Proof of ties, is this enough?

I am in my 20's and I'm just nervous that they'll see the red flags, young girl + English boyfriend and that's all they'll have to hear before they cart my butt home.

There's really no reason to be nervous. 

Many of us have gone through UK immigration with no problems as young American women with UK partners.  So long as you're prepared and answer the questions truthfully, you should be fine.

I've gone through UK immigration at varying stages of my relationship with my English husband.  I went when DH and I were just friends and weren't thinking of romance.  I went when we were going out and considered ourselves girlfriend/boyfriend.  I went after we got engaged and were fiance(e)s.  The IOs never had a problem, and I've always had a fine experience at Heathrow.

There's really no reason to be nervous. 

Many of us have gone through UK immigration with no problems as young American women with UK partners.  So long as you're prepared and answer the questions truthfully, you should be fine.

I've gone through UK immigration at varying stages of my relationship with my English husband.  I went when DH and I were just friends and weren't thinking of romance.  I went when we were going out and considered ourselves girlfriend/boyfriend.  I went after we got engaged and were fiance(e)s.  The IOs never had a problem, and I've always had a fine experience at Heathrow.

You think so? Well, I guess I'm just a chronic worrier. I'll just have to do some serious meditation before I go. Just so I won't freak out. I'm preparing to buy my ticket soon and I'm kinda like.. going through a phase where it doesn't feel real again.
It's been well over a year since my last trip and it's kinda scary to travel that long distance again AND then have to deal with immigration! They should just make people go through immigration in the US so they don't have to worry about this crap. lol. Glad to hear you haven't had any troubles! I hope this time will be less trouble to get through.

I agree, I think you are worrying too much. I've been 4 times... never brought any proof of work or ties to the US. Each time just had a itinerary with a round trip flight. I've been through when I was let in with only two questions asked, received a smile and a stamp. I've also been through where I was questioned for 10 minutes and the officer threatened that if I didn't leave the country on my return flight then there would be problems. I was re-entering the UK after being in Europe for 3 days. I thought for sure he was going to take me away for further questioning and I wanted to cry. Luckily he didn't. That was before I found this lovely website. I realized the IO's do see a lot of women everyday who are going to visit boyfriends in the UK, so of course they have to make sure people aren't coming in stay illegally. They may ask some personal questions and some IO's are going to be more stern than others. They may ask you how you afford to visit your boyfriend, how you keep in contact, if you live by yourself, if your parents give you money, where your boyfriend works, if you plan to get married soon, ect. Just be honest with them and don't act nervous and you should be fine.

Don't you just say you're here on holiday? I've never had an issue with just saying I was on holiday. I don't have an English boyfriend or anything, but thousands of people go through immigration every day without problems.

Don't you just say you're here on holiday? I've never had an issue with just saying I was on holiday. I don't have an English boyfriend or anything, but thousands of people go through immigration every day without problems.

The issue with this is that if it comes out that you're visiting an SO after you've said you're here on holiday, the IO could see this as fudging the truth to gain entry which isn't something you want to do. I'm not saying you did because obviously you were, in fact, on holiday. But yeah, if you're going to the UK on holiday, say you're there for a holiday. If you're going to visit an SO, say you're visiting an SO. Honesty is the best policy.

I agree, I think you are worrying too much. I've been 4 times... never brought any proof of work or ties to the US. Each time just had a itinerary with a round trip flight. I've been through when I was let in with only two questions asked, received a smile and a stamp. I've also been through where I was questioned for 10 minutes and the officer threatened that if I didn't leave the country on my return flight then there would be problems. I was re-entering the UK after being in Europe for 3 days. I thought for sure he was going to take me away for further questioning and I wanted to cry. Luckily he didn't. That was before I found this lovely website. I realized the IO's do see a lot of women everyday who are going to visit boyfriends in the UK, so of course they have to make sure people aren't coming in stay illegally. They may ask some personal questions and some IO's are going to be more stern than others. They may ask you how you afford to visit your boyfriend, how you keep in contact, if you live by yourself, if your parents give you money, where your boyfriend works, if you plan to get married soon, ect. Just be honest with them and don't act nervous and you should be fine.

I guess I am overreacting. We probably won't be doing much money wise while I'm there because he's short on cash and I won't be spending much only because I am horribly cheap, lol. Although I will have more than enough on me for 3 weeks. But thanks so much for your input! I'll still bring everything just to give myself peace of mind, but I'm definitely going to tell the truth.

Don't you just say you're here on holiday? I've never had an issue with just saying I was on holiday. I don't have an English boyfriend or anything, but thousands of people go through immigration every day without problems.

Yeah, what Jess said. It could be seen as twisting the truth. However I'll be going through Irish immigration (the flights everywhere else were outrageous for this time of year, so going through Dublin is the cheapest for my budget) so when they ask me how long I'm staying in Ireland I'm just going to tell them that I'm passing through onto London. Which is the truth, if they ask anything about who I will be visiting I will say my boyfriend.

Ok, so I'm a paranoid person and I'm traveling in May to England to visit my SO. I just want to know if this list of ties is enough or if I can scrounge up any more things as proof that I'll return home.

I'll be staying 3 weeks, with my boyfriend. Should I have a note from him or his parents (he's 25) that he will pay for my expenses while there? I'll only have about $1,000, maybe a bit more, in the bank after I go ahead and buy the plane ticket. I'm also going to be taking classes and I have an important test in June that I have to return for. Should I get documentation for this?

I don't have any bills besides my phone bill. =/ Also, my grandmother booked a cruise later this year for myself, my brother and herself. My aunt and a few other relatives are joining us. She spent about $2,000 on the booking and my life would be over if I didn't return for how much she just spent on me. So, I have the proof that I will be on that ship later this year since I printed out the booking.

Is this enough for a 3 week stay with my boyfriend? I could always set up some volunteering on top of it all to come back to as well, since I always enjoyed that. Please let me know if there is anything I can add to this list? I do have many people that I'm close to, my cousins are both pregnant and I want to be home for their children's births, and meetings that I attend at home, but I'm unsure how to document this. Am I overreacting? Or not? :/

I feel you! lol! I'm getting a job in May to visit my fiance in September, and I know I'll not have enough money for the 5 month trip, and that he's going to be short on cash.... I'll take an unpaid leave of absence, but after reading the horror stories of some, I find myself endlessly nervous. =\ Thanks to all who've posted positive stories and advice!

I feel you! lol! I'm getting a job in May to visit my fiance in September, and I know I'll not have enough money for the 5 month trip, and that he's going to be short on cash.... I'll take an unpaid leave of absence, but after reading the horror stories of some, I find myself endlessly nervous. =\ Thanks to all who've posted positive stories and advice!

Trust me you are definitely not the only one. I think many people get so overwhelmed and nervous ESPECIALLY when you have a significant other in another country. I really didn't want to go to be honest just to avoid immigration, but he says he wants me to visit his country again and that he didn't want to wait until next year. But just have to make sure you're prepared. I was wondering if anyone is still reading this, if I should bring a print out of paragraph 42 of immigration rules showing I AM aware of the rules? Has anyone done this before? I'm debating on if I should or not.

That would almost certainly be overkill. The only time my fiancee ever had issues visiting me was the first time and that was down to me being late to the airport and her not knowing some of my details, followed by me missing the call over the intercom.

She wasn't denied though, just held in waiting.