Settlement Gold Premium Service Appointment

@Dani1983 I'd certainly defer to @ksand24’s expertise on this... It seems to have worked for me, but I still don’t have a decision so I can’t be sure if coming here will have any impact on my application. That said, our personal circumstances are different. Personally, I think it comes down to how you respond to their questions about where/why/how long you’re staying. However, as @ksand24 noted, if you volunteer that your husband/kids are moving for good - or indeed if you’re asked, you’ll either be cornered into a lie or send up red flags with your responses. Not sure if it might help to email the UKVI HelpDesk (I wouldn’t recommend calling) to get an answer from them in writing about whether you can enter the UK without jeapordizing your pending application? I don’t know whether that would do any good at the border or be sufficient grounds for an appeal if something goes wrong as a result of traveling there.

No doubt attempting it could be a risk... I’ll continue to share my outcome/timeline but for all I know, it might just have been dumb luck or a Christmas miracle that I wasn’t interrogated or deported on the spot. I won’t be able to say if I’ve pulled it off until I have my BRP in-hand! I’m sure you’ll make a careful and informed decision, based on what’s best for you and your family. We’re rooting for you!

I'll be honest, I would not recommend doing this.

From experience of advising on the forum for the last 11 years, I would say that a one-month stay with your kids and husband, who will not be returning to the US with you, plus no job or home of your own to go back to, would be a BIG red flag and I would advise against trying it.

Visiting the UK for a short, temporary visit, when you have a family, job and home back in the US, is usually fine, but staying for 1 month, with your entire UK citizen family who are moving to the UK in tow, when you don't have a spousal visa yet, is entirely different.

The reasons they would have to doubt you:
- your husband is moving to the UK, so you may be tempted to stay with him and not return to the US
- your 'job' is a stay-at-home mom, but your kids are moving to the UK, so you won't have a 'job' to return to in the US and may be tempted to stay with them and not return to the US
- you've just sold your home, so you have no home to return to, so you may be tempted to just stay in the UK and not return to the US.

Your only saving grace might be your pending spousal visa application, but since as far as we can tell you aren't really supposed to enter the UK while it is pending, that could be a dodgy reason too (i.e. you might have issues being allowed in if you mention it, and/or you might be tempted to just not bother returning to the US to pick it up).

Thank you Ksand - Your input here is tremendously helpful. I suspect your interpretation of the situation is correct as well.

I saw an opportunity, that quite frankly should be afforded to me (having been seemingly intentionally misled on the point of retaining my passport), and was nearly ready to seize it. I had it in my head that if I said my application was pending + a return flight, then why on earth would I not retrieve it? I guess they've seen all kinds of things though. I'm not prepared to risk my application and won't be dishonest at any point (wouldn't have anyway but I've heard the news on that front), so it looks like my path is once again blocked.

I really appreciate your straight-forward advice and will take it and wait for my email while attempting to get more information.

I will just share my experience without really knowing why it is that way.

I have a US passport and a wife with four children all UK citizens. When we enter the UK we all go together through the UK line. They have rarely asked any questions at all and are generally much nicer and less interrogative than in the "other passports" stations.

I'm really happy for you FLgator86 that you made it through so easily, and I'm really excited to hear that that can be done, for me that is certainly worth $600.

I will just share my experience without really knowing why it is that way.

I have a US passport and a wife with four children all UK citizens. When we enter the UK we all go together through the UK line. They have rarely asked any questions at all and are generally much nicer and less interrogative than in the "other passports" stations.

I'm really happy for you FLgator86 that you made it through so easily, and I'm really excited to hear that that can be done, for me that is certainly worth $600.

Yeah, the UK line is much nicer. When using wheelchair services we all end up in the same line and I've had much nicer agents on the UK side.

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I will just share my experience without really knowing why it is that way.

I have a US passport and a wife with four children all UK citizens. When we enter the UK we all go together through the UK line. They have rarely asked any questions at all and are generally much nicer and less interrogative than in the "other passports" stations.

I'm really happy for you FLgator86 that you made it through so easily, and I'm really excited to hear that that can be done, for me that is certainly worth $600.

@JacobT I agree, it's definitely easier going through the UK line, though we've been told off for doing that before. The first time we traveled to the UK via rail, we went through the EU/non-EU lines separately and I got a lot of questions - basically, "where's this person you say you're traveling with?"

Being allowed to keep my passport was a motivation for forking over the extra $600 but we also thought it would mean faster processing - that's how we justified the extra expense. It annoyed me to learn that VFS charges just £51 for that privilege as an à la carte option in Canada and some other countries:
http://www.vfsglobal.co.uk/Canada/user_pay_services.html#11

Yeah, I know, but keep in mind that Canada shares the same head of state as the United Kingdom and may get better service because of that.

As for being told off, when we first came without the whole family they wouldn't allow me to go in, but once the ratio of UK citizens was more they actually advised me to go with my family.

@JacobT I agree, it's definitely easier going through the UK line, though we've been told off for doing that before. The first time we traveled to the UK via rail, we went through the EU/non-EU lines separately and I got a lot of questions - basically, "where's this person you say you're traveling with?"

You should always go through the same line together if you are travelling as a family. Usually this will be the UK line, but sometimes you may all be directed to the non-UK line.

If you are travelling alone without your UK family members, you must go through the non-UK line.



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You should always go through the same line together if you are travelling as a family. Usually this will be the UK line, but sometimes you may all be directed to the non-UK line.

If you are travelling alone without your UK family members, you must go through the non-UK line.



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Does this include UK spouse or only when there's UK children involved?

Does this include UK spouse or only when there's UK children involved?

I wasn’t even thinking about children too - usually people ask about travelling with only their UK spouse and no children.

Basically, if you are part of the same family, you go through together.

So:

US citizen travelling alone to the UK = go through non-UK line

US citizen travelling with UK spouse = go through same line together (usually UK line in the UK, US line in the US)

US citizen travelling with UK spouse and children (UK or non-UK children) = go through same line together (usually UK line in the UK, US line in the US)

US citizen travelling with UK children and no spouse = go through same line together (usually UK line in the UK, US line in the US)

US citizen travelling with non-UK/EU children and no spouse (none of you are UK citizens) = go through non-UK line together




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So if my husband flys to the US if I get approved for my visa and we fly back to the UK together as we planned to do .. we go through the UK line together ?! This is good information to know

So if my husband flys to the US if I get approved for my visa and we fly back to the UK together as we planned to do .. we go through the UK line together ?! This is good information to know

Yes - especially as on your first entry on the visa, your husband either has to be travelling with you or must already be in the UK before you arrive. You will likely be asked where your husband is, so if you are travelling together, he should be standing next to you when you go through immigration .

Normally it’s fine to go through the UK line together rather than the non-UK line together, but if you’re not sure, just ask which line they would like you to go through.


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So if my husband flys to the US if I get approved for my visa and we fly back to the UK together as we planned to do .. we go through the UK line together ?! This is good information to know

I have been advised in the airport that you should use the non-EU line if it is the first entry on your visa (even when travelling with your UK spouse) but definitely ask when you arrive.  Every time since, I have used the EU manned desk line when travelling with my husband and only run into issues once (guy at the desk didn't have his stamp!). 

I literally cover everyone of these “doubts” and had no issues with customs. I didn’t apply for my spouse visa before entering the U.K.

I came to the U.K. in August on a tourist visa, the reason I did this was because we sold our house and my entire family was moving to the U.K. at that time. I had nothing to stay in Australia for, no job, no home. We only had two months to pack up and leave and also we had a trip to Cambodia that we didn’t want to cancel and since back then you couldn’t keep your passport, we decided to wait for 6 months, which is how long you can stay on a tourist visa.

I told the immigration all of this and that I planned to leave in 4-6 months and apply in the states after I helped my husband settle and found accommodation, etc.

After 4 months in the U.K., we went to South Africa for the past two weeks for the holidays to see my Dad and returned to the U.K. today. The immigration officer was confused why I was on a tourist visa when I clearly lived in the U.K. I explained to him the situation, and he didn’t understand why I couldn’t just apply from with in the U.K. I told him I promised I looked into everything and you can not apply from with in the U.K. He thought that was ridiculous and stamped my passport and I walked through. They immigration officers are not out to get you. If anything they are as baffled by the process as we are!

That said, I highly doubt you are supposed to travel to the U.K. while the settlement visa is processing, but until you get your vignette, the immigration agents have no way of seeing anything you have applied for.

I would look into doing this, if I hadn’t just blown through 5 months (out of 6) in the U.K. with in a year as a tourist before the Gold Service was offered. Kicking myself!

Good luck! And to the person who did enter while their visa is processing, let us know if you have any problems leaving the U.K. I’m tempted to do this, even for only a month. I’m going to miss my husband and dogs sooo much!

I'll be honest, I would not recommend doing this.

From experience of advising on the forum for the last 11 years, I would say that a one-month stay with your kids and husband, who will not be returning to the US with you, plus no job or home of your own to go back to, would be a BIG red flag and I would advise against trying it.

Visiting the UK for a short, temporary visit, when you have a family, job and home back in the US, is usually fine, but staying for 1 month, with your entire UK citizen family who are moving to the UK in tow, when you don't have a spousal visa yet, is entirely different.

The reasons they would have to doubt you:
- your husband is moving to the UK, so you may be tempted to stay with him and not return to the US
- your 'job' is a stay-at-home mom, but your kids are moving to the UK, so you won't have a 'job' to return to in the US and may be tempted to stay with them and not return to the US
- you've just sold your home, so you have no home to return to, so you may be tempted to just stay in the UK and not return to the US.

Your only saving grace might be your pending spousal visa application, but since as far as we can tell you aren't really supposed to enter the UK while it is pending, that could be a dodgy reason too (i.e. you might have issues being allowed in if you mention it, and/or you might be tempted to just not bother returning to the US to pick it up).

Thank you Ksand - Your input here is tremendously helpful. I suspect your interpretation of the situation is correct as well.

I saw an opportunity, that quite frankly should be afforded to me (having been seemingly intentionally misled on the point of retaining my passport), and was nearly ready to seize it. I had it in my head that if I said my application was pending + a return flight, then why on earth would I not retrieve it? I guess they've seen all kinds of things though. I'm not prepared to risk my application and won't be dishonest at any point (wouldn't have anyway but I've heard the news on that front), so it looks like my path is once again blocked.

I really appreciate your straight-forward advice and will take it and wait for my email while attempting to get more information.

I literally cover everyone of these “doubts” and had no issues with customs. I didn’t apply for my spouse visa before entering the U.K.

I came to the U.K. in August on a tourist visa, the reason I did this was because we sold our house and my entire family was moving to the U.K. at that time. I had nothing to stay in Australia for, no job, no home. We only had two months to pack up and leave and also we had a trip to Cambodia that we didn’t want to cancel and since back then you couldn’t keep your passport, we decided to wait for 6 months, which is how long you can stay on a tourist visa.

I told the immigration all of this and that I planned to leave in 4-6 months and apply in the states after I helped my husband settle and found accommodation, etc.

After 4 months in the U.K., we went to South Africa for the past two weeks for the holidays to see my Dad and returned to the U.K. today. The immigration officer was confused why I was on a tourist visa when I clearly lived in the U.K. I explained to him the situation, and he didn’t understand why I couldn’t just apply from with in the U.K. I told him I promised I looked into everything and you can not apply from with in the U.K. He thought that was ridiculous and stamped my passport and I walked through. They immigration officers are not out to get you. If anything they are as baffled by the process as we are!

That said, I highly doubt you are supposed to travel to the U.K. while the settlement visa is processing, but until you get your vignette, the immigration agents have no way of seeing anything you have applied for.

I would look into doing this, if I hadn’t just blown through 5 months (out of 6) in the U.K. with in a year as a tourist before the Gold Service was offered. Kicking myself!

Good luck! And to the person who did enter while their visa is processing, let us know if you have any problems leaving the U.K. I’m tempted to do this, even for only a month. I’m going to miss my husband and dogs sooo much!

You got very lucky. The forum members here have  seen many turned away in similar circumstances!

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Totally, every experience is different. In my experience, just being honest, if you are still abiding by the law, is usually the best way. I had some sticky encounters with Australia bc I was trying not to answer the questions completely and when I did, it went much more smoothly.

The guy at customs today thought my situation must be very disruptive. I said you’ve got that right! Maybe if the people processing these visas came on this forum and saw what all us go through, they would step up their game! One can dream...

You got very lucky. The forum members here have  seen many turned away in similar circumstances!

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