cant get back into uk!!!!

Could this be the residence permit?

It looks like it's a specific permit for extensions to the normal 6 month entry clearance, AKA limited leave to remain.  The Euro format seems to be the impetus behind the terminology.

That was my impression from the little I could find on the IND site.  I believe it replaces the one- and two-year multiple-entry visitor visas, which used to be available until one or two years ago (although they were damned hard to get).

Okay, having followed the link - it seems to me this is the type of visa that those coming in as students or on work permits now need to obtain before entering the UK (I'm talking about US citizens only).

Previously, there was no such thing as an actual "student visa" - you simply showed your school acceptance letter and what-have-you at Immigration upon arrival in the UK.  Now, you have to apply for a visa based upon your acceptance as a student in the UK if it is for a period longer than 6 months.

Also, previously the work permit paperwork was all you needed if you had been issued one from a UK company.  Now you need to obtain a visa first if the contract for the work permit is longer than 6 months.

What I take as confirmation of my understanding is this:

Will travellers have to pay for entry clearance?

There is a fee for entry clearance issued overseas. This is currently £36 for a student and £75 for a work permit holder staying more than six months.

So I still don't understand how this would apply to a US citizen who simply wants to stay in the UK for the heck of it...I mean, if this is "possible" - then shouldn't those who come here wanting to spend time with their UK sweetie but not ready to commit to the Fiancee Visa yet be able to apply for this?  And wouldn't this facilitate building up the time for the Unmarried Partners requirements?

I'm utterly confused - and just when I thought I well and truly had a handle on the Immigration situation...

Here's the link for students wanting to study for longer than 6 months. It came into effect Nov 2003. Prior to this, they would stamp your passport with a date they expected you to leave by based upon the length of your program (though this could be extended provided your University backed up your request).

http://www.britishcouncil-usa.org/learning/students/workingvisas/clearance.shtml

I also saw these interesting tidbits...

"US citizens who graduate from a Scottish university will be able to work in Scotland for at least two years after graduation as part of the Fresh Talent initiative, effective summer 2005."

"Graduates of a UK graduate program in science or technology can apply to stay in the UK to work for 12 months following their degree, effective summer 2004. "

Okay, having followed the link - it seems to me this is the type of visa that those coming in as students or on work permits now need to obtain before entering the UK (I'm talking about US citizens only).

Previously, there was no such thing as an actual "student visa" - you simply showed your school acceptance letter and what-have-you at Immigration upon arrival in the UK.  Now, you have to apply for a visa based upon your acceptance as a student in the UK if it is for a period longer than 6 months.

Also, previously the work permit paperwork was all you needed if you had been issued one from a UK company.  Now you need to obtain a visa first if the contract for the work permit is longer than 6 months.

What I take as confirmation of my understanding is this:

Will travellers have to pay for entry clearance?

There is a fee for entry clearance issued overseas. This is currently £36 for a student and £75 for a work permit holder staying more than six months.

So I still don't understand how this would apply to a US citizen who simply wants to stay in the UK for the heck of it...I mean, if this is "possible" - then shouldn't those who come here wanting to spend time with their UK sweetie but not ready to commit to the Fiancee Visa yet be able to apply for this?  And wouldn't this facilitate building up the time for the Unmarried Partners requirements?

I'm utterly confused - and just when I thought I well and truly had a handle on the Immigration situation...

peedal I read it too (in fact a couple of times) and it does seem rather vague does'nt it? However since it only seems to specify students and those holding a work permit I'd be inclined to think it's only for them. It also mentions one of the reasons for implementing it is to cut down on those entering the U.K on forged evidence and since this seems to be where the area of most concern (illegal workers) is to the British Government at the moment then maybe it has been implemented to better control it.............OK..........who's gonna phone the HO to find out?

                      This was also on the site and may add some clarity to this question:

MINISTERIAL STATEMENT - CHANGES TO IMMIGRATION PROCEDURES FOR WORK PERMIT HOLDERS (23/10/03)


On 17 June I announced the introduction of UK Residence Permits and in parallel to this the introduction of an entry clearance requirement for all persons who want to stay in the UK for more than 6 months. The entry clearance requirement is being gradually phased in over a 2-year period. The first phase will require nationals of 10 specified countries to obtain entry clearance from 13 November.

I have now decided to expand further the scope of the entry clearance requirement in order to streamline procedures for work permit holders. With effect from 13 November all work permit holders and Training and Work Experience Scheme (TWES) permit holders who wish to stay in the UK for more than 6 months should obtain entry clearance before travelling. This will enable these permit holders to be granted their full period of stay in the UK, as stated on their work permit, before they arrive here, saving them from needing to make a further application for stay shortly after arrival.

There will be a grace period for work permit and TWES permit holders until 23.59 on 13 January 2004 to ensure that those who are not aware of these new arrangements are not unduly inconvenienced on arrival in the UK. During this grace period if a work permit holder arrives in the UK without entry clearance, and would qualify for entry except for the absence of the necessary entry clearance, they will be admitted for a period of 6 months. During that time they will be able to apply for an extension of stay for a period up to the length of their work permit. This application will not require an accompanying second work permit application to be made by a UK employer.

Beverley Hughes
MPMinister of State for Citizenship, Immigration and Counter-Terrorism

Previously, there was no such thing as an actual "student visa" - you simply showed your school acceptance letter and what-have-you at Immigration upon arrival in the UK.  Now, you have to apply for a visa based upon your acceptance as a student in the UK if it is for a period longer than 6 months.

Exactly.  They would stamp you in for the period of your study and they would hand-write the code showing your "student" status, right there on the stamp.  Technically that was the student visa.

Basically what they have done is shifted the paperwork from the airport to the Consulate/Embassy system.  This is supposed to improve security by taking the pressure of rapid decisions off airport IO's.  Supposedly, bogus students are a main avenue of illegal entry.  I can't help but notice that the new policy also brings in more money.

So I still don't understand how this would apply to a US citizen who simply wants to stay in the UK for the heck of it...I mean, if this is "possible" - then shouldn't those who come here wanting to spend time with their UK sweetie but not ready to commit to the Fiancee Visa yet be able to apply for this?  And wouldn't this facilitate building up the time for the Unmarried Partners requirements?

There used to be a thing called a multiple entry visitor's visa, good for 2 years or for 1 year.  You had to get it at the consulate.  The main people who used these, at least in terms of Americans, were business people who traveled to Europe frequently and wanted to expedite their UK entries (my friend would have gotten one of these if they had not been phased out); people who needed to care for family members in the UK; and people who were trying to build up time towards the UP visa, especially when it used to take four years instead of two.

These days, from what I understand, the multiple entry visa is no longer available, and all visitor's stamps, business and personal, have been squashed down to 6 months on-entry stamps and they tell you to apply for the Residence Permit (basically, in the case of long term visitors, a visa extension) if you need more time--say, if you are caring for an ailing family member.  The problem with being a visitor on the basis of a romantic relationship, is that it fails the "intent to leave" test almost by definition.  They can't legally give you a visitor's stamp or a visitor's extension unless they believe that your intent is to leave the country when your visa is up.  Immigration has been pretty horrible to some people who come to care for dying parents, but who happen to be from countries where there are a lot of illegal entrants, sending them home on the basis that they don't intend to leave after the family member is gone.  A few of the most high profile stories like this have got into the papers.

The best route into the UK for those who are trying to build up UP visa time, is still to come as a student or to get a work permit if you can manage it.

The best route into the UK for those who are trying to build up UP visa time, is still to come as a student or to get a work permit if you can manage it.

I recommend this as well. I was VERY lucky the times I have been let in as well as the two times I applied as a visitor and got approved. The only sure fire way for anyone else like me trying to get an UP visa and needing to build up the time is to be a student or a worker.

I only hope that in my case I am as lucky with my UP application as I have been with my visitor ones. Seems like things are finally looking up in that area Only 7 more months to make the exact 2 years. Weeeeeeeeeeee

So, really, the original poster's girlfriend wouldn't have technically qualified for a Residence Visa anyway, right? 

I'd call the Home Office, Celtic - but I'm afraid my head would explode!!!   

Ok, just to confuse things more with the residence permits...

I also have a 'Residence Permit' in my passport, for my Unmarried Partners visa.  My understanding is that the residence permits are replacing the stamps in the passports for longer lengths of stay in the UK, to combat forgery & fraud.  Still doesn't explain which type of residence permit the OP was told about...

That may depend on where the thing was issued.  My UP visa is an entry clearance rather than a residence permit...but it was issued outside the UK.  Makes my head spin sometimes, all this stuff.  Hopefully by the time I apply for ILR, this will all be sorted out....

 They can't legally give you a visitor's stamp or a visitor's extension unless they believe that your intent is to leave the country when your visa is up. 

The Home Office have discretionary power to grant visas outside the immigration rules.  In 1999 I was granted 6 months visitor visa to enable me to achieve the two-year threshhold under the then unmarried partners' concession.

The Home Office have discretionary power to grant visas outside the immigration rules.  In 1999 I was granted 6 months visitor visa to enable me to achieve the two-year threshhold under the then unmarried partners' concession.

It's good to know they will sometimes do it for visitors.  I got a special-case student visa as a discretion call, for which I will always be grateful.  (I don't think I'll ever forget the guy's face who gave me that student stamp.)

Hello Sean,
I've been reading all this with interest & signed on so as to comment.  I'm a 35 yr old man, living in England with my English wife...went thru the whole process of fiance visa, dual citizenship previous to our marriage nearly 3 yr.s ago. I can tell you honestly that the responses you've been getting on this site are accurate...the fiance visa is your best bet towards your gf's coming back to uk. Anything else will likely be too costly, bring on more & heavier attention from immigration or so tedious with rules/hoops to jump thru that you will fast be discouraged to point of abandoning it.

The thing that really grabbed my attention, tho, is how your situation may be similar to mine even further.  I say this because it appears your gf (like my then gf) has been the one doing all the traveling & even had to face a difficult detainment by immigration upon trying to enter your home country.

I'm ashamed to say that I 'let' my lady manage everything & pay all expenses to see me in usa until such time that I had to either make a commitment to our being together (and choose a fiance visa) or lose her entirely. I nearly lost my lady, but came to my senses in time. If you would like to send email to me, please feel free.

Bob