Stressed Out

I would say, "I'm here on holiday/vacation" and then wait for them to ask me to elaborate.  Why make it more difficult than it needs to be?

I would say, "I'm here on holiday/vacation" and then wait for them to ask me to elaborate.  Why make it more difficult than it needs to be?

I'm just going to say that I'm here for to visit a friend...simple as.

I think saying visiting a friend would be my best option so I'm not questioned anymore than I'm going to be. Thanks alot for your comments they've helped. 

Ok I don't mean to add anymore stress to you, but saying I was "visiting a friend" didn't go so well for me last time. My story is in here along with other similar situations if you'd like.

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=19166.0

So, I am still not sure if I will say visiting friends or visiting my boyfriend.. oh my now I will not start stressing..I won't 

Ok I don't mean to add anymore stress to you, but saying I was "visiting a friend" didn't go so well for me last time. My story is in here along with other similar situations if you'd like.

http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=19166.0

So, I am still not sure if I will say visiting friends or visiting my boyfriend.. oh my now I will not start stressing..I won't 

He is my friend so it's not really lying. I could just say "Visiting a friend and his family". I'd never blatenly lie...we've met. I've been there and he's been here so we have met and we've been together.  I won't be bringing my diary (i don't have one) or personal letters from him to me or visa-versa. I'll have a letter from his mum stating where i'll be staying and that they will be looking after me and my tickets which will have the returning date on them. If I'm kept at my job which I have high hopes about...I will have a return date letter from them. I'll have enough money for the duration of my trip.

lol omg now im all freaking out because I don't know what to say.

Deep breaths reeeeka... 

It's probably been said before and I know it's hard, but TRY to stay calm.  If you look scared or like you have something to hide they WILL stop you and question you.

In saying that, you don't seem to have anything to hide...?  I've just read briefly but it doesn't appear that one of your issues is that you have some very large skeletons in your closet....

Just be completely honest and don't offer anything.  I don't know why but I was told this too (ie not to have my passport already open to my visa, they would find it themselves)

In saying that, I was almost denied once.  The first time that I came here.  I said that I was going to meet my boyfriend and she asked where I met him.  I said Boston since we had just been chatting online and that's where we had met up physically, it was a neutral place when his friends came to the States for a skiing holiday.  She wanted to verify everything I said.   First she was going to call him on his mobile, but I didn't know the number off hand so she said forget it (which raised flags to her since I didn't know his number off hand and it was MY BOYFRIEND, she didn't want me to turn my phone on to get the number  )  Then she attempted to page him using my name as a reference and she completely butchered it so he didn't know it was me, even though he told me later he heard the page.  When she came back, I told her that my name was pronounced THIS way and I think that irritated her.  Well she tried again, he answered the page...everything was going fine.   She asked him where we met and he said 'On the internet'   She comes back accusing me of trying to hide information, I said that I was not.  She told me I was lucky that everything else matched up otherwise I would have been on the next plane home.  She let me through.  What an ordeal though! The first time was the hardest time gaining entry, and the only time I have ever been questioned about it.

I would think the fact that you've been to the UK before and returned to the US (surely you have stamps in your passport verifying this) would be pretty strong evidence that you will return to the US since you have in the past.  They'll flip through your passport and see where you have been and they will see your previous visits and when you returned.  If you plan on getting other evidence such as a letter from your boyfriend's mother, etc. I would think this would be more than enough so stop worrying!

I don't know what you should say, only you can really determine that (whatever feels right to you, if it feels WRONG for you to say friend, just say boyfriend)

You will be fine. 

edit:  just read the link that SillySnip posted - the first story sounds similar to what happened to me only I didn't throw a fit and was allowed into the country!   

Deep breaths reeeeka... 

It's probably been said before and I know it's hard, but TRY to stay calm.  If you look scared or like you have something to hide they WILL stop you and question you.

In saying that, you don't seem to have anything to hide...?  I've just read briefly but it doesn't appear that one of your issues is that you have some very large skeletons in your closet....

Just be completely honest and don't offer anything.  I don't know why but I was told this too (ie not to have my passport already open to my visa, they would find it themselves)

In saying that, I was almost denied once.  The first time that I came here.  I said that I was going to meet my boyfriend and she asked where I met him.  I said Boston since we had just been chatting online and that's where we had met up physically, it was a neutral place when his friends came to the States for a skiing holiday.  She wanted to verify everything I said.   First she was going to call him on his mobile, but I didn't know the number off hand so she said forget it (which raised flags to her since I didn't know his number off hand and it was MY BOYFRIEND, she didn't want me to turn my phone on to get the number  )  Then she attempted to page him using my name as a reference and she completely butchered it so he didn't know it was me, even though he told me later he heard the page.  When she came back, I told her that my name was pronounced THIS way and I think that irritated her.  Well she tried again, he answered the page...everything was going fine.   She asked him where we met and he said 'On the internet'   She comes back accusing me of trying to hide information, I said that I was not.  She told me I was lucky that everything else matched up otherwise I would have been on the next plane home.  She let me through.  What an ordeal though! The first time was the hardest time gaining entry, and the only time I have ever been questioned about it.

I would think the fact that you've been to the UK before and returned to the US (surely you have stamps in your passport verifying this) would be pretty strong evidence that you will return to the US since you have in the past.  They'll flip through your passport and see where you have been and they will see your previous visits and when you returned.  If you plan on getting other evidence such as a letter from your boyfriend's mother, etc. I would think this would be more than enough so stop worrying!

I don't know what you should say, only you can really determine that (whatever feels right to you, if it feels WRONG for you to say friend, just say boyfriend)

You will be fine. 

edit:  just read the link that SillySnip posted - the first story sounds similar to what happened to me only I didn't throw a fit and was allowed into the country!   

*takes a deep breath*

I will stay calm...i guess the waiting is the hardest part right now because I'm going over and over with it in my head. I'm still NOT sure what reason to say. I'm not comfortable saying my friend because well other people have had issues with that and im not comfortable saying boyfriend because of the same reason. It's like I feel that either reason won't be good enough or will make me look suspicious. I have no skeletons in my closet! lol...none what-so-ever.

" would think the fact that you've been to the UK before and returned to the US (surely you have stamps in your passport verifying this) would be pretty strong evidence that you will return to the US since you have in the past. "  That's what I've thought!...but i've read that the more you go the more suspicious they become seeing as they think it's "more serious" the more you visit. I haven't been there in well over a year though so it's not like im going every couple months.

I'm wondering if I say im visiting my boyfriend if I should bring photos. Thing is I only have a few...when I was there last time we took TONS of pictures together yet when I got back they were ruined because of the x-ray thing at the airport...98% of my photos were black. He has some at his house and I have like 3 here.

I'm still not sure wtf I'm going to say...I guess ill figure it out the closer it gets. 

But listen to yourself - you are saying 'The more you go the more suspicious they are'.   Then the rational side of you is seeing what everyone else will see - you aren't trying to come over 3 weeks after you have been here.  It's been a year.  You came to see him and then left.  You didn't break any rules.  I honestly think the only problem you could possibly have is worrying about it so much and looking suspicious or like you have something to hide.  I know it's easy to say, but try and stop worrying. 

If you don't want to say friend, and you don't want to say boyfriend, your choices are pretty limited (assuming we are going to play by the rules and not lie )  Someone else mentioned saying that you were on holidays (although they may ask you what you plan on doing/what hotel you are staying at and then it would come out anyways that you are actually visiting your boyfriend and then it may look like you were trying to originally withhold that information)  However, if it were me (and I can only say what I would do, not what you should do), I would just say that I was visiting my boyfriend.  You can bring pictures, the few that you have.  You can make sure you have his address and phone number if he has a mobile, in case they need to call him.  Your passport would have evidence of you visiting the UK (and seeing said boyfriend) and then leaving when you were supposed to.  Have some cash on you.  You'd obviously have a return ticket to show that you were going to return to the US.  And of course they will ask you how long you plan on staying, so make sure this coincides with your ticket  

When are you leaving? 

Edit:  just saw your ticker 

But listen to yourself - you are saying 'The more you go the more suspicious they are'.   Then the rational side of you is seeing what everyone else will see - you aren't trying to come over 3 weeks after you have been here.  It's been a year.  You came to see him and then left.  You didn't break any rules.  I honestly think the only problem you could possibly have is worrying about it so much and looking suspicious or like you have something to hide.  I know it's easy to say, but try and stop worrying. 

If you don't want to say friend, and you don't want to say boyfriend, your choices are pretty limited (assuming we are going to play by the rules and not lie )  Someone else mentioned saying that you were on holidays (although they may ask you what you plan on doing/what hotel you are staying at and then it would come out anyways that you are actually visiting your boyfriend and then it may look like you were trying to originally withhold that information)  However, if it were me (and I can only say what I would do, not what you should do), I would just say that I was visiting my boyfriend.  You can bring pictures, the few that you have.  You can make sure you have his address and phone number if he has a mobile, in case they need to call him.  Your passport would have evidence of you visiting the UK (and seeing said boyfriend) and then leaving when you were supposed to.  Have some cash on you.  You'd obviously have a return ticket to show that you were going to return to the US.  And of course they will ask you how long you plan on staying, so make sure this coincides with your ticket  

When are you leaving? 

Edit:  just saw your ticker 

Yeah I know...I need calm down! lol but it's really hard. It's like say if it was tomorrow I'd be fine because I know that it would mean it would be almost over but I have over 2 months too sit and think about it and it's driving me batty!

It almost seems easier to say visiting my boyfriend...after the way you put it. I think I might do that...


May 3rd.

Thanks alot
Ericka

Reeeeka,

 I have never been in this situation before, but I would hate for you to sit and worry about it for the next two months. I am a big worrier, so I know what it does to you.  I'm sure things will go just fine! Don't worry, just be excited that you are going to see your Honey soon!! You will just have to cross that bridge when you come to it. I'm sorry I don't have any good advice for you, I just don't want you to worry for the next two months. Take Care and Good Luck with everything!

Reeeeka,

 I have never been in this situation before, but I would hate for you to sit and worry about it for the next two months. I am a big worrier, so I know what it does to you.  I'm sure things will go just fine! Don't worry, just be excited that you are going to see your Honey soon!! You will just have to cross that bridge when you come to it. I'm sorry I don't have any good advice for you, I just don't want you to worry for the next two months. Take Care and Good Luck with everything!

Aww thanks for that. I talked to his mum today and she ressured me everything would be alright. It calmed me a little so that's alright.

I'll figure it out when the time comes. 

Hello, probably a little late with help but don't worry!  I am such a worrier, it's probably good I was very naive in visiting my hubby before we were married. 
I visited every 6 weeks for 8 months and stayed for several weeks and longer everytime.  I never had a problem except the one time I mentioned visiting my "boyfriend" I learned very quickly that was a bad choice on my part because it caused them to question me and all.  It wasn't bad, but my advice would be like MrsPink's - as little information as possible needs to be given.  I learned to yes sir/no mam if they asked I was travelling and visiting friends I hade made on previous travels.  There is no lying involved, but it is my life and I knew I wasn't doing anything wrong so no need to worry. 

You'll be fine and you will have an excellent visit!

I haven't even gone on my first visit yet but will probably go this summer.  I wasn't even worried until I started reading about the problems some have had with immigration.  I consider the visit to be a vacation so that is what I planned on saying and I will be staying at a nearby B & B so will have an address to provide.  Is saying I'm there on vacation good enough or should I say visiting a friend?  or both? 

Hello, probably a little late with help but don't worry!  I am such a worrier, it's probably good I was very naive in visiting my hubby before we were married. 
I visited every 6 weeks for 8 months and stayed for several weeks and longer everytime.  I never had a problem except the one time I mentioned visiting my "boyfriend" I learned very quickly that was a bad choice on my part because it caused them to question me and all.  It wasn't bad, but my advice would be like MrsPink's - as little information as possible needs to be given.  I learned to yes sir/no mam if they asked I was travelling and visiting friends I hade made on previous travels.  There is no lying involved, but it is my life and I knew I wasn't doing anything wrong so no need to worry. 

You'll be fine and you will have an excellent visit!

Hi! oh don't worry about it!....I didn't worry about it either until joining this site and reading all the horror stories! 

I figured if I said I'm visiting my boyfriend that would make them question me even further and then I'll get nervous and stumble over my words and just make them second guess me. I think I'm just going to say friend...it's the best bet. I'll have everything for proof and such of where ill be staying. I'm sure ill be fine.

Thank you! I hope I have a good one too! 

I haven't even gone on my first visit yet but will probably go this summer.  I wasn't even worried until I started reading about the problems some have had with immigration.  I consider the visit to be a vacation so that is what I planned on saying and I will be staying at a nearby B & B so will have an address to provide.  Is saying I'm there on vacation good enough or should I say visiting a friend?  or both? 

0o000o0o I'm so excited for you! You will love it! My first visit was uneventful! don't stress...just make sure you don't bring personal letters from him or your diary or anything that's incriminating that will make them believe you plan on staying illegally! YES! Make sure you have that B&B's addy on hand...very good idea and the #!

I said visiting a friend when I first went so...I don't know. Whatever you feel more comfortable doing. Seeing as your staying at a B&B you could get away with just a holiday answer. I stayed at my boyfriends/family's house so I said friend.

Good luck and don't stress...im sure yours will be uneventful just as mine was!

Have a great time and soak up every moment! 

0o000o0o I'm so excited for you! You will love it! My first visit was uneventful! don't stress...just make sure you don't bring personal letters from him or your diary or anything that's incriminating that will make them believe you plan on staying illegally! YES! Make sure you have that B&B's addy on hand...very good idea and the #!

I said visiting a friend when I first went so...I don't know. Whatever you feel more comfortable doing. Seeing as your staying at a B&B you could get away with just a holiday answer. I stayed at my boyfriends/family's house so I said friend.

Good luck and don't stress...im sure yours will be uneventful just as mine was!

Have a great time and soak up every moment! 

thanks, reeeeka, yeah I can't wait.  i was nervous enough about meeting in person for the first time but now have to add the possible immigration interrogation, i'm going to be a wreck, lol.