advice on visiting uk

my husband and i applied for my spouse visa to move to england, and it was unsuccessful, as well as the appeal.

we've been apart for over a year due to the length of the appealing process, and after this proved unsuccessful we're going to be applying for his i130 within the next week for him to start the process of him coming to the USA. i know this process is going to take a couple further months longer, and at this point we desperately just want to see each other until his i130 comes through (not me visit the whole time - just a month of the process!).


i want to know if this will be enough evidence for customs for me not to have any problems with me visiting? i HAVE been to england twice prior to my denied settlement visa, and always left within my allowed visited time, never over staying.

i'm hoping this will be enough evidence for them:

- i heard we should have a receipt of them receiving his i130 in just a couple weeks.

- a letter of time off from my work (my employer is going to allow me a month off and has no problem writing this letter - but doesn't know what exactly to write, so i'm hoping someone could help me with a draft on what it should say?) I work as an IHSS worker in home supportive services (caregiver) through the state, the state is who pays me .. but my employer is the one who schedules my shifts, decided who to hire me, and manages my days / vacation time off.

- a return ticket

- a letter from his mother allowing me to stay at her house from X to X date

- i should have £2,000 on me and also a credit card


i don't have a lease because i'm currently living with a relative to try and save as much as i can for everything, otherwise I'd include that too.


a couple other things i'll mention in case anyone's wondering, we've been married for 4 (it'll be 5 years in may!), and have a daughter who's 3, four in march. she's a dual citizen and carries a british passport. she will be traveling with me, obviously because she's also been this long without seeing her dad.. after i return back after a month, she will be staying with him until he can successfully come back to the USA. he needs time with his daughter too. this whole process has been such a heartbreaking train wreck. 

will i have enough evidence? anything i'm missing and should include?

thanks for all your thoughts and time.

Hi there

This is heart wrenching for me to read. My heart goes out to you.

What happened with your visa denial and appeal process if you don't mind me asking?

Will you be applying for a visitor visa prior to traveling to the UK or are you just going to go to the UK with everything you've mentioned in your post?

I've heard having bank statements showing income from your employer are good to bring or apply ahead of time with.

I hope you get to go over without any trouble and see your husband..

If the prior visits were before you refusals, they don't count. The fact you have a refused settlement visa means your chances of getting in without a visit visa are slim to none. You really should get one.

It doesn't matter that you didn't apply for a visa on your prior visits. You didn't have a visa refusal then, so they had no reason to be suspicious of your intentions in the UK.

However, once you have had a visa refusal you should not attempt to enter the UK again without applying for a visa in advance. This applies to anyone trying to visit the UK if they have either been refused entry or refused a visa in the past.

If you just go without a visa, it will be extremely likely that you will be refused entry to the UK. Also because you were refused a spousal visa and then your appeal was rejected, they will be very suspicious of your intentions as a visitor... because it may well look like you are trying to live in the UK illegally and that you are not a genuine visitor (especially if you have a UK husband, a UK citizen daughter and your visa and appeal have just been refused... If they let you into the UK, how can they be sure you won't just try to stay illegally so you can be with your husband?).

You'll really be throwing money away if you are refused entry to the UK, which is highly likely.