First visit to the UK...

and I want it to be a long visit!

Will it look strange to immigration that I, with no previous visas or stamps in my passport, wish to visit for 6 months? I will have about $3,500 saved, plus an income of $2,200 a month while I am there. I plan on going off-season Nov-April. I know that it is at the immigration officer’s discretion, but from the preliminary budgeting I have done I should have more than enough money to support myself, or am I being way too optimistic?

I want to go to Ireland for the next three to six months but may spend a few weeks in France to break it up a bit (and practice my French.) I don't want UK immigration to count the entire year all-together (and never let me into the country again.) I may want to go back to the UK and travel some more after my visit in Ireland.

Thanks,
Anne

Well, what's the situation?  Are you coming to see a potential partner?  Are you simply coming to see friends and travel?  Where will you be staying? What kind of work do you do that you can stay for 6 months and still have an income?  These are the kind of things Immigration will be looking at.  Also bear in mind the dollar to pound conversion.  Your $3,500 is only worth about £1,900 and your $2,200 about £1,100 - £1,200.  That's not bad, but if you're staying in hotels and eating out a lot that money will go quick.  If you're staying with someone and eating at home more than that will help, but then there's also the cost of travelling while you're in the country and when you go to Ireland and France and entry fees to any places you might be going to. 

I don't think you're being too optimistic, but trying to give you some different ways of looking at the situation. 

Thanks elle! Great questions for me to think about.

I don't know anyone in the UK. No family, friends, or boyfirends. I have no idea if this is positive or negetive. My family immigrated from Ireland several generation ago.

I am disabled and do not work. My income is military disability compensaton. I worry that immigration may dislike my lack of employment.

My plan so far is to stay in hostels during the traveling parts of my trip (about 2 months) and do a flatshare for the rest so that I can get a better, less touristy, feeling for the UK.

I am still working on assembling which places I most want to visit, and what will be the least expensive way for me to visit them. I am limited somewhat because I have difficuly walking. It takes me longer to get around and while I can get up and down stairs I try to avoid it as much as possible (they really wear me out).  A list of sights that might take another person a day or two to visit might take me two weeks or longer.

Thanks again,
Anne

Welcome to the board Anne. Have fun planning your trip. Where would you most like to concentrate your time?

Hey Annie, welcome to the board homie *HUGS*
  GIRL first of all, coming from a terrible expereince at  immigration, leme tlle you. to them that is not enough money ( i guess u gotta be loaded now adays or something to avisit ).. Since you dont have any close friends to stay with u will need lodging and that can run you.
hmmmmm...
  IF you want to stay that long they gonna hassle the HELL ( EXCUSE LANGUAGE lack of ajective here) out of you about money, why you are staying long ect. You do have  a plan and that's great and I know you will have fun.
 What we need to do now is just help you out so that you can get past immigration, AND have enough money to support yourself because they will need to know that you won't try to " work and spend their public funds"  Sorry i have a catty attitude right now ..

 *HUGS* if u want i can help you if i can.. 
i am going though this stuff as you read this so HOPEFULLY GOD Will bless me and they let me go back. I miss my boyfriend seriously to mucy to loos him eto this mess.

 Shala

Thanks elle! Great questions for me to think about.

I don't know anyone in the UK. No family, friends, or boyfirends. I have no idea if this is positive or negetive. My family immigrated from Ireland several generation ago.

I am disabled and do not work. My income is military disability compensaton. I worry that immigration may dislike my lack of employment.

My plan so far is to stay in hostels during the traveling parts of my trip (about 2 months) and do a flatshare for the rest so that I can get a better, less touristy, feeling for the UK.

I am still working on assembling which places I most want to visit, and what will be the least expensive way for me to visit them. I am limited somewhat because I have difficuly walking. It takes me longer to get around and while I can get up and down stairs I try to avoid it as much as possible (they really wear me out).  A list of sights that might take another person a day or two to visit might take me two weeks or longer.

Thanks again,
Anne

If you're on disability then you're on disability.  I don't see why Immigration would give you a hard time over that then or about not having a job, especially if it's the type of disability that's even semi-obvious. 

Might I suggest something else as well - any reason why you couldn't go to Ireland and France first?  Especially as they will be shorter visits, or so I'm assuming by the way you're posting, it might be worthwhile to fly into Ireland first, then maybe hop over to France and then go to England.  Just a thought but you might get less hassle from the Immigration folks in Ireland or France especially if you're stay there will be siginficantly shorter. 

Best of luck!

yeah if u are disableed that wont be any problem   tthat gives u a great exceuse to see more things longer anyway.. I am visually impared and so i love to take lonber to look at things.

You will have a great trip.

You are less likely to get hassled than if you had a UK boyfriend. But just in case, why don't you book a three week trip with flexible tickets so you can later 'change your mind' and come back later than you planned. 

I did basically the same exact thing in '98.  I went there, without ever going there before and I only knew one person there.  The rest was up to me!  AND he ended up becoming my husband.  But at the time, he was just my friend, there to help me along.  I think it's a fantastic idea for you to do and I would definately heed the advice about money.  I blew through my money very quickley.  I had $3,000.00 when I entered and that didn't last long at all!  Although I had a place to stay, my addiction to shopping did not help me keep that money in the bank!  I was able to open up an account at Barclays and that helped.

As far as immigration goes, I had NO problems.  The guy was rude, but that was the extent.  I just told him I was there to travel, I had a plane ticket back, I had money and if I needed anything, I had my parents and with that, I was off.  It was a wonderful experience, and I encourage EVERYONE to do it! 

I say...GO FOR IT! You'll LOVE IT! 

Thanks for the encouragement and advice.

Yes, I could visit Ireland and France first. I want to be in London for the Star Trek convention in April 2005, but that is my only fixed date. I am also trying to avoid spending the expensive tourist filled summer months in the UK. I think that would really break my budget!

A flexible ticket sounds like a great idea! I have never heard of one before. I will contact a travel agent to get more info about that one. Thanks!

Ok, I am off to do more planning...
Anne