Applying for a Visa You cannot apply for a visa when you arrive at a U.S. port of entry. If your plans change between the time you get a visa and the time you want to leave for the United States, you are required by law to go back to the consulate to obtain a new visa. If you wish to enter on a Visa Waiver, simply present yourself, your passport and your ticket home to the officers you'll meet upon arrival. If you come by land through Canada or Mexico, however, you'll also be asked for proof of sufficient funds to pay for your stay. One of the worst things you can do to your chances of getting a visa or changing your immigration status in the future is to lie during the visa application process or when you are being interviewed at the U.S. border by an immigration inspector.
Lies can have both immediate and long-term consequences.
He fears he will not be allowed to enter the United States as a tourist if he reveals that he has a girlfriend in New York. He states in his application that he is visiting several friends in different locations around the country. He also says he has substantial money in a bank account and a good job, even though he has just quit. When he arrives at JFK Airport in New York, an immigration inspector finds a letter in his luggage from his New York girlfriend, in which she says she is looking forward to his long visit with her. Francois is put on the next flight home without having the opportunity to argue his case before an immigration judge.