Entering UK on fiancee visa - "how long are you planning to stay" question...

Hello everyone!

When I enter the UK on my fiancee visa, how should I answer the "how long are you planning to stay" question the immigration officer might ask?  As I'm marrying the love of my life I'm hoping to stay forever of course, but I'm paranoid about everything as my travel day looms nearer, and I'm wondering what the succinct way to answer this would be... I don't want to ramble on about how I'm on a 6 month fiancee visa, then plan to get married, then will apply for the 2 year FLR, then ILR etc...  I'd love to know how others answered this question when they went through passport control on their fiance visas!

Thanks!
-Stacey 

Hand them your passport with your visa page open.  I doubt they'll even ask that question then.  If they do, tell them the truth.

They asked me how long I would be staying.  I had not found this site at that point and had no idea what was the right or wrong things to do.  When she asked me how long I would be staying, I enthusiastically answered "Forever!  I'm getting married!!"  I see now that I probably shouldn't have said that and I guess I'm lucky I had no trouble.   

When she asked me how long I would be staying, I enthusiastically answered "Forever!  I'm getting married!!" 

That's the truth, isn't it?  You had a visa, you did nothing wrong by saying that! Of course, if you were already married and trying to enter on a fiancee visa again, that's an issue. 

a fiance visa is a settlement visa.  the purpose of it is allow you to marry and settle in the UK, so the IO is not about to try to bounce you if you have one!  If they ask how long you're staying, just tell the truth, point to your visa, and you won't have a problem.

Thanks so much everyone!  I'm really trying not to freak out about every little thing...    Yeah, I pretty much figured that if you enter on a visa they couldn't bounce you, but I've read some stories about people being intensely questioned and pulled aside, even in possession of a visa!  But my situation is very straightforward and I've never been denied entry or anything before...  I just want everything to go smoothly and to not make any mistakes when I enter!  ...Oh I just thought of something:  will they stamp my passport with the regular stamp, or is it a different one when you enter on a visa?

This is pretty much how the conversation went when I entered on my fiance visa...

*IO looks at passport (opened already to Visa page)*

IO: Ah, you're one of these.
Me: *smile*
IO: What is your fiance's name?
Me: Matthew (last name).
IO: How long have you known one another?
Me: 2 1/2 years.
IO: Where does he work?
Me: (employer name)
IO: How many times have you each visited?
Me: We've each had 3 visits. Me to the UK and him to the US.
IO: And your wedding plans?
Me: We're going through a registrar office in (our town) once I have been a resident for 7 days.
IO: And how long do you plan to stay in the UK?
Me: Once we're married I'll apply for further leave and then eventually indefinitely.
IO: Alright then, as long as you marry before 20 Jan 2009 (expiry on visa sticker) you're all sorted.

*IO stamps entry clearance ON visa sticker*

will they stamp my passport with the regular stamp, or is it a different one when you enter on a visa?

My stamp was the same '6 month leave to enter - no employment, no recourse to public funds' stamp. I was a little miffed it had to be stamped ON TOP of the visa sticker (it's just so pretty to look at, hehe) but oh well, it got me in, so woo hoo!

hhmm...  Does the IO even have access to the answers for the questions that he asked LoveMyBrit?  Are they on his screen or something.. or was he asking her these to see how quickly she answered?

hhmm...  Does the IO even have access to the answers for the questions that he asked LoveMyBrit?  Are they on his screen or something.. or was he asking her these to see how quickly she answered?

I'm not sure if the IO's have a little 'cheat sheet' or '20 questions flipchart' to be honest. I'm guessing they're trained to ask certain ones depending on the visa or they have a 'script' of sorts to follow.

I was as direct in my answering as I could be (not offering anything additional, yet not withholding anything at the same time). I wanted to demonstrate, through answering my questions, that I was educated on what the visa meant (ie - how much time I had to marry, no working, etc) and that I had done my homework on how getting married at the registrar works (7 days residency...14-17 days after giving notice, etc) as I was prepared for the "details of your wedding" question.

My gameplan was basically "name-rank-serial number" and it seemed to do okay for me. Plus, I'd like to think they appreciate when someone keeps it simple and clearly doesn't choke/fib because they're nervous.

Thanks for all those details LoveMyBrit!  I know that honesty is definitely the best policy and I have nothing to hide or gloss over anyway.  I just know I'm going to be nervous and I don't want to put my foot in my mouth.  I'll definitely be sticking to simple, concise answers as much as possible! 

My stamp was the same '6 month leave to enter - no employment, no recourse to public funds' stamp. I was a little miffed it had to be stamped ON TOP of the visa sticker (it's just so pretty to look at, hehe) but oh well, it got me in, so woo hoo!

That's to prove when you entered on the fiance visa - totally normal. If you enter again on the fiance visa they'll just stamp on the page opposite to it.

I think the IO's must have a cheat sheet because my conversation when I entered on my fiance visa was exactly the same as LoveMyBrit.

When I entered on my fiance visa I wasn't expecting *any* questions because I assumed it had all been taken care of in the process of *getting* the visa. 

However, I'm pretty sure my questions were also the same as LoveMyBrit's and Chrissy's but the IO also asked me what my occupation was which confused me.  I said, "Well, obviously I quit my job to move to the UK."  To which he replied a tiny bit impatiently, "Well what was it *before* you quit?"  I told him what it was, retail management of a natural food market, but it seemed a pointless question to me at the time.

When I entered on my fiance visa I wasn't expecting *any* questions because I assumed it had all been taken care of in the process of *getting* the visa. 

However, I'm pretty sure my questions were also the same as LoveMyBrit's and Chrissy's but the IO also asked me what my occupation was which confused me.  I said, "Well, obviously I quit my job to move to the UK."  To which he replied a tiny bit impatiently, "Well what was it *before* you quit?"  I told him what it was, retail management of a natural food market, but it seemed a pointless question to me at the time.

Ahhh yes! Forgot about that one. They did ask my occupation and I said 'well im not allowed to work under a fiance visa, so unemployed?' and then he ask what I would be doing when i was able to work and I said PR. Seemed pointless really.

However, I'm pretty sure my questions were also the same as LoveMyBrit's and Chrissy's but the IO also asked me what my occupation was which confused me.  I said, "Well, obviously I quit my job to move to the UK."  To which he replied a tiny bit impatiently, "Well what was it *before* you quit?"  I told him what it was, retail management of a natural food market, but it seemed a pointless question to me at the time.

And I also forgot this one was in there for me as well. I told him I was a teacher (which I am according to my degree & teaching license) so he asked if I had a job in the UK and I actually said, "well I can't exactly work on my fiance visa, can I?" He smiled and I then said I would begin work once it was legal for me to do so.

Thanks Chrissy & Andee.