Advice for going as a tourist

As many of you have read, Julie and I finally decided that I should go as a tourist in late October, then we'll go to New York and apply for the fiance visa in January.  What I'd like some advice on is that supposing I do get a series of questions when I arrive in the U.K. is there any type of paperwork that I should have handy?  I'm planning to have some people I know in the U.K. vouche that I'm gonna stay with them during my stay (not even gonna mention I'm staying with my girlfriend/fiancee to avoid MORE questions).  My thinking is if I say I'm going to split my time there between 3 friends (about 2-3 weeks each), in different parts of the U.K. and have phone numbers addresses etc for each, I strengthen my case that I'm there as a tourist.  I'm also considering taking some bank statements to show that I have funds for my trip...I'm estimating about $3000 showing, plus if needed I can conjure up some type of tenancy agreement from my mom (she has a different last name) that could also help show that I intend to return.  I can't do the job one because nobody would do that for a three month trip.  Is there anything else you could possibly suggest?  I'd really appreciate it

8 weeks and counting!

Hiya Leland,  I dunno about this.  I guess I'm being a nervous nellie here.  But I'm well nervous about it.  What will you say about your job when they ask why it is ok for you to leave your job for this long?  Personally I wish you well but for me I'd rather have a visit or two between us. I never had a problem going for a two week stay.  Never had anyone ask me anything beyond why I was there.  Business or pleasure.  I'd say vacation and that was it.  Each trip (2 weeks at a time) since we stayed in a different place I didn't even have an address for the form they give you.  I just said I'm sorry and I could provide my friends mother's address.  I was waved on - no problem  Sounds like I've had it easy I know.  Maybe that's why I'm worried for you.   Sorry I know I wasn't being very constructive.

I hope it works and you have no worries.  

It's hard to say. It totally depends on who greets you at Immigration, whether or not they are in a bad mood, whether or not they've got a hair up their a$s, in a situation like what you're doing, it's always going to be risky. You just never know. Mistakes I made and advice from me, being someone who came over innocently (and with every legal right) as a visitor for 5 months but got detained by Immigration for horus on end and very nearly deported even though I wasn't doing anything technically or legally wrong:

Be a visitor. If you're coming over as a "visitor", then act like one. They may ask you where you want to go, who you are staying with, etc. They are going to be suspicious of how long you are staying - especially since it's off-season and not exactly tourist time. Have things planned, act like a visitor. Good idea to have names of people you're staying with. Don't bring things like decorations, albums, etc. Remember, you're just visiting. You have no intention of developing a love-life, maintaining one, or getting married.

Other than that, I don't really know what to say. I hope it works out for you. It would be nice if there was a visa or something for people in situations like this, I'd have loved one, it doesn't facilitate long-distance relationships.

Also - I know you guys haven't met yet, have you thought about staying in England for a shorter period of time? Maybe just a few weeks instead of a few months? Much less government scrutiny then, and if things go well with you and your love, then you can always come back later for another visit? Just a thought. Good luck...

Well, I look at it this way:  I'll be there for a little over 2 months.  Not even two and a half.  I can simply say I took some time off to do some tourism and visit some friends while I'm still young enough to do so.  As far as it being non-tourist season, well that in itself is reason to go during that time  I'll have information about where I wanna go (Julie and I are gonna do sight-seeing anyways) so I can show pamphlets of places I plan on going.  I can show sufficient income to mantain myself during my stay, and I won't be taking anything with me besides clothes and maybe 5 or 6 CD's (it's a LONG trip).  Did I also mention I'm a master BS artist?  I don't really forsee any real difficulties regarding getting in, as I feel I'm over-preparing myself.  And regarding just going for a short trip, well that's harder to explain.  I can't put into words what Julie and I feel for each other, or simply how instantly right everything felt.  All I can say is that we simply KNOW.  Call it cheesy, call it wishful thinking, or anythig else you can think of.  We simply know that we're meant for each other, and the thought of getting back onto a plane to come back and be without her is something I refuse to accept.  Ain't gonna happen =)

Well then Leland I wish you all the best luck in the world.  I hope you and Julie are very happy together.  I can't wait to hear about your trip.  How you found Swansea.  I won't be back to Swansea until April for the final move.  So I'll be looking for details.  Do you have any plans set up as yet.  Where abouts does Julie live?  

Oooo I'm getting heartsick in a good way just thinking about it. lol I'm so silly.

Have a wonderful time Leland.

Maybe my experience might help. I first entered under a tourist visa and was absolutley grilled at the gate. You see, I didn't know if I wanted to live in the UK, wasn't engaged or anything, not sure I was going to stay, but I had plans on being here for three months to find out. But because it was for three months, I was suspected of doing something sinister.

At the time I was working freelance and doing web sites. I had some US contracts and in fact brought my work with me. I had my laptop to show for it. So when the man asked what I planned on doing for money, I told him that I was working for a US company, being paid in US dollars, deposited directly to my US account. He asked how I planned on getting spending money for here and I told him that I would use the ATM machine.

When I offered to show him everything on the computer to confirm it (I was carrying my laptop) he said he didn't understand the confounded technology, but he knew I was up to something; just couldn't prove it. He waved me through.

It really ticked me off that he was suspcious of me considering I was totally innocent and wanting to do the right thing. But it proves that he was interested that I was not earning UK money and that I was able to show I could support myself for the three months until I returned to the US. (A return plane ticket.)

The important thing about what to bring...pack like a tourist...because you are a tourist.

Yup yup, I'm certainly going to pack like a tourist.  When I fly back in January, I'm bbringing Julie along with me.  We'll spend three or four days in Washington D.C. to show her around and let her meet my parents, then we'll go to New York, and get my fiance visa.  This would allow us to come over here with maybe one suitcase between us, yet return to the UK with 4 suitcases between us, allowing me to bring most everything I'd have left the first time that's worth bringing, like my CD's etc (although if you ask Julie, my CD collection isn't worth bringing )

As many of you have read, Julie and I finally decided that I should go as a tourist in late October, then we'll go to New York and apply for the fiance visa in January.  What I'd like some advice on is that supposing I do get a series of questions when I arrive in the U.K. is there any type of paperwork that I should have handy?  I'm planning to have some people I know in the U.K. vouche that I'm gonna stay with them during my stay (not even gonna mention I'm staying with my girlfriend/fiancee to avoid MORE questions).  My thinking is if I say I'm going to split my time there between 3 friends (about 2-3 weeks each), in different parts of the U.K. and have phone numbers addresses etc for each, I strengthen my case that I'm there as a tourist.  I'm also considering taking some bank statements to show that I have funds for my trip...I'm estimating about $3000 showing, plus if needed I can conjure up some type of tenancy agreement from my mom (she has a different last name) that could also help show that I intend to return.  I can't do the job one because nobody would do that for a three month trip.  Is there anything else you could possibly suggest?  I'd really appreciate it

8 weeks and counting!

First of all...I don't think you can actually visit the UK for that length of time without formally applying for a paper visa, but I may be wrong.

Second, what you are proposing to do is a monumentally bad idea and I strongly advise you against it.  You could be deported and/or banned for misrepresenting the purpose of your visit, or the visa could be denied on that basis.  

Well, I look at it this way:  I'll be there for a little over 2 months.  Not even two and a half.  I can simply say I took some time off to do some tourism and visit some friends while I'm still young enough to do so.  As far as it being non-tourist season, well that in itself is reason to go during that time  I'll have information about where I wanna go (Julie and I are gonna do sight-seeing anyways) so I can show pamphlets of places I plan on going.  I can show sufficient income to mantain myself during my stay, and I won't be taking anything with me besides clothes and maybe 5 or 6 CD's (it's a LONG trip).  Did I also mention I'm a master BS artist?  I don't really forsee any real difficulties regarding getting in, as I feel I'm over-preparing myself.  And regarding just going for a short trip, well that's harder to explain.  I can't put into words what Julie and I feel for each other, or simply how instantly right everything felt.  All I can say is that we simply KNOW.  Call it cheesy, call it wishful thinking, or anythig else you can think of.  We simply know that we're meant for each other, and the thought of getting back onto a plane to come back and be without her is something I refuse to accept.  Ain't gonna happen =)

What you are proposing to do is illegal.  Do you even have a clue what you're risking?

Stacey, it's not illegal. Might be a bad idea, but not actually illegal. You can go to the UK on your passport alone and no other kind of visa for 6 full months. That's in theory of course, because as you know they can still deny you entry - but there's nothing illegal about what he's going to do. Having gone through it, I know.

Must be my innocent face, but I never had any problem with anyone in entry immigration anywhere.  

As someone who has lived illegally before I can tell you it's not always the best, but you can survive it.  Just act like a tourist....tell them you are escaping the US and roaming around Europe and funded by your parents or money saved from a job. ATM's are the source of funds.  If you act nervous or act like you have something to hide they will clue in....attitude helps.

Good luck!

As Sarah has said a person can enter on their passport alone for up to 6 months legally.  If Leland tells the truth as he has said he is intending to do, then he would not be misrepresenting the purpose of his visit.  Even if he didn't, again, he can still be here for 6 months on his passport alone.  

Wench, Frank and I saw an interesting movie last weekend called Green Card Fever.  It's about an Indian guy trying to get a green card in the US.  Towards the end of the movie, he made a rather poignant speech where he pointed out that if he told the truth about why he wanted to go to America, he would be denied a visa.  If he lied, he got the visa.  And unfortunately, it's very true, not just for US Immigration but UK as well.  

I would never condone someone doing something illegal and I will always strongly caution.  I've put my thought out there, Leland has made his choice.  Whether anyone else agrees with it or not is irrelevent.  In his situation, the chips will fall where they may and in the end hopefully it will work out nice for 2 people in the end.

As Sarah has said a person can enter on their passport alone for up to 6 months legally.  If Leland tells the truth as he has said he is intending to do, then he would not be misrepresenting the purpose of his visit.  Even if he didn't, again, he can still be here for 6 months on his passport alone.  

Wench, Frank and I saw an interesting movie last weekend called Green Card Fever.  It's about an Indian guy trying to get a green card in the US.  Towards the end of the movie, he made a rather poignant speech where he pointed out that if he told the truth about why he wanted to go to America, he would be denied a visa.  If he lied, he got the visa.  And unfortunately, it's very true, not just for US Immigration but UK as well.  

I would never condone someone doing something illegal and I will always strongly caution.  I've put my thought out there, Leland has made his choice.  Whether anyone else agrees with it or not is irrelevent.  In his situation, the chips will fall where they may and in the end hopefully it will work out nice for 2 people in the end.

Yes....well said, Elle.  I was very hard on Leland in the other thread, and he has a point...I don't know him or his girlfriend.  I just don't like seeing people who are otherwise reasonable and intelligent doing something risky like that.  Immigrating to another country is not a game and treating it like one sort of belittles the stress and strain that a lot of us experienced when immigrating here...even if we didn't have any visa problems.  So Leland, I hope you consider what I've said and be extremely careful.  The system in the UK (as in the US) is set up to keep people out, not to let them in, and some of these immigration folk will use any excuse to send you back home.  There's a great deal of public pressure here to keep the numbers of immigrants down, mostly because of the volume of asylum seekers.  Please keep that in mind.

The system in the UK (as in the US) is set up to keep people out, not to let them in, and some of these immigration folk will use any excuse to send you back home.  There's a great deal of public pressure here to keep the numbers of immigrants down, mostly because of the volume of asylum seekers.  Please keep that in mind.

yea, it's been all over the paper about how Immigration is trying to halve the number of immigrants to the UK and the goal is to do so by October this year (apparently they gave themselves a year as of last year).  I guess I understand the reasoning and all, but you know some of us, like me, wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the person I married.  I'd still be in the US and probably cringing at every moment of it with the current state of office, but we won't go there for the purpose of this thread.  But point is, it's not like it was my life long dream to live in England, and although I love it here for the most part, I do have my moments!

I have been in the UK since May 26th. I was not grilled really. I told them I was staying with my boyfriend, and returning to Pennsylvania on September 15th. I had a letter from my boyfriend's mother in case they needed it stating that I would be staying there and they would be taking care of me. They asked me if I would be working, I said no I would be on vacation, and they asked me what I do, I told them (customer support for an online role playing game). They asked me if I had money saved, and I said I had just gotten my tax return and had money saved - all true. I really didn't have any trouble. She told me if I get married I need to file my citizenship change if I planned to stay in the UK in the end, but I said I didn't plan on staying and then she let me through.

Last summer my now husband came to the USA and stayed with us from July to September, he didn't have any problems either.

We were married September 1st and we haven't had any problems thank heavens. I am still returning to Pennsylvania as planned, although some day we'd love to live in England and be closer to his family.