What is the purpose of your visit...???

See I hear about people staying for six months, then leaving for a little bit then coming right back for another six months with no troubles.  So, why should it be a problem for me?  I'm guessing I'll be fine as I've been visiting regularly for the last 2 years and have always left and followed the rules.  I've never stayed longer than 5 weeks at a time, and have always had 2-6 months between visits.  My usual length of trip is 1-3 weeks...so I don't have a record of lurking about the country for months on end.  

Any other ideas or suggestions?  Should I be concerned?  I'm with Terinth on the fact that they make you feel completely guilty when you've done nothing wrong at all.  I always approach the person with a ton of confidence, and depending on how I'm treated I'm still full of confidence or I feel like crap. :-/

Sorry about that!  Computer fairies.

Things to keep red flags down:
  On page 7 of the US passport is a place for your US address, foreign address, and a person to notify in case of emergency.  I filled this out with my sister's name, address, and phone number.  When I'm asked where I will be staying, my story checks out.  I hide my bingo club card with my sister's address on it!

  I carry my work ID, photos of my sister's grandkids, and a datebook with future plans in the US.  The datebook also tells where I'll be going in the UK and when I'm coming back.  I even have a picture of my cat, so they will know I'm going back home!

And I dress nicely, no jeans and pony tails.

Two things in my favor, I think.  I'm an old bat so BF might never enter their minds, although one of the cuties in the pub calls me his wee sexy beastie (translation, please!).  And I'm visiting family with the piccies to prove it.  I have pics of the kiddies and me in front of castles, Glasgow Science Center, etc.

With 4 stamps in one year, I've still had nothing but the briefest of chats with Immigration.  May my luck hold until this summer!  Chris

Krissy, you are coming in on a tourist visa and therefore you are to be touring the UK. It's okay to stay with friends, but it's not okay to be coming in on a tourist visa to really spend time here with your bf.

why?? I really don't get it. Why are friends ok and bf is not? They assume you are going to get married and stay?? How do they expect people to get to know each other???

I think you're allowed to visit whomever you want to, but visiting a BF or fiance, etc. causes them to worry about if your visit will turn into an illegal immigration.  The problem is they don't really care if you get to know other people or not....their main concern is with keeping people out of the country who are trying to enter illegally.

I don't think I'm doing anything wrong by staying with my BF, especially when they ask more detailed questions about whom I'm visiting, I've been honest and they've let me in.  I told them on the last few trips I was visiting friends, and then they asked what sorts of friends, so I told them it was my boyfriend....so I guess it's allowed or they wouldn't have let me in.

Reading this whole thread has me more confused than ever! The past 2 trips I have said "friends" and had no problem. My s.o was told NEVER say "visiting my gf" when coming here, though. **sigh**

Reading this whole thread has me more confused than ever! The past 2 trips I have said "friends" and had no problem. My s.o was told NEVER say "visiting my gf" when coming here, though. **sigh**

You're right on the money, Snupy.  You get all sorts of conflicting advice...I guess that's why I'm always so stressed about trying to enter the country again.  I just don't want to mess up or say something wrong or not get let in....sigh!!!!  I wish there was  definitive answer.  I'm just panicked that they'll look at my passport and say nope you can't come in this time.  Can they do that?  I know they have the power to turn you away but sheesh...all I want to do is stay a few weeks.

I got questioned a lot the last time but they seem reassured when I talked about just being on Easter Break from my job...I think the key is to emphasize you have a job to go back to ..or something that is making you return.

I got questioned a lot the last time but they seem reassured when I talked about just being on Easter Break from my job...I think the key is to emphasize you have a job to go back to ..or something that is making you return.

Yeah I think one of the reasons she decided to let me in is because I repeatedly mentioned that was only on spring recess from uni....so maybe it does help to mention you're only on a short break from work or school.

Krissy, you asked "I'm just panicked that they'll look at my passport and say nope you can't come in this time.  Can they do that? "

They *can* do that. And who knows what they wrote down in your "file"... I wish I knew what to tell you. You're coming over on a fiancee visa eventually though, which is good - so if they interrogate you next time that's worth mentioning. During my detention I said many, many times that I knoew al about the fiancee visa, knew how to apply, and that if I was to enter the UK again for a long period of time it would be on a fiancee visa. He seemed reassured by my knowledge of the situation. Granted, I didn't offer all of this up front, this came out hours later in my series of interviews in the little crappy detention center. So I think it's a good idea to let them know you know what you are doing... but don't walk up to them and spill it all out because methinks that looks a bit suspicious. So at the end of the day my advice is to keep doing exactly what you have been doing. If they turn you away, which they *can* do and even though they give you an official piece of paper with the reason on it - they don't have to explain it to you well, or tell you a *good* reason. It's not up to them to make sure that international relationships get the nuturing and visitation they need, it's up to them to keep people out of the country. But you know that. So ayway, if they turn you away... they turn you away. It doesn't mean you can't get back into the UK, you' haven't burned a bridge, but you will have to have a visa in hand the next time you try to enter. Since you're doing that *anyway*, all you have to lose is the cost of a flight and the stress. Which is a lot, I know, but it's not a ticket to doom.

Oddly enough I have had no problems entering the UK until this last time and we have been married for a little over three years.    My husband decided to go through the UK line and sent me to the NON-EU section and I got the questioning of my life.  I made the mistake of saying that we would be staying at my husbands house which then prompted them to think we were married but living separately or some such thing.  In the end he let me through, but still.  Odd people these immigration folks.  They seem to tell them to act execeptionally serious and show no emotion at all.  On both sides.  Even in the USA they treat the slightlest thing as a major issue.

Drives me nuts!

Odd people these immigration folks.  They seem to tell them to act execeptionally serious and show no emotion at all.  On both sides.  Even in the USA they treat the slightlest thing as a major issue.

Drives me nuts!

Oh I know, in the last few trips back to the US, I've been given the interrogation of a lifetime.  You used to get a nice smile, welcome back, and then your stamp.  Not anymore...nope.  I mean, sheesh, if you're a citizen of the country why are they giving you such a hard time, especially when they have your filled out customs forms in hand, etc.

I think I'm just going to risk it and go back to the UK.  Like Marlespo said, I can always just tell them the situation if they keep on asking.  Steven doesn't seem to think it'll be a problem at all and that I'm overreacting (as usual in my case, I'm a constant worrier).  His uncle's cousin kept going to the US after she came back to the UK for a day or two to renew her visitor's visa waiver and never had any *real* problems, just had a few times where she was questioned for a long amount of time.  Turns out they were more worried about her trying to work illegally than the fact that she was basically living with her fiance.  Go figure.

The more I read threads like this, the more evident it becomes to me that this questioning is somehow gender-based. The reason I say this is because I've gone in and out of the U.K (Heathrow and Gatwick) as many as 6-8 times in the course of a year some years and never once been questioned about anything other than how long my stay would be......it seems to me that single women going through immigration over there trigger some kind of alarm which prompts the 1001 question routine..........strange

The more I read threads like this, the more evident it becomes to me that this questioning is somehow gender-based. The reason I say this is because I've gone in and out of the U.K (Heathrow and Gatwick) as many as 6-8 times in the course of a year some years and never once been questioned about anything other than how long my stay would be......it seems to me that single women going through immigration over there trigger some kind of alarm which prompts the 1001 question routine..........strange

You know.. you may be on to something.  Sean's been back and forth to the US FAR more than I've been over to the UK, and each time, his ticket has been for 3 months.  I'm always worried they'll stop and question him, but you know what?  They never do.  They quickly skim through his passport, ask why he'll be here for so long, he says.. "visiting friends and I'm a freelance journalist".. they stamp it, smile, and wave him through.  

Someone mentioned that dressing a bit nicer may also have an impact.  Sean tends to be in dress-casual.  Work clothes without the tie, sort of thing.  I guess being able to say you're a journalist is a HUGE help, because they assume you would be travelling to and from quite a bit.  Lucky sod  

I can tell ya, my fiancee David gets a big questioning at Logan.  It was great for him with his old company because he was always here for work but staying with his GF.  He would get a look and ask if he was staying and he'd say proudly 'we're filing our financee visa papers for me to be here XX time' and he even got to be pals with one who had a GF in england but lived in boston and they saw each other frequently.

i'm curious since i'm going over for easter, what to say.  I guess just say i'm visiting friends, and say that i'm staying at my BF's parents place.  The thing is, he's coming over here in August to get married then returning to England after the honeymoon and i'm filing with the consulate in New York for the spouse visa.  My guess is to not bring this up.....

Out of curiosity I just checked the stamps in my passport (this is my 3rd and was issued in 98). Since then I've entered the U.K 22 times for various lengths of duration ranging from 1 week to 12 and can honestly say that I can't remember once being questioned......and I'm a bartender ............maybe they know the tips are better on this side of the ocean so I'm not sneaking in to ply my trade there!