Friend turned away at Heathrow for a visit to BF, needs advice please!

I agree.  I think it works the same in both countries and it just depends on the IO.  

Indeed!  Sometimes when DH arrives he just gets a friendly chat about the Red Sox! (Fortunately he's a big fan)

Even after all my reading here I didn’t fully prepare a friend for UK immigration.  She’s American, a teacher, and had the summer off.  She came to visit me last summer for 2 weeks.  Immigration asked her several times about her “friend” that she was visiting and kept saying “boyfriend”.  Every time she corrected them and told that that she was visiting her married American friend who moved to England about a year ago. 

She couldn’t remember where I worked or my husband’s surname – she had to give my name and though I’d changed my surname.  I’m not sure if that helped or hurt her, but they let her through after several minutes of questions.  My friend is in the early 30s and it was her second trip to the UK, the first about 5 years before that. 

Even after all my reading here I didn’t fully prepare a friend for UK immigration.  She’s American, a teacher, and had the summer off.  She came to visit me last summer for 2 weeks.  Immigration asked her several times about her “friend” that she was visiting and kept saying “boyfriend”.  Every time she corrected them and told that that she was visiting her married American friend who moved to England about a year ago. 

She couldn’t remember where I worked or my husband’s surname – she had to give my name and though I’d changed my surname.  I’m not sure if that helped or hurt her, but they let her through after several minutes of questions.  My friend is in the early 30s and it was her second trip to the UK, the first about 5 years before that. 

Wow. This scares me! I have never had any problems getting through customs anywhere (in any country I've gone to) including the UK this summer. Didn't even cross my mind they would think something was up (especially since I was just coming for a week). I may be coming next summer for 2 months to spend my summer holiday in the UK. If I clearly have a return ticket and a job waiting at home for me, should I really be worried about being hassled?

Because they're Brits and Americans like Brits.  No questions asked... 

Hate to burst your bubble, but this is NOT true at all.  Loads of Americans don't like Brits in the slightest little bit.  Intruiged by the accent maybe...but there was this whole American Independence thing...and a lot of people are still holding on to that, believe it or not.  Since I married my hubby and have decided to go live in England...I have been quite shocked by the amount of negative attitudes that Americans have towards Brits! 

In the case of immigration, I'm sure Brits are viewed as "less threatening" (to national security anyway) than someone of Middle Eastern decent (although this might be an unfair stereotype, it is one nonetheless and having many friends that work at our local airport, Middle Easterners are still targeted as suspicious).  But in reference to this thread, which was more directed towards people entering the country to stay permanently (illegally I might add), I'm not sure if there would be any distinction in the nationality of the person in considering the possibility of overstaying.

I understand the IOs have a job to do...but I've read a lot of stories that border on harassment in my opinion.  How do they get away with this type of treatment?  I'm so thankful for this forum because I have been able to gather loads of information, and hopefully I won't have to face these issues when I show up with my spousal visa. 

Hate to burst your bubble, but this is NOT true at all. 

Nah, you didn't burst it. That happened at a long time ago.   I was just generalizing last night.  Not sure why. Guess I was in the mood for an arguement! (for people to pipe up and say, nah, my brit friend was hassled, etc!)
 

Myself, I've not met too many Americans who are still holding on to the 'whole American Independence' thing - like with a grudge or something.  But maybe it depends on where you are & the people you know.

My relatives (ancestors) were there during the 'whole American Independence' thing, and even I'm not holding onto it. 

The Americans I know have all been doolally for a British accent.  (sorry I'm not meaning to burst anyone's bubble either  )

Oh, I definitely don't advise lying to the I/O!  Over on LJ on one of the LDR comms, that seems to be the standard answer to "what do I tell them?"...anytime I chime in with "Don't lie!" I get brushed off.  It sort of annoys me, especially given what a lot of you have been saying.  I didn't even realize they kept a written record of what you told them beyond what was written on the landing card.

As for the meeting online vs. IRL - I told the I/O Tim and I met at a convention in 2005.  Which we did. We just also happened to have been chatting online for about a year prior to the convention, but I figured that wasn't the important part. The important part was that Tim and I had met in person before.

I haven't spoken to my friend at all yesterday, so I'm not sure what she's going to do.  Tim suggested she fly into Dublin, then take a train to Belfast, as this is apparently pretty easy to do.

*edit*  And apparently security at Leeds is a joke?

What does the black mark look like? She says all she has is a UK stamp with a pen line through it. 

*edit*  And apparently security at Leeds is a joke?

Is it?  Do you mean security (as in person & baggage screening as you're due to get onto airplanes) or do you mean coming into Leeds through immigration?

If the latter, I would say that immigration screening at LBA probably isn't very strict, because the flights in are pretty much all European regional flights so I think the concern is perhaps not as elevated - compared to a truly international, major airport like Manchester, Heathrow, etc.  (Many times I have been the only non-EU person present coming in through LBA immigration...until I got British citizenship, that is.)  Your mileage may vary.

Though if you're flying in from Amsterdam, I have seen sniffer dogs in the baggage collection area at Leeds before - but that's another matter entirely... 

I haven't spoken to my friend at all yesterday, so I'm not sure what she's going to do.  Tim suggested she fly into Dublin, then take a train to Belfast, as this is apparently pretty easy to do.

Ouch.  Bad idea.  This will come up in the future as 'actively evading immigration control'.  A BIG no-no.

Vicky

Ouch.  Bad idea.  This will come up in the future as 'actively evading immigration control'.  A BIG no-no.

Vicky

That's sort of what I thought, but wouldn't it also look like evading if you fly into Paris and take the train into the UK, too? 

Is it?  Do you mean security (as in person & baggage screening as you're due to get onto airplanes) or do you mean coming into Leeds through immigration?

I don't know which was meant, someone else told her to fly into Leeds because "security is a joke". 


I just don't want her to wind up in a situation where it's even worse and she winds up with a 10 year ban. 

I don't know which was meant, someone else told her to fly into Leeds because "security is a joke".

I just don't want her to wind up in a situation where it's even worse and she winds up with a 10 year ban. 

Immigration here are still going to be asking the same questions - it's not like they just let everybody through, no questions asked.  I would say they are perhaps less likely to be all third degree, mean & nasty - based on my experiences.  But she ought not count her chickens based on that - it's still immigration. 

Further to Miss Robinson's post, I think the main thing with Leeds is that until the boom in cheap air travel it was a very small airport.

Molly and I came back through Leeds from a weekend in Dublin and she had no problem at all. Whether that was because she already had an entry stamp from arriving in Manchester at the start of her visit, I don't know.

Immigration here are still going to be asking the same questions - it's not like they just let everybody through, no questions asked.  I would say they are perhaps less likely to be all third degree, mean & nasty - based on my experiences.  But she ought not count her chickens based on that - it's still immigration. 

*nods* and wouldn't the information about her being refused be in the computer, even if she tries to claim she lost her passport and applies for a dup?

That's sort of what I thought, but wouldn't it also look like evading if you fly into Paris and take the train into the UK, too? 

No, because coming from Paris there would still be immigration controls, and she may be bounced again.  However, coming from Ireland there are no immigration controls at all.

*nods* and wouldn't the information about her being refused be in the computer, even if she tries to claim she lost her passport and applies for a dup?

Indeed it would.

Vicky