Pre-London Questions, Round 1

I'm trying REALLY hard to just search old threads rather than beginning new ones but I can't seem to find a thing or two:

1) Will I need to show a vaccination record when flying in or out of the country?

2) Since I'm not flying in to visit a significant other or for an extended stay (just 11 or 12 days), will I have to go to lengths to prove that I'm not planning on settling illegally in the UK? For example, would I have to prove that I had job waiting on me back home?

I guess this are kind of simple questions but I'm not experienced at international travel, so any help would be SO appreciated.

You don't need to show any kind of vaccination record. If your visit is a typical holiday (vacation) length and you haven't made another recent trip don't worry about immigration. A return ticket will be fine.

Oh yea...the only other thing is you need to list where you are staying. If you are not staying in a hotel but with friends expect to answer questions about how you know them etc.

Okay, great! I will be visiting a friend for a day or two but not staying with him and plan to have hotel/hostel arrangements already made before I get there (thank God for the internet!) I wanted to make sure about the vaccines because I knew I'd have to hunt down records and didn't want to be surprised at the last minue.

On a side note, I am kind of sad that I might not be able to donate blood for awhile, since England is one of the places they ask you about during each pre-screening.

On a side note, I am kind of sad that I might not be able to donate blood for awhile, since England is one of the places they ask you about during each pre-screening.

Only if you lived here for an extended period particularly during the bad mad cow years. You are fine with just a short visit.

I will second the fact that you will be fine if you just have a return ticket and the name and address of where you will be staying at least the first night i.e., friends, hostels, hotels. If I remember correctly, you need to write this on your landing card so have it handy when you fly. Also, be prepared for the money question. I've travelled through London many times but never stayed longer than two nights so I was always flip about my response until one immigration officer questioned if I had enough. Luckily I had Eurostar tickets for the next day to prove I wasn't planning to stay in the UK and I had friends to visit elsewhere. Before then, I never thought about the possibility of being denied entry.

This is where people get in trouble for having their diaries, CVs, notebooks, etc on them when passing through immigration.

It really isn't a worry though if you have sufficient funds to house and feed you for your length of stay. Plus, if you are truly just coming for a visit you shouldn't be nervous about it.... it's the shifty ones they look out for! 

You don't need to show any kind of vaccination record. If your visit is a typical holiday (vacation) length and you haven't made another recent trip don't worry about immigration. A return ticket will be fine.

Actually, this depends where in the world you are coming from.  From the US, no, but if you have been in 3rd world countries you maybe required to supply proof of vaccination.  We always assume it is American's on this board, but that might lead to some bad advice, there are some other 5 billion people in the world... 

I do second that a return ticket and knowing the address you are staying at is enough for an American to get through entry clearance as a visitor.  Just avoid saying things like "How do I get on the dole." and "Are their any 24-hour marriage chapels in the UK?" to the IO.

Actually, this depends where in the world you are coming from.  From the US, no, but if you have been in 3rd world countries you maybe required to supply proof of vaccination.  We always assume it is American's on this board, but that might lead to some bad advice, there are some other 5 billion people in the world... 

True. Oddly enough, when I moved over, the immigration officier had me go through health control. Never when I visited though. It wasn't a big deal for me. The health officer saw I had an American passport in my hand and just waved me through.  Not sure what the point of that was. I wasn't even travelling on my passport with all the African visas so my only guess it was a residency thing.

Just avoid saying things like "How do I get on the dole." and "Are their any 24-hour marriage chapels in the UK?" to the IO.

I'll make a mental note of that

Thanks for this great advice, everyone. As far as the money goes, I'm going to have to have enough in the bank for lodging and food, so I'll have a print-out from my bank (so long as that will be sufficient), plus I'll bring some cash with me (do I need to change it before I come? I believe there may be a place at the Memphis airport where I can have that done, if need be.)

I do have to find out now about how my Visa check card will work (extra fees?) and if my Sprint phone will be of any use for me, but that's not probably something I can find out here.

As far as the money goes, I'm going to have to have enough in the bank for lodging and food, so I'll have a print-out from my bank (so long as that will be sufficient), plus I'll bring some cash with me (do I need to change it before I come?)

I do have to find out now about how my Visa check card will work (extra fees?) and if my Sprint phone will be of any use for me, but that's not probably something I can find out here.

Visa check cards tend to be pretty straight forward. Just make sure you have a numbered pin for the ATM machine. Any fees are generally charged by the bank. I tend to travel with sufficient cash to get me through a day or two if for some horrible reason the card doesn't work. Oh yeah, make sure they know you will be abroad so they don't think the withdrawals are suspicious. You don't have to exchange money before you leave especially if you are landing in the London airports. You practically trip over the ATMs and money exchange places.

Your US phone may not work here but if it does it will be handy.

As far as the money goes, I'm going to have to have enough in the bank for lodging and food, so I'll have a print-out from my bank (so long as that will be sufficient), plus I'll bring some cash with me (do I need to change it before I come? I believe there may be a place at the Memphis airport where I can have that done, if need be.)

I do have to find out now about how my Visa check card will work (extra fees?) and if my Sprint phone will be of any use for me, but that's not probably something I can find out here.

If you are coming for a short term visit, I hate to say it, but being over prepared might not be a good thing.  If you are an American, this is likely what will happen...  On the plane you will receive a landing card, the landing card will ask you where you are staying and what is the purpose of your visit, the number of your flight.  Then you will get into the Non-EU Passport Holder Queue.  The IO will rifle through your passport, looking for any landing stamps...

IO>What is the purpose of your visit?
You> Visiting some friends...
IO> How long to you plan to stay?
You> 14 days
IO> Where will you be staying
You> At a hotel / with friends (whichever applies)
IO> Ok, thank you... *STAMP* *STAMP*

If you are really worried, you can print out the stuff you are talking about, but don't offer it unless asked.  Again, the more you like you are trying to hide something by being over prepared, the more they might want to question you.  Now nothing is going to happen with you other then the IO asking questions, and if they do get curious, they may start asking more questions, want to look through your luggage, etc...  They will find out you are a normal person and be on your way.

As far as money, again, bringing little Cash and using your Debit card is MUCH better idea.  You are going to get raked over the coals when you exchange your cash.  Also, no worried about doing so until you are in the UK.  There are plenty of exchange places and they are going to have a lot more British Pounds then Memphis will.  Because you seem to be a cautious person, I would give you bank a call to let them know you are traveling overseas and planning on using your debit card.  That way they won't accidentally lock your account thinking that your card has been stolen.  Most banks won't do this, but sometimes automatic fraud prevention things might click in.

Your Sprint phone will not work in the UK.  The only ones that will roam, and only if you call ahead of time to arrange international roaming, are GSM based networks, which are Cingular and T-Mobile.  There is nothing wrong with brining it though.

Okay, this is all information that's good to know! If I can just bring a little US cash with me and work off my check card, then that's fine! I may print off a bank statement, to keep with the other papers I'm bringing for my own sanity, and, as you said kitsonk, not offer it up unless asked. I see what you mean about being over-prepared.

I'm not usually so overly-cautious, but, you know - it's kind of a big deal for me that I get from Point A to Point B as smoothly as possible, since I've never done more than a 550 mile car journey on my own before.

I guess my ideas of what I need to bring and don't need to bring are all jumbled up, since most people on here had issues because they were either going on long-term visits or trying to visit a significant other. I'm extremely glad, though, that people here can also help me with things for just a normal visit.

No, I totally understand about the nerves.  You have to realize that the vast majority of people who show up here are either a) overly worried (not that there is anything wrong with that) or b) gotten stuck in a strange situation.  99% of the people who go to the UK will probablly never set foot in here, nor have any need for anything special.  You will realize when you are on the plane, that there will be probablly a 100-200 other people just like you sitting right next to you.

The UK, for Americans, is one of the easiest foreign countries to visit.  They are all friendly for the most part, and you are going to have lots of fun and begin to scratch that strange Anglophile itch that many of us Americans have.  You are also going to realize there is a big wide world out there.  It will give you a lot of perspective in your personal life.

I was "lucky" that when I started my international travel that I was young and stupid and didn't know any better.  I was being sent around the world by my company and all I knew to do was take my passport with me.  I had no idea that I probablly should have gotten letters stating that I was there for business meetings, or that I was a foreign assigned employee of my company, or any of that.  The things that could have gone horribly wrong.  Ignorance is really bliss sometimes.

IO>What is the purpose of your visit?
You> Visiting some friends...
IO> How long to you plan to stay?
You> 14 days
IO> Where will you be staying
You> At a hotel / with friends (whichever applies)
IO> Ok, thank you... *STAMP* *STAMP*

Yep, this was me in my "young and stupid" days and they let me in just fine... now for that Anglofile itch, ew thankfully I washed my hands regularly when I was in the states 

Really Amanda, you will be fine! 

Thanks for the extra reassurance, Olive Oyl and kitsonk. And as far as the Anglofile itch, well, I got that when I was 9 (for no apparent reason), so that's the whole purpose of this visit AND how I stumbled across UK-Yankee last year, the latter of which is why I know WAY too much about spousal and fiance visa, FLR and ILR and the like