cant get back into uk!!!!

I have no idea either what this type of visa might be.  I actually did peruse the British Consular's website last night and saw nothing of the sort.  Who told her this?

I have absolutely no idea. Never heard of a 6 month residency and as far as I'm aware the fact he's 'supporting' her won't carry any weight with immigration. Can't begin to see how her divorce would have any implications.... you've got us pretty confused Sean. All I can think is that there is some misunderstanding on the consulate's part or your gf's part.

Anyone else?

I Google'd "residency visa" and only came up with ones applicable to those from Australia - or those wanting to live in Thailand! 

I think Sean realises that his girlfriend needs to get her information from more reliable sources. 

There is a Working-Holiday Visa but one would need to be a commonwealth citizen in order to be eligible for it....I agree......I think something got lost in translation here.

I have no idea either what this type of visa might be.  I actually did peruse the British Consular's website last night and saw nothing of the sort.  Who told her this?

hi..the person who told her this was the one and only person she actually got to speak to in the british consulate in the USA (think it was atlanta)..i believe myself that she has been misinformed ..and no..she wont be talking with that solicitor anymore..in fact it was once this belfast solicitors name came up at the airport when they were questioning lydia (my gf) thet they started to ask questions..they originally believed that lydia seeked her out with a view to gaining information to get in here through the back door so to speak..then after a while they were satisfied that lydia was directed to this solicitor via the citizens advice bereau.and apparently this solicitor is know to immigrations for these very reasons...thanks sean

I think you're right, Sean.  I've been on this site for 2 years and we've seen a lot of folks come through here for information on visas and who have shared their immigration experiences and I think that's why we're all kind of scratching our heads here because none of us have ever heard of a 6 month residency visa (unless it was a fiancee visa which seems pretty clear was not what was being referred to when your gf was advised of this). 

I really do wish you the best of luck here, Sean.  It sounds like you and your lady have been through the mill.  I hope it works out and do keep us posted how it goes! 

Chances are that person in Atlanta didn't know what they were talking about, as Atlanta doesn't issue Entry Clearance Visas...   Wouldn't be the first time those who SHOULD know everything don't seem to know anything!  Right, Celtic? 

That's why I check, recheck and then re-check again because sometimes the person who you THINK should be in- the- know knows very little. I've made a pain in the ars* of myself on more than one occassion with immigration employees just to make sure that they understand my question before they give me some type of rote answer to something that they THINK I just asked them

Perfect example was my inquiry into whether or not my U.K Settlement Visa needed to be "implemented" within a certain time frame once I received it:
                    British Consulate in New York where it was issued: anytime up until the expiry date
                    British Home Office: within 90 days
                                           

 

Well, Sean, we haven't told you what you were probably hoping to hear, but, you are very welcome here at UKY. As is your gf. If you end up doing the distance thing, there are plenty of folks here who know exactly what you will be going through so feel free to keep checking in as much as you want!

Sean,

Just to second what a few people have said here:

What your girlfriend was trying to do was to circumvent the 6 month limit on non-EU citizens visitor entry clearance. If British immigration officers suspect you are trying to get around their rules, they may, and often do, deal extremely harshly with you. Do not expect any leniency there.

I was a fully legal work permit holder paying full whack British taxes (and in fact am now a British citizen), and still got the odd nasty immigration officer, once one tried to suggest that I wasn't really still living in the country (perhaps he wanted to cancel my permanent leave to remain, maybe to bump up his monthly quota, who knows).

Bottom line: It is IND's function to regulate (read: DENY) entry to this country.

I have also noticed that immigration scrutiny seems to be tightening up more and more, even for British citizens - they are putting all of the passports through a scanner now, it's no longer just flash the passport at the guy on the stool at Stansted airport anymore.

.  In addition to the much-ballyhooed racial profiling, which occurs even though it is officially denied, other frequent targets are:  people who admit to being in a gay relationship with a Brit (to see if they are trying to build up time towards the UP visa while on visitors' stamps--techincally, that's "intent to settle" and is not allowed, although some gay couples have had success on appeal because of the catch-22 nature of the requirements); young women traveling alone especially outside the "student" seasons (to see if they intend to marry in the UK without getting the proper visa first); .

I knew I was being watched more closely than others.  I always follow the visitor's rules and have never stayed more than a few weeks at a time, but I'm a young, unmarried woman, so it must send up red flags.  Wish me luck as I'm returning on Sunday and am not getting very nervous about re-entry.  (Just for a visit, I'm only staying part of the summer).

hi...
well she spoke to someone at last today in the british consulate in the usa and they told her that her only option is a fiance visa...neither of us want to be pushed into marriage for this reason..is there any other option even though the consulate said there isnt..stupid question i know..thanks sean

I knew I was being watched more closely than others.  I always follow the visitor's rules and have never stayed more than a few weeks at a time, but I'm a young, unmarried woman, so it must send up red flags.  Wish me luck as I'm returning on Sunday and am not getting very nervous about re-entry.  (Just for a visit, I'm only staying part of the summer).

hi yes i wish you the best of irish luck..things will be fine.........(any chance of bringing me back a HONDA CB1100F motorbike from over there... )

hello, this is seans partner.....well what happened was, got on the home office website and found out about unmarried partners....couldn't understand how you went about getting the proper time in for applying for that when you could only be in the uk for 6months...so went to the citizens advice bureu...they didn't know so put me in touch with a lawyer who is supposed to be an expert in immigration matters....she is the one who told me to travel in and out and how to do it....she sent me a letter on the matter also....so when i went to holland, i had that letter with me and she also said that i had to have a letter from sean stating that he was supporting me and proof of his income...so i did all that. As you know, was stopped. Questioned for over 2hrs and luggage searched etc.....she said she was satisfied that the only crime i had committed was to have bad advice....she made a copy of the lawyers letter and put it in the file....then she told me that there were OTHER visa i could have applied for instead of unmarried partner and that the consulate would tell me what they were(well they haven't)....she also said they were not going to deport me, but were going to let me in with a paper that said i was given temporary leave but subject to being picked up and set a date for an interview with me in two weeks time and that i was to bring anything with me to that meeting that had my name and seans address on it, to prove i was living with him......so i did that.....and she said i still didn't meet the requirements of unmarried partner, and she couldn't stamp a visitors stamp because i didnt leave the country the first time....that even though i did leave the country and go to paris and then holland, to them, they considered it that i didn't leave!!! I really don't understand that. But anyway, she said that she is convinced that i did it without malice, that i THOUGHT i was doing it legally(because of the letter from the lawyer)and that when i returned to the states, and my divorce was final, i was to apply for a fincee visa and that since my file will show that i was honest and above board and that my story had been investigated and checked out fine, i would have no problem getting the fincee visa....she also said there were other visa's i could apply for and that the consulate would tell me what they are(well they haven't). So she then gave me ANOTHER paper for temporary leave liable to be detained like the first one, to give me ample time to make flight arrangements(2weeks). They still kept my passport......so on the day that i left belfast....the man who gave me my passport told me he had reviewed my file (now i didn't ask him anything, he just offered this information when giving me my passport)he said now please don't worry, i have looked it over and there is nothing in there to prevent you coming back....when you apply for a visa, they will see you have been honest and your story checked out and you will have no problem getting a visa....that is what he said.....well they tell me the only visa option is a fincee or work visa.....sean feels like we are in a box and being pushed into having to get married within 6months and what we are wanting to find out is ..... isn't there a different visa option for me? We can't find out. I must be asking the wrong questions or the wrong person or something.....each time i call they ask the case number and the first thing they ask me is, is your divorce final yet? So since it isn't, (it has been over a year trying to get that done) shouldn't there be something else we can do in the meantime? Also, i have searched and searched the home office web site and can't find ONE THING about a residence visa.....not one reference......the lady at the airport is the one who mentioned that. She said it would only be good until my divorce. Which i never understood how they would know when it was final anyway til i showed them my papers saying so.....but that is where that came from...she also told me that why she wouldn't stamp me a visitors visa is because even though she feels I was only doing what i thought was legal, since i didn't know WHEN my divorce was final, she was afraid if it wasn't final in that 6months, that i would just go to paris again even though i said i wouldn't(can't blame her there really) but then she said that if i knew WHEN my divorce would be final, she would have stamped my passport for that time frame....which i found odd....if she was saying she would have stamped it in those conditions, i wish she would have just stamped it for 2months or something so that i would at least have a clear passport with no blemish....but i didnt' say that to her of course.....so that is where it stands and both sean and i are very confused about the whole matter...hope someone knows something. Thanks