Sure it can be done, but I would bet more than 10 baht that this teacher friend has no legal guardianship standing.

[Scott]

It is completely legal for the school to waive tuition fees.   Schools hosting exchange students do not charge them tuition.  

 

It's not necessarily easy, but it is completely legal.   Some schools will have an existing policy if it is a large district.   Smaller schools may need to take to the school board for consideration. 

[steelepulse]

3 minutes ago, Scott said:

It is completely legal for the school to waive tuition fees.   Schools hosting exchange students do not charge them tuition.  

 

It's not necessarily easy, but it is completely legal.   Some schools will have an existing policy if it is a large district.   Smaller schools may need to take to the school board for consideration. 

We're talking about a public school, not a private school, where tax and residency requirements have to be met.  Of course this can be done in a private school, but if it was allowed in a public school, imagine the chaos and over enrollment of everyone wanting to have their kids attend the best (free) public school.

[Scott]

Most exchange students go to public schools, not private schools.   Public schools can waive the tuition costs.   It has to be approved and there has to be a good reason, but it is not terribly unusual.  

 

 

[steelepulse]

Confusious, is your child attending an international school here in Thailand now?  If so the transition won't be too bad.  However,  if your child is not, I would be wary of local education level compared to international level and US levels.

 

I'm pretty sure this whole thread is a fishing expedition about sending the child to the US for a better free education than what is available here at non international schools.

[Confuscious]

14 hours ago, steelepulse said:

Confusious, is your child attending an international school here in Thailand now?  If so the transition won't be too bad.  However,  if your child is not, I would be wary of local education level compared to international level and US levels.

 

I'm pretty sure this whole thread is a fishing expedition about sending the child to the US for a better free education than what is available here at non international schools.

As I read most of the answers in this thread, most of the members seems to misunderstand the meaning of this holiday which was very clear written.

 

During the visit of my child to the USA, my child would VISIT a school and attend a few classes as a guest.
Not enrol in a school.
The teacher in this school (who is also going to take care of my child) said already that this would be no problem.
I don't see the need to discuss the legality of VISITING a school when this has already been cleared out with the reponsable persons.

 

My child is enrolled in an English Program in Thailand.

She has been selected for a student exchange program in the USA a few weeks ago (a thread about this was started here).

My child was also selected different times for the Spelling Bee competition and will compete again in September.

 

But due to the high costs of this exchange program, I want my child to go first on a holiday to the USA and see if she feels comfortable with the life and customs of the USA.

 

My child has been already been on a holiday to Belgium and a holiday to Finland last year.
The holiday was similar to the planned holiday to the USA.

In a way, yes, it is a fishing expedition about where my child will go to learn University in 2 years.

 

But any way my child will chose, it will not be "free education".
 

Edited August 24, 2017 by Confuscious

[sirineou]

If your daughter goes to FL, where in FL would she be going? 

Personally as a long time resident of FL  I would recomend Florida.

Depending on the area,  many good schools, lots of Thai people to make her feel at home, Asian markets where she will find everything from back home, lots of attractions to keep her entertained when not at school, beach. etc etc

If she goes to FL, PM me and I can tell you more.

Edited August 25, 2017 by sirineou
typo