My parents are pushing to prod next month—flying from Mumbai to SFO on valid B1/B2 visas for a 4-week trip. They plan to stay with me at my apartment. I want to debug their entry process before they fly to ensure optimized code for their arrival. \n\nWhat is the logic check for the CBP interview? Specifically, should they explicitly state they are staying with me (since accommodation is free), or should they emphasize the tourism aspect more? I want to avoid edge cases where CBP assumes they are here to work or babysit (even though I don’t have kids). Any guidance on the correct variables to present?
They should be honest and straightforward: “visiting our son and tourism, staying at his apartment.” Staying with you is completely normal for B1/B2 visitors and not a red flag by itself. There’s no need to downplay it or hide it — inconsistency causes more issues than the answer itself.
What matters at CBP is intent and clarity. They should clearly state the duration (4 weeks), confirm they have a return ticket, and show they’re financially covered. Tourism can be mentioned naturally (sightseeing, local travel), but it doesn’t need to be over-emphasized or turned into a long story.
What they should not mention, even casually, is anything that sounds like work or long-term stay — helping around the house, taking care of things, “seeing how life is here,” or being open-ended about the return date. CBP officers don’t assume babysitting or work unless the traveler introduces that idea themselves.
Clean logic path at entry: visiting son + short holiday, fixed stay, staying at son’s place, returning home as planned. Simple, honest, and consistent is the safest “code” at the port of entry.