one way ticket the first time

i plan on buying a ten day round trip ticket.
i plan on bringing enough cash for those ten days.

If you're only going for ten days, you should be fine.  Just be honest and it doesn't hurt to have proof that you're coming back to the US- a job letter or something.  The IO's only tend to get suspicious when they hear about a boyfriend/girlfriend, or they see you're staying for more than a few weeks.  I went over to see my boyfriend in May for a week- the IO asked me if I was staying with friends, I said yes, and he sent me right on my merry way

Yeah it's one thing to buy a round trip ticket for 10 days and quite another to go there for 6 months on a one-way ticket.  There is really no reason for them to hassle you if you are seriously just going for a 2 week visit and you can show that is true - mainly by showing you have a return ticket.  I have never had any hassles coming in to the UK on short trips, even when we came for 3 weeks for my husband's research (during which I found my current job) - they never gave us any problems.  When you go back and forth often it becomes a lot less likely you are here just 'visiting friends' and a lot more likely you are in a relationship and thus there's the possibility you might not want to leave.

ok a TEN day round trip ticket is different than staying 6 months etc......that was what i thought you were speaking of eariler

if you are staying with friends on a 10 day ticket you are much less likely to raise eyebrows if you have the return stub!  That's common sense, and even before i knew my husband i had my eticket for proof of round trip back!

What if you're entering the country on an EU passport? Should you still get a round-trip ticket or will it be OK with a one-way? DH and I are planning on entering on our Irish passports and staying a year or so. If we go through the EEA national side of immigration, do they still get snippy for that if you hand them your EU passport and a one-way ticket?

kjoe- if you have an Irish passport, you will be fine with just a one way.  You have the right to move freely throughout the UK with no restrictions, so you don't have to get a round trip ticket if you don't need one.  They probably won't even ask about it.

The EU passport side they won't even look at your tickets or likely stamp your passport.  They will simply look at your passport and MAYBE run it through the machine.

All EU citizens have the right to move freely in the EU and exercise their treaty rights of abode.  The only restrictions is for the new eastern block members have to register if they intend to work in an "older" EU country.

You're Irish, you're sorted. Some airports actually have a queue for UK/Irish citizens, as there is a common travel area betweeen the UK and Ireland and you can come and go as you please, no return ticket or landing card needed.

Vicky

Yeah, as everyone said, definately have a return ticket otherwise, they probably won't let you in.  Everytime I've flown to England, the first thing they ask to see is my return ticket.

The first time I ever flew to the UK, I was detained.  I had met my boyfriend on-line, and when I mentioned that, they started hassling me with all these questions.

Do make sure you have more than enough money to support yourself if you do decide to stay for 6 months.  If you don't, you run the risk of getting denied entry.  That's another reason I was detained.  I had only $475 on me for a 3 week stay.  They interviewed my boyfriend, and luckily, he was able to show he could support me.  I was told my immigration that I was VERY lucky that I was allowed to be able to get into the country cuz she said most people don't.  There was another American girl that was being detained, and she was getting sent back.

I was detained for about 3 hours, and it was very scary!  They kept interviewing me over and over again asking me the same questions and although I was telling the truth at all times, they said some of my answers sounded suspicious.

And yes, do take something to show that you have reason to go back to the US.  Sometimes they ask you what you have to go back to...And avoid saying anything about a boyfriend unless you absolutely have to.  Don't lie though cuz if you do and get caught, it's a big fine and you can be denied ever coming into the country again.

When I went in July, my immigration officer asked me if I had friends in the UK, and I said yes.  I didn't go into detail, and he let me in.  Basically, keep your answers concise unless asked to explain.  I made the mistake of telling the immigration officer more than he needed to know the first time.

And just buy a return ticket for two weeks.  Just because the ticket says you're returning in 2 weeks doesn't mean you can change your flight date.

If you have anymore questions about getting detained, I can answer them since it happened to me, and now I am traumatised when it comes to UK immigration cuz of how strict they are, haha.