I am stuck!

Um, no -- for a four-month visit you may, in fact, be asked how you will support yourself and to provide documentation to prove it, same as any other visitor visa. Long visits involve extra scrutiny at the border.

I will be going there for a visit this summer and staying for about 4 months as a tourist but doing it like that you don't have to show any documentation about supporting yourself unless you are talking about the fiance visa then yes, you will have to show that. 

Actually, if you are coming to the UK as a visitor for 4 months (a long period of time), you will need to show a lot of evidence to prove you are a genuine visitor and are not trying to live in the UK without a visa.

You will need to be able to show:

- a return ticket

- bank statements showing you have enough money to support yourself in the UK for 4 months without working in any capacity

- a job to return to in the US (a letter from your employer stating that you have been given time off to visit the UK, and what date you are expected to return to work)

- a home to return to in the US (i.e. evidence of homeownership/mortgage payments or evidence of an ongoing lease in the US and that you will be continuing to pay rent while in the UK).

- any other ties to return to in the US that mean you must go back and will not be tempted to stay in the UK (i.e. family to get back to, important commitments that you must not miss)

The Immigration Officer at the UK airport will be expecting you to be able to prove that you are a genuine tourist and that you have no intention of trying to live or work in the UK illegally.

If it's your first ever visit to the UK, it might be safer to come for a shorter period of time on this trip (maybe 2-4 weeks), so you can start building up a positive immigration history with the UK. Then you can try a longer trip after you have been here on a shorter visit or two.

I was in the UK for 5 months as a visitor, before going back and getting my fiance visa. Left at the beginning of September, was back with my fiance visa at the beginning of October LOL. Married in November.

Anyway...yes, you can visit the UK before going back to get your fiance visa. You will need to show you can support yourself while your here.

Hang on.... you can do that??? I thought you would have to be out of the UK for 6 months or so before getting a fiance' visa.  At least after a long stay like 5 months!  I have been trying to figure out how to time things because I just returned from a 4 month stay, and will (probably) be going for another 6 month stay before the fiance' visa and marriage.  I've come home rather frustrated after this year's spring, and am thinking of delaying my next trip until March or April so I can see some summer as well, but was concerned about that pushing the final trip back as well.  Did you do this recently? Or before one of the numerous "tightening of restrictions"?


Becca3 >  I can tell you that I just went over for a 4 month stay, and I did indeed have to show my return ticket at the border.  I didn't need anything else, but that was primarily (I think) because of my story.  My sister had just a few weeks before dragged me, practically kicking and screaming (there were genuine tears involved) from Washington state back to the deep south, which I vowed never to return to, and part of the pay-off was this trip, and monetary support while I was there.  That was in addition to the fact that I was staying in an established home with my SO who is a professional and has a reliable income.  As a self employed person, I agree with the other (far more knowledgable) posters that you very likely will have to show more than I did.  This was also my 4th trip, so I have a history of border compliance.  Best of luck to you though, in whatever you do. 

Hang on.... you can do that??? I thought you would have to be out of the UK for 6 months or so before getting a fiance' visa.  At least after a long stay like 5 months!  I have been trying to figure out how to time things because I just returned from a 4 month stay, and will (probably) be going for another 6 month stay before the fiance' visa and marriage. 

It's only for visitor visas that you should only spend 6 months out of 12 months in the UK.

If you come as a visitor for 6 months, you should wait another 6 months before coming back, but if you were applying for a different visa (like a fiance visa), then you can apply right away, after being in the UK as a visitor, and come back whenever you like.