Travelling to Nebraska USA from the UK. I’m staying 3 weeks with a friend. My budget is super tight: will I get sent home?

I have travelled on an ESTA and a British passport to the US (for perfectly valid holidays) and I have twice been asked a lot of questions, and once had my bag searched. I’m guessing the suspicious factors were that I was travelling alone, staying with a friend ("how do you know this person?") rather than in a hotel, and whatever I looked like when I presented at the desk. And the first time I had the additional factor that my friend and I had never met before, having met on the internet.

I second the advice not to carry your resume or an excessive amount of luggage with you, or anything that does not support your holiday story. You’ve been given some other good advice here too. Try not to worry @Panicked Cat. In spite of the things I mentioned, I have never been denied entry to the United States, and other times I have had the easy experience other people mention. Enjoy your holiday.

I bet your entire conversation with customs will last about 10 seconds:

Customs: What is your name?

Cat: Panicked Cat

[Pause while he looks at the picture in your passport, and your face. He is thinking, "Are these the same person? What should I have for lunch?"]

Customs: What is the purpose of your trip?

Cat: I’m visiting a friend.

[Pause as he stamps your passport.]

Customs: Have a nice day

Google "anxiety ted talk" for a nice video by Olivia Remes. A trip like this does not require much planning, though it would be good to have your phone when you land, so you can call your friend from the airport. Check if your phone plan covers the USA, and make sure it has charge. And leave all your meds in the original containers. Bring a hostess gift for your friend’s parents, something inexpensive like tea or a an English candy bar that suggests the UK. (Yes, $10 of your favorite tea, wrapped is fine.)

You have plenty of money for sightseeing in Nebraska. Make a budget. Live by it. Tell your friend what you can afford.

1. You will be visiting your best friend and their family who will be hosting you; ensure they can be contacted and will verify that statement.

2. Your parents paid for your RETURN ticket as a gift; ensure they can be contacted and will verify that statement.

Best to have their #’s on paper so you can keep your device locked and off.

3. Have proof of sufficient amount of funds on you / access to in the event of of an emergency (£500 is reasonable).

4. You recently graduated but are presently pandemic-induced unemployed.

At Immigration, clearly state you wish to visit your friend in Nebraska for 3 weeks. Answer the questions asked honestly and as succinctly as possible. Do not elaborate unless you are asked for more information. Be polite, keep a neutral expression, relax and breathe normally.

None of the above should make them question you further or make you inadmissible.

As others mentioned, don’t pack excessively or inappropriately, dress appropriately, don’t carry a resume in person or electronically (there’s a remote chance your device might searched; evidence of looking for work in resident country: good; internationally: not good).

I’m pretty sure all that supporting yourself stuff only matters for people moving here. You’re just visiting, the tickets are bought, which means everything is already worked out and everything you’re worried about is already settled.
It’s a normal vacation trip.
No one is going to count your money, or search your bags for resumes. Just go home with your return ticket at the end of your stay.
Also, as long as you aren’t throwing money at everything you see, $1,000 should be plenty for 3 weeks of food and a little fun here. I used to live on that much per month, even with paying rent.

To jcaron’s sensible answer I would add…

My parents as a surprise graduation gift bought me tickets

Presumably, your parents will also be in a position to step in with emergency funds in the (unlikely) event that something goes wrong, for example if you need to buy tickets for some additional unexpected travel or what have you. There’s no reason to avoid mentioning that you’re traveling with your parents’ financial support.

Furthermore, I would add to his advice:

Don’t show up with a huge amount of luggage. In saying this I mean more luggage than you might need for three weeks. A fully packed bag of 23 kilograms is certainly fine.

But a truly unusual amount of luggage might increase their suspicion. The immigration officer processing your arrival will do so before you get your checked bags, but they have access to the data showing the number of checked bags and their weight. I know an American woman who was refused admission to the UK because she claimed to be entering as a tourist but had too much luggage (and yes, jcaron, she also had resumes). The officers did not believe that she was intending to leave after whatever short period she claimed she would be staying (and indeed, she was not telling the truth).

I don’t think the funds you have would be that much of a problem. Make sure you don’t look like a hippie and they probably won’t even ask. Have a letter from your friend explaining that they will host you, and make sure you have their phone number at hand so they can contact them if they want to. But the chances of that happening are quite low.

The slightly bigger problem IMHO is the fact you are unemployed because that makes you less likely to want/need to return to the UK, but the fact that you have a return ticket along with the fact that Nebraska is not quite a magnet for people trying their chance in the US probably help. You already received an ESTA so the chances that you would be refused entry (or even asked anything about that) are again quite low.

Make sure you do NOT have a resume lying around in your bag or anything that could make them think you are looking for a job, answer their questions honestly but without adding anything they didn’t ask for and it should all be quite OK.