Tourist Visa for Fiance's 5 month stay in London?

I’m new to this site. It’s great! I’m so glad my friend recommended it!!

Apologies if this has been answered elsewhere, but I’ve had a good look through many of the posts and couldn’t see anything quite the same.

The situation is as follows:
- I am from the UK, my fiancé is from the US. We are both currently living and working in New York.
- Our Wedding is booked for September 2009 in California.
- My current job (in New York) comes to an end in February 2009. I will therefore be moving back to London in March 2009.

So, the question is:
- If my fiancé comes with me to London in March 2009, and stays until July 2009 (5 months) how likely is it that the borders and immigration personnel at the airport will allow this on a Tourist Visa? She will (obviously) not be working in any way during this period.

The recommendation on many of the posts is that you must have paperwork proving the person has a link back to the USA. However, because she will have resigned from her job, and does not have a mortgage, we will only have the following supporting documentation:

- Return Plane Ticket
- Proof of the wedding arrangement / booking
- Proof of her savings
(& proof of my savings?)

Is there any advice you can give on this? Oh, and to complicate things further, after we are married we also plan on returning to the UK (with the spouse visa)… but I guess we should address that next year

Thanks!! Any help will be much appreciated!!

Alex

Hello!

It is true that there is always a risk of being bounced when coming in to the UK with no ties to the US.  Obviously you have the evidence of the wedding, which is a great help, and it is really a judgement call as to what to do.  If she were to apply in advance for a visa and it iwere to be refused then there is no right of appeal and she really would be in a bind.  However, to come to the UK without prior entry clearance risks a bounce, especially when staying for as long as 5 months.

Does your fiance already have a good immigration record?  And how much do you have in savings?

Vicky

Thanks for the swift response!!

In answer to your questions, she has a good immigration record (in that she has never been refused entry to the UK or anything like that).. having said that she has been to the UK 20+ times in her lifetime as she studied here and visited me a fair few times last year while I was still living there... I don't know if this is a good or a bad thing.

In terms of savings, I sold my flat just before i left the UK, so I hopefully have enough to show that I can support her for the five months.

Sounds like it comes down to making a judgement call 

It can probably depend on the airport. Heathrow is often a nightmare apparently, but my family has never had trouble with either Gatwick or Edinburgh.

Just a thought...have you been living together in NY?

Hey Alex,
Welcome to UKY!
I came to the UK last year in September for 6 months as a visitor without a visa. My return ticket was for February 2008. I was questioned extensively, but had proof of my income that I would be receiving whilst here, proof of my savings and a letter from my boyfriend(at that time) stating that he would be responsible for me while I was visiting. I also had my return ticket so I could show my intent to return to the US.
Now this is just my experience, I am in no way saying that it would work for you. But just to let you know that yes, it has been done.

However, I have heard someone say that the time frame for staying in the UK without a visa as a visitor was moving from 6 months to 3 months maximum. I cannot tell you where I heard it but it was somewhere on UKY.

Good luck!

However, I have heard someone say that the time frame for staying in the UK without a visa as a visitor was moving from 6 months to 3 months maximum. I cannot tell you where I heard it but it was somewhere on UKY.

It was me.  The topic reared its head again in a public consultation last year.

UKBA have had a mandate to do this since 2002, but have not done so for reasons that are too complicated to try to unravel here.  But it's a good reason.

Despite their reluctance, they might get FORCED to do it, but that's a ways down the road yet.

Thanks everyone for the responses, much appreciated!! 

Alex

Just a thought...have you been living together in NY?

Hello again
I just realized I was asked a question by terriponeale (which I didn't answer)... The answer is "yes we have been living together in NYC since February of this year"

Does that change anything?

Thanks
Alex