FAQ tip for girlfriends/boyfriends pond-hopping this summer

NHow...I am going to PM you....rather than bore all the others about football in the immigration forums!!!

Victoria

Hey you are not boring me.... I am a Boro fan!!!!

Then best of luck on Wednesday...you deserve it!

Victoria

so, you can get an entry clearance visitor visa to come and visit your boyfriend? I can't believe I didn't know this when I came over last year before applying for my fiance visa-could have saved alot of stress!

Are they likely to give entry clearance for visiting a bf/gf???

Hang on a sec.

The fiancee visa is only for people who wish to marry within 6 months and then settle here.  If you are just coming to visit a boyfriend and will then return home then you should apply for a visit visa or just come over without prior entry clearance, depending on your situation.


Victoria

Are they likely to give entry clearance for visiting a bf/gf???

They do it all the time.   

In fact, it's a big bulk of my practice area. 

For US citz, it is not usually a requirement, but you can read the top of the thread to see how having an entry clearance can be very useful - it means a smooth walk through immigration control when you arrive in the UK.

Hang on a sec.

The fiancee visa is only for people who wish to marry within 6 months and then settle here.  If you are just coming to visit a boyfriend and will then return home then you should apply for a visit visa or just come over without prior entry clearance, depending on your situation.


Victoria

Not sure if you were responding to me or someone else. I know what the fiance visa is-I'm getting married in 2 weeks on it. I just can't believe that all the stress I went through before we were ready to go for the fiance visa(and a grilling by the IO at Manchester) was for nothing. I was reading these boards at that time and can't believe I missed it!D'oh!!!!

But you didn't do it for nothing.  If you had come over as a visitor, you would not have been able to marry and switch to a spousal as you are doing.

Victoria

oh, I know-i was referring to the time before I came over on the fiance visa. I got hassled by the IO, had to show my return ticket, tell him what I did for a living, what my bf did, how we met, what I knew about the fiance visa(told him I would be doing that NEXT time). It was a nightmare-thought he was going to detain me.

I was basically just expressing disbelief that I missed the option of entry clearance, as I was a regular reader of the boards and thought I knew all the options!!

If you have never had a refusal before, getting prior entry clearance is not strictly necessary.  It sounds as though you did the right thing.

Victoria

But it sounds like a good option for those who are not ready to go for the Fiance Visa and are worried about getting in to visit a bf/gf.

But it sounds like a good option for those who are not ready to go for the Fiance Visa and are worried about getting in to visit a bf/gf.

I am so undecided about if it seems like a good option or not by reading this thread again. At first it sounded good, then it sounded like it wasn't for American's, then it was and now I just don't know what to think!  I will probably just continue to take documentation with as to all the reasons I need to return to the states (mortgage statement, work letter, custody papers) and my receipt/itinerary for my return ticket. So far I haven't needed any of it, but I imagine each visit raises a red flag.

Thank goodness I never read this or anything like it when I was dating a Brit. We met through mutual friends while he was here in the states, and a few months later, after I graduated from college and before I was officially job hunting, I went to visit him for 3 weeks. No one ever warned me about immigration!!

I wasn't technically detained, but I was answering questions standing at that stupid podium thing for at least 20 minutes. They asked questions about me (work or lack thereof, schooling, what was my degree in, what did I plan to do with it, where did I live in the states, had I always lived there, was I planning to move), about him (his job, how much money he made, where did he live, did he own his flat, etc... and when I said he was a journalist, it seemed like their questions got even more intense about him), how much money I had in my accounts... when I mentioned my daughter (they hadn't asked if I had children, surprisingly), then the questions started about her... how old, where was she staying, why wasn't she with her father, where was her father, why didn't I have contact with him, when did I plan to contact him again...

It was very, very ugly. I was able to keep good humor about it, because I had NO IDEA that they could possibly turn me away for just going on a 4 week holiday and having a place to stay with a guy I wanted to get to know a bit better... had I known, I'd have probably been in tears, they'd have probably thought I was hiding something, and I'd have probably been sent back. Gah!!

They do it all the time.   

In fact, it's a big bulk of my practice area. 

For US citz, it is not usually a requirement, but you can read the top of the thread to see how having an entry clearance can be very useful - it means a smooth walk through immigration control when you arrive in the UK.

Garry...this will only be my second visit to the UK, my previous departure was in early April, I return early September...
My ticket is for a month
Should I tell them I am visiting a bf? or simply say a friend?
Do you recommend an entry clearance visa in this circumstance, and how much does one cost?
thanks

Garry...this will only be my second visit to the UK, my previous departure was in early April, I return early September...
My ticket is for a month
Should I tell them I am visiting a bf? or simply say a friend?
Do you recommend an entry clearance visa in this circumstance, and how much does one cost?
thanks

When I went through immigration at Manchester last week, the question of "purpose" of my trip never even came up! It went something like this: the IO asked "Are you travelling alone?" [Yes.] "Is this a friend's address you're staying at?" [Yes. I didn't mention the part about meeting him on the internet. ]  "How long are you staying?" [A week.]  And that was that- got waved right through.  He didn't even ask to see my return ticket!

Garry...this will only be my second visit to the UK, my previous departure was in early April, I return early September...
My ticket is for a month
Should I tell them I am visiting a bf? or simply say a friend?
Do you recommend an entry clearance visa in this circumstance, and how much does one cost?
thanks

Based upon what you've written, there's not a lot to go on, but it sounds ok.  If the lad is your bf, then you would say so.  It doesn't seem to warrant an entry clearance if you are not experiencing stress at immigration control, but if you want one, the cost is GBP 50.