customs: visiting - but prepping for a move

Hi all,

My husband and I will be visiting the UK next week.  We plan to move there this summer - I've received a formal job offer and accepted, but no contract yet and we haven't started sponsored tier 2 visa application (DH will be a dependent).

We'll be doing 6 days of "touristy" things, and spending one day visiting my new job site to make sure it's a good fit before we come home and sign the contract (which will be mailed from the UK to us the following week... can't sign while I'm there, the right people won't be in....).  We may also scope out towns to live in.

Anyway, do I need to tell customs this whole story at Heathrow?  Do we just say we're visiting?  Do I print out my offer letter?

Thanks for your help!

MTBW. Don't complicate your arrival. You don't have a job yet because you haven't signed.
You mentioned Customs the correct term is Immigration Officer (IO). Keep it simple and a tell them you are on vacation and tell them how long and if requested show them your return ticket. They may ask you where you are staying. The last time I was asked I told them I would have to look it up. I thought they wanted the exact address instead I could have just said Wales.

As others will mention on here, be honest but don't say too much that may raise some unnecessary red flags.

I keep repeating on here about someone I knew who had arrived at Heathrow and she gave the wrong answers to the IO and she was put on the next plane back to San Francisco. At the airport she was put in a room and they wouldn't allow her to talk to her boyfriend who was waiting for her. Well others on here will say that is an unusual event so don't worry about it. Things have changed and it use to be that going into the UK was as easy as going from New Jersey into New York but not anymore.

Again I shouldn't worry you because it wont be that bad for you.

Cheers

I don't see that there are any red flags in your story. I agree don't over complicate it, but don't feel the need to dance around the truth: you received a job offer and before you accept it, you want to spend a few days in the area playing tourist, and looking at the housing market. Either way you're just here for 6 days, you won't be working or interviewing (you already _have_ the offer - so yes, I'd bring it with but don't volunteer it unless asked) and you're definitely going home again. Cheer's story has nothing to do with your situation. You'll be fine.

I've got some posts on ignore so I may cover ground which has already been stated, but I wholeheartedly agree with noirem, you're not doing anything wrong and there's no need to lie, in fact lying can complicate things at later stages.

You have a return ticket, that's plus one in your favour, you have a reasonable reason to be in the country, you're not planning to over stay or work. It should be a fairly simple entry, if you lie you'll just look shifty and nervous, they'll quiz you, discover the truth and then wonder why you attempted to decieve them.

Merely state the truth - You've been offered a job at a UK company, before signing the contract you're coming to do touristy things and take a brief look a the housing market. Having an idea of what touristy things you want to do helps, like the London eye, walk around the area where your potential office would be, buckingham palace, a day trip to Brighton etc.

You understand that in order to accept the offer fully you'll need to return to the US and apply for your visa before re-entering. Have the offer letter with you but don't volunteer it unless they ask. If you're really worried about it, have some ties to the US proof, like a letter from your current employer stating you're on six days leave or your mortgage statement or something.

I've got some posts on ignore so I may cover ground which has already been stated, but I wholeheartedly agree with noirem, you're not doing anything wrong and there's no need to lie, in fact lying can complicate things at later stages.

There was no suggestion that she lie, just that she shouldn't say anything beyong "I'm on vacation" and a story about a friend coming to visit her boyfriend who got bounced for giving the "wrong answers".