one way ticket the first time

hes coming here for a week then i'm going back with him for my first time outside of the us!
i don't know when i'll be coming back and i found really cheap one way flights through virgin air.
my questions is will i have too much trouble getting into the country on a one way ticket?
what should i expect with customs?

You'll really need a round trip ticket - for within 6 months. You'll get hasselled without it. And, as others will say from personal experience, don't say you're doing to live with him, or even visit your boyfriend, just say you're going to travel around...

thanks for the advice... i would have surely made the mistake of saying that.

he's been here before.... should i tell him to avoid the girlfriend thing too?

i'm not a very good liar...
is customs really strict?

so the two of you will be flying from the US to the UK together.  he's on the return portion of his ticket and you're on a one-way ticket.  you're only coming over here to see your boyfriend for a few weeks.  right?

my two cents- i wouldn't lie.  i'd be prepared for questions but wouldn't lie.  do you every intention of returning to the us, right?  you have a job in the uk, right?  you have a lease/mortgage/etc in the us, right?  i'd bring a letter from your employer saying you're employed, are going on holiday for xx days, and will be returning to work on xx-xx-06.  i'd bring a copy of my lease/mortgage to show that you have a home to go back to.  i'd bring copies of bank statemnets showing that you can support yourself by yourself for you entire stay in the UK.  still- you'll be hassled.  but lying to an immigration officer is never a good think (my opinion).

i actually planned on staying there for six months.
i have to move out of my apartment and rather than signing a lease for a year here i'd rather just move there already.
the note i can get from my job for sure.

the really hassle you that much?

i'm fairly scared right now.

is customs strict?  Ask how many people on this site have been turned back and sent home before.

Yeah, they're strict.

I'm not advocating lying! I'm rubbish at it myself. I'm just saying to think about hwo you word things. Six months is fine - just make sure you ahve a return ticket to show them, that you're leaving again. And don't lie, but your BF doesn't need to figure it. It's not lying to say you're going to travel around. And you don't need to go up to the immigration officer and say 'I've just moved out of my home in NY and I'm coming over to live with my BF for six months while we figure out what to do'. It's nothing to stress about - you have no reason to stress, as you're coming over as a legitemate visitor. You're going home again (hence the return ticket), and have plenty of money to go travelling in the UK.

welsh girl brings up a good point....

bring bank statements to prove you have enough money to facilitate 6 months without a job to travel!

welshgirl- didn't mean to sound like i was attacking.  i def advocate telling the trust and just the truth nothing more (don't volunteer info)

but the OP is coming over on a one-way ticket, to see her boyfriend for 6 months, and does not have a "home" in the US to come back to.  she will probably get questioned.

officially she should be allowed in as she has no intention of moving to the uk permantly, looking for work, settling, etc.

bank statements to show that you have funds to support yourself for 6 months
letter from job saying you have a job to come back to
anything else OP should be prepared for?

I'd definitely do a return ticket and have bank statements to prove you have enough money to hold you over for 6 months. And yup, they are that strict. In 2000, my mom and I were "detained" for over an hour because she mentioned we were going to be staying with my boyfriend's family (we were only there for 3 weeks, but it was back when you could still marry as a visitor in the UK - which we didn't want to do anyway lol).

All the times I flew over I always said "visiting friends" when they asked why I was there. It wasn't lying, it was the truth but not the whole story. But then again I always had a return ticket and only stayed the most about 6 weeks.

In my opinion, if she comes on a single ticket she will have a lot more hassle, face a lot more questioning, and risks a massive chance of refusal of entry.  Simply don't do it - get the return.


Vicky

In my opinion, if she comes on a single ticket she will have a lot more hassle, face a lot more questioning, and risks a massive chance of refusal of entry.  Simply don't do it - get the return.


Vicky

Well said Vicky    I agree, a one way ticket will send up a red flag to them (for obvious reasons really) and the OP could be denied entry. It isn't worth the risk really.

thanks for your advice everyone.... i'm thinking about just signing another lease here and dealing with the distance.  i know i dnot want to do anything illegal. specially in another country.

keep em coming.

Well you could very well visit for 6 months (you are legally allowed to do so) but you should have a return ticket and documentation (like a new lease agreement in the US, bank statements etc) to prove you have ties to the US and are returning, and can support yourself while in the UK on holiday.

my lease is up september first.
i can't afford to go there, get a new place here and pay rent on top of everything.

the odds are more on his side than mine.

i'm sure we'll work it out.

its just going to take some time.