News: Internet boyfriend refused entry to the UK

43-year-old US national refused entry to the UK.  Was using visitor route to attempt to settle in the UK!

http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/newsarticles/2010/sept/73internet-boyfriend-refused

Well yeah he was already shipping stuff over and bringing all his personal docs and g/f said he was gonna settle...serves him right....Messes it up for all the good peeps

Exactly. Moron.  He clearly knew what he was doing was illegal or he wouldn't have lied in the first place. 

Crazy....as many of us have found out, it's not exactly a difficult nor lengthy process to get married in the US and then apply for a spousal visa.

I can't even begin to understand why becoming an illegal immigrant would seem like a reasonable option for any American.  Seriously...even if your life here is completely in the toilet, you've still got more opportunities and a better shot staying in the U.S. than sneaking into some other country where you can't get a real job, can't get any kind of official help if you need it, and have to always be looking over your shoulder.  Even if you're doing it to be with your partner, what kind of a start is that to your life together?

I can't even begin to understand why becoming an illegal immigrant would seem like a reasonable option for any American.  Seriously...even if your life here is completely in the toilet, you've still got more opportunities and a better shot staying in the U.S. than sneaking into some other country where you can't get a real job, can't get any kind of official help if you need it, and have to always be looking over your shoulder.  Even if you're doing it to be with your partner, what kind of a start is that to your life together?

Scoot over woadgrrl, and let me join you on this bandwagon.  Mr. K was was denied the Fiance Visa.  I lived in Los Angeles at the time, and I had several friends who told me that they could get him fake passports or driver's licenses and that he would be able to sail right across the border between Tiajuana and California because he is white.  Since this was all pre-9/11, I was pretty sure we could have put a San Diego Chargers sweatshirt on him and a UCLA baseball cap and no one would have stopped him.  But we did not want to live our lives like that.  Scared to answer the door or phone...or that they could just swoop in one day and take him away.

And I wonder how long this woman in Wales would want to be supporting this guy.  He came over with 31 cents and bankruptcy papers?  He sounds like a real winner.

I can't even begin to understand why becoming an illegal immigrant would seem like a reasonable option for any American.  Seriously...even if your life here is completely in the toilet, you've still got more opportunities and a better shot staying in the U.S. than sneaking into some other country where you can't get a real job, can't get any kind of official help if you need it, and have to always be looking over your shoulder.  Even if you're doing it to be with your partner, what kind of a start is that to your life together?

I would think that to a divorced, bankrupt, 43-year-old man with 31 cents to his name finding a woman on the internet to take him into her home and travel with him around Britain sounds brilliant.

Sounds like they both fell out of the stupid tree and hit every limb on the way down

Scoot over woadgrrl, and let me join you on this bandwagon.  Mr. K was was denied the Fiance Visa.  I lived in Los Angeles at the time, and I had several friends who told me that they could get him fake passports or driver's licenses and that he would be able to sail right across the border between Tiajuana and California because he is white.  Since this was all pre-9/11, I was pretty sure we could have put a San Diego Chargers sweatshirt on him and a UCLA baseball cap and no one would have stopped him.  But we did not want to live our lives like that.  Scared to answer the door or phone...or that they could just swoop in one day and take him away.

When DW and I were discussing where to live and looking into the immigration process on both sides of the Atlantic, we had a meeting with an immigration lawyer in NJ (this was in 2007) who actually advised me to enter on the visa waiver (tourist visa) and then overstay the visa, get married soon after and then start the process for me to stay!
I was just stunned!

I can't even begin to understand why becoming an illegal immigrant would seem like a reasonable option for any American.  

Except, just how many people don't think it's illegal? The number of people we've encountered who are surprised that DW has to apply for ILR etc, they think that purely because we are married she is automatically allowed to live here as long as she wishes and that I could just move to the States with her.

She just passed the Life in the UK test and we keep getting people saying "congratulations, you're a citizen now!"

He said that he was visiting and therefore lying which meant that he was aware that what he was doing was illegal.

When DW and I were discussing where to live and looking into the immigration process on both sides of the Atlantic, we had a meeting with an immigration lawyer in NJ (this was in 2007) who actually advised me to enter on the visa waiver (tourist visa) and then overstay the visa, get married soon after and then start the process for me to stay!
I was just stunned!

This is so true...sad, but true! 

My husband overstayed and was out of status when we met and married almost seven years ago.  Anyway, when we submitted his application for permanent residency, we were expecting them to come back to us and deport him for overstaying, but the US IO told us that it was better that he overstayed and didn't leave.  That this would allow him to go through the process quicker since he was already in the States.  We were shocked at that news...glad when we were going through it, but shocked nonetheless.

I would think that to a divorced, bankrupt, 43-year-old man with 31 cents to his name finding a woman on the internet to take him into her home and travel with him around Britain sounds brilliant.

Exactly. I'm broke right now and I could - almost - seeing going for that. 

Any takers?

Except, just how many people don't think it's illegal? The number of people we've encountered who are surprised that DW has to apply for ILR etc, they think that purely because we are married she is automatically allowed to live here as long as she wishes and that I could just move to the States with her.

She just passed the Life in the UK test and we keep getting people saying "congratulations, you're a citizen now!"

Exactly!  Neary everyone I know is surprised that I've needed a fiance visa, spouse visa and would need ILR if I wanted to stay longer.  They all think because I'm married to a Brit it's just automatic that I have permission to stay as long as I want to.

I can't even begin to understand why becoming an illegal immigrant would seem like a reasonable option for any American.  Seriously...even if your life here is completely in the toilet, you've still got more opportunities and a better shot staying in the U.S. than sneaking into some other country where you can't get a real job, can't get any kind of official help if you need it, and have to always be looking over your shoulder.  Even if you're doing it to be with your partner, what kind of a start is that to your life together?

I think because some people are under the impression that if you get married, everything magically changes, and you're just fine and dandy.

Now this guy - yeah, he knew what he was doing.  But in general, I think many people have incorrect information about stuff like this.

Loads of my friends and family were surprised that I needed to a spouse visa to move/live/work in the UK, and even more surprised to find out that it wasn't even the end of the visa road and there would be more stuff later (like ILR/PC/whatever).  

Lots of comments like, "Wait, you're not a UK citizen now that you just married one?"

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