Hello everyone!
Well this is my horror (sorry, I know it's a bit long) story..........I met my bf on line in 2002, but we didn't meet in real life until Jan of 2004. In Jan of 2004, I flew to Scotland (where he lives) - we hit it off really well! I came back in June of 2004 and stayed for 4 months. Either times, I didn't have any problems with immigration.
When I returned at the end of November of 2004 to stay during the Christmas and New Year holidays, I was stopped by immigration. The officer was so rude and nasty. She accused me of working, when I told her I am not, nor ever have in the UK. I had told her the intent of my stay was to see my bf during the holidays. She then went on about us getting married and getting a fiance visa. She had said, "why don't you get married, there is nothing stopping you from getting a fiance visa". Well, okay, my thoughts to that would require us wanting to get married at that time, and would help if we had intentions of doing so (which we didnt as we felt it was too early in our relationship).
Since one of us would have to move to another country, we wanted to make sure it was going to be the right thing. Although, secretely and deep down we both knew it was/is going to happen. We just weren't ready to admit it to ourselves and each other so early into the 'real-life' relationship (total of 5 months spent with each other in 'real-life'). My return ticket was for mid January 2005. However, since things were going so well btw us, we extended my return ticket (since my passport was stamped with 6 months and my bf phoned immigration to ask if this was allowed - they said yes) to the middle of May which put us within the 6 months stay.
My bf phoned the Home Office in London to find out about me returning in a few months time. He wanted to be sure we didn't have to be married/get engaged, etc before my return as was indicated by the Immigration Officer at Heathrow airport. He was told by the Home Office, since I'm a US citizen then a visa is not required to visit, for us not to get a fiance visa unless we intend to get married within 6 months. My bf told him, no we don't intend to be married in 6 months, we aren't even engaged, however he is thinking of proposing. Home Office told him for me to come in as a visitor for 6 months, no visa needed, during that time get engaged, then apply for the fiance visa before I leave in the 6 months. He was told to make sure to have the fiance visa before leaving, as my passport will need to be stamped accordingly. We later found out, that isn't the case. We were told wrong by the Home Office.
With the imformation that was given to us, he bought my airline ticket to return for 5 weeks. We did not do 6 months return, as my mother is recovering from cancer and I didn't want to be away for too long.
When I got to the Glasgow Airport, I was taken away by immigration, apparently for interview, but felt more like interrigation (I was held for over 4 hours). The Immigration Officer immidiately, starting going through my things and I mean everything! Wanted to know things such as: why I had a Kitchen magazine. I had gotten, #1 because I love magizines like that, and #2, we (bf and I) wanted to redo his kitchen at some point, so was looking for different ideas. I had brought a bridal magazine as well (apparently, that was the wrong thing to bring), she asked questions relating to that. I told her what my bf had told me what the Home Office had said. Well, apparently, it was all wrong......she told me, no! The fiance visa must be applied for outside of the UK, and I told her we didn't know that, as that wasn't what we were told. Again, I repeated what he (bf) was told. Being told that by Home Office, we assumed therefore it was correct. Never assume what Home office tells you to be true.
She found an old itenerary (which I kept until my miles showed up on my frequent miles) from a flight from SC to Seattle, wanted to know why I went there. My mom was diagnosed with lung cancer and I went home to care for her. Then she found a receipt for a car rental a few days prior from Charlseton Airport, wanted to know why I rented a car. It was so I could get home from the airport. Geeze. She wanted to know why I live in SC and my mom in Seattle, wanted to know when I moved to SC and why, how many brothers do I have and where do they live, etc etc. It was worse then trying to get security clearance for working at a nuclear plant (which I had to go through a year prior). I had brought an extra suitecase with photo albums (as my bf hasn't been anywhere outside the UK) to show him and we were going to scan them to put on a dvd. She went through them all, wanted to know where they were taken, etc. She got to my photos of Australia, wanted to know when I went, why I went, if I went alone (which was yes) and why I went alone. I'm sorry, I just love to travel, if I can't get anyone to go with me, then I go alone. I'm a very independant person, I don't see the harm in that, but apparently - according to her - there is.
My bf had also told me to start shipping my things, as we will need to spread out the costs of shipping over seas as it will be expensive, so the plan was to do a little at a time. Apparently, that is wrong as well according to immigration. Again, I tried to explain to her what we were told by Home Office, about coming as a visitor as we don't want to be married within this 6 months. We were told to get engaged during this visit visa then get a fiance visa. I also told her my intent is to return in 5 weeks time as my mother is recoving from cancer.
I gave her my bf's mobile number as he was at the airport waiting for me, so she could even verify the information. She waited 2 hrs before she went and phoned him. Poor guy had been running around the airport trying to find out if I was even on the plane and where I was. My flight was to arrive at 10am and didn't get in till 12pm. It was 2:30 before she even bothered to phone him. They should have at least phoned him to let him know I was there but detained.
After 4 hrs, I was denied entry into the UK but was allowed temporary stay for 5 weeks which is my return ticket. They kept my passport
. She told me I was denied entry as a visitor because I was hoping to be engaged during this stay and get married at a future date. Told me to go home and apply for a fiance visa. But according to Immigrations website and the Home office that's not true. To have a fiance visa we must be married within 6 months, which we have no intentions of.
From what I've read here, everyone is proving the intent of marriage for the fiance visa, geeze we trying to prove my intent of being a visitor and not getting married in 6 months, let alone within a year!
My bf contacted an immigration lawyer. He said we could appeal it, but would take 6-12 months - eeek. No point in appealing it then. He also phoned Home Office to complain. All he got was appologizies and they don't understand why I was treated in that manner at the airport and why I was denied entry. Even the lawyer had said, there was no reason for it, and no need for me to even have a visa, and that there is no law against shipping my stuff for a future event. Home Office told my bf, for us to get a lawyers letter and to send it to the British embassy in the US and that Immigration at the airport can't deny me entry as a visitor. -Shrugs, I have absolutly no idea.
This whole thing is a complete mess, and as it was told to me by airport immigration, I can not come back unless I have a fiance visa. Which from what I have read we can't get unless we have intent on getting married in 6 months time, which we do not. We get conflicting information from Home office and from airport immigration and it's so very confusing and such a huge pain!
We feel we are being forced to marry now just to have the ability to visit for a few weeks at a time. Which isn't the problem as we will be in the end anyways. We just wanted time to plan. I would have liked my mother to be there, but it will be at least a year before she is well enough to travel. I have would liked my other friends and family to come for the wedding and make a vacation out of it. We had talked about renting a big holiday home for everyone for a week. So much we would have liked to do, but can't in 6 months time. Oh - so much revenue from tourists for that visit is, hehe.
Any ideas or thoughts? We have thought about getting a lawyer to do the fiance visa on my behalf, as we keep getting conflicting information from Immigration Home office (told to do one thing and do it, but then get denied by the same). I know in the US, there are immigration lawyers that apply for the fiance visas for those wanting to get married and live in the US. Is there such a thing for the UK? Would hate to spend $500 for the fiance visa, get denied because of this denied entry, or better yet, get approved and on the return I get denied again by airport Immigration.
I've also read.....you need to have submitted intent to marry to registers office for the fiance visa, for proof of getting married in 6 months, but then the registers office says you can't put in an intent to marry unless you have a fiance visa. ARUGH! How is all that possible? Can't do one without the other!
I have thought about the possibility of getting married in the US then return to the UK, seems so much easier.
I have also thought, apply for the fiance visa using the online fast track forms. Then make an appointment at the British Embassy (either Chicago or NY) and make sure he is here for that appointment. From what I have read here, those who have gone to the appointments are issued the fiance visas same day? Then I'll just fly back with him.
