Visiting UK multiple times?

[Justine+David 218]

Hi there,

Loooooong time lurker. I actually feel like I know some of you even though I've never really posted!

Trying to be considerate, I used the search engine to look up topics about people who have been visiting their significant other (K1 in my case) in the UK frequently and their experiences with customs officials and was able to find two threads.

It's pretty funny because he has gone over to the U.S. for a couple of weeks at a time in April, May, and July of this year and has never been questioned by U.S. officials (although the ports of entry have been different), and yet I've been to see him in December, Feb, March, and June for only 4-5 days at a time (I work 3 twelve hour shifts a week)...and have been increasingly hassled by the UK customs folks.

Have any of you had experiences with this? The last threads that I found were from 2007 and I was curious if anyone has been through this since then.

We just got engaged and I'm hoping to file for K1 in early August and see him again in September. I'm planning to bring the NOA1 if I get it by then and a letter from my manager that I'm an employee in good standing coming back on x date. Is there anything else I should be thinking of? The last lady in June looked pissed when I told her I didn't have a physical return ticket because I bought it on Expedia and they don't issue out tickets...just confirmations of flights.

I was also thinking of bringing along paystubs...when she asked me how I was affording all these trips, I said, "Well, I'm a nurse..."

"So?"

"Well...I don't have car."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

**...no car payments, insurance, gas, parking in a metropolitan city**

"Just that it's very expensive and I save a lot of money by not having one."

"How much money do you make?"

"x-amount" (enough that a 23 year old out of college shouldn't know what to do with this amount of money...me, I'm paying off student loans and trips to London )

I think my bedraggled red-eye flight look combined with my physical appearance of looking like a teenager didn't help the matter or make my answers believable...after some more questioning which led to my knees shaking a bit, she let me through with a warning to bring more evidence.

Edited July 23, 2009 by JK&DW

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

That sounds like good evidence you mentioned. Do you have photo id for your nursing job? Perhaps a badge would add to the believeability of employment.

I think you've hit the reason why you are questioned...someone who looks like a teen, having enough money to travel internationally that often, is off the radar of their "normal" tourist so they are bound to question you. You could try to register for IRIS next time you're in departures at Heathrow or Gatwick. Then when you enter the UK on your next trip, you go through a machine thing and bypass talking to anybody. It issues you a paper recording your admission instead of getting a passport stamp. I used it several times.

[*Snowdrop* 604]

My husband and I dated long distance for three years before we got married and we each used to fly to see each other about five or six times a year. Neither of us really had any problems - coming in to the US I always got questioned about my return and how long staying etc.

My husband only had a problem once in all the visits to the UK when he hadn't printed off the return ticket - we always book online as well but we've found that as long as you have a printed off the email receipt you get they take that as the ticket.

The best thing is to bring all your proof of return documents - I always took a letter from my employer saying when they expected me back at work - and stay calm. It's their job to probe a little but try not to let it get you in a panic or you will appear as though you have something to hide.

[Damian&Kelly 16]

I've had the same exact experience!! My husband has come and visited me here in the US 3 different times but all 3 times he stayed right to the 90 day mark. Me on the other hand have visited him in the UK 3 times also, first time for 3 months and was held for 2 hours being questioned and gone through my things, 2nd time for 3 months but my husband went with me and I had no problems, but during that 2nd visit we went to France, and I had the worst time getting back into England after going to France, they put a 6 month hold on my passport (which I didn't find out until the next trip). Amazing how rude they are at the border! Now the last trip, was a 2 week trip, after We applied for the K-1, Luckily it was more than 6 months after the hold, which I only found out about when I arrived. My experience for going for 2 weeks was just as bad as 3 months, I had a letter from my employer stating I would be back to work in 2 weeks, I had the NOA1 stating we were applying for the visa and moving to the US, I also had an itinerary stating what I was doing every day, I read online they like to see that, I had bank statements, and my return flight. and not to mention I had all the other trips on my side, I left when I said I was going to and never did anything illegal. The women was terrible, she laughed and said you had trouble before, I said yes. Then she said I'm going to do what the last person did, I said what's that, and she said whatever she told you she did. and I said she didn't tell me anything, she said oh, hold on a minute haha. they don't even know what their doing!! She put another 6 month hold on my passport, which didn't make a difference to me because I knew that was my last trip for a while, that was Feb 2008. Also I flew into Heathrow all 3 times, I call it hell and I swear when i see that airport my heart starts pounding!!

We're planning our next trip over, and I'm unsure how it's going to go now that we're married. We're going over Christmas so I think that gives me more of a reason to go so I'm hoping they don't question me as much. I'm still bringing what ever evidence I can. Along with an itinerary and a return ticket. Just gonna be a 3 week trip this time.

[John & Mary 1]

I entered the UK six times since Nov 2008 and never had any trouble at Gatwick or Heathrow. However, when John and I went to Paris for a quick little jaunt in June, I got grilled by the customs officer at the French border on our way back into the UK. Luckily, I was prepared with loads of evidence (employer letter, copy of mortgage statement, etc), but the thing that finally convinced her that I had no intention of taking up residence in the UK was my packet of documents I had pertaining to John's visa interview at the US Embassy. Even with all that, she shortened the length of my allowed stay until the end of July. (I was long gone by then anyway!)

Edited July 23, 2009 by John & Mary

[Fandango 1,439]

My first trip to the UK, I was detained for 9 hours or so..held in a detention room with others bound for deportation. I think it was a combination of too much luggage, a newly renewed passport, a 6-mos stay, etc. I think I also offered up too much information initially...I think the less you say the better.

I was released and allowed passage btw...but not without consulate intervention, and my parents making several important phone calls.

I've traveled there since and never had a problem.

So I wouldn't go into too much detail like 'oh I live in a city, no car etc'...I'd just say 'I have a good job and I save quite a bit of cash' Your passport speaks for itself really, going in and out of the UK so frequently...it kinda shows you're gonna leave as you usually do. But as far as the ticket back, I'd at least print out the confirmation email even if you don't have a ticket, cos 'proof of onward passage' is quite important.

[Gemmie 142]

My fiance traveled through Heathrow 3 times and only had problems once. They asked how he could afford a month off work and he told them that his boss agreed that he could work from the UK (online for him)- WRONG ANSWER! They questioned him for about 10 minutes, asking all about our relationship and his work rights. Rightfully so, my fiance wasn't very clued up on what NOT to say since I had focused so much on not disclosing relationship info.

Other than that, no problems. The other two times, they just asked what he was doing here and if his fiance was British, and then stamped him in.

Your evidence sounds OK *to me*... pay stubs and an employer letter, plus the fact that your passport shows you always leave should be fine. But obviously don't quote me on that.

Edited July 23, 2009 by Gemmie

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

It seems to me that people under 30 and especially those under 25 get a much harder time, especially if they say that they are coming to visit an SO

Even if you buy the ticket online, I'd definitely have a printed copy of your confirmation to prove that you intend to return

[Justine+David 218]

Thanks for the tips guys!

The IRIS machine thing looks great!! And I definitely qualify since I've been to the UK a couple of times in the last six months. Unfortunately, you can only register for it when you're at the airport leaving the UK, as I understand it, so we'll see what happens in September.

It's so annoying about the looking young/having no money, but I know they're just doing their jobs. Since my unit moved to a brand new one, we are taking less patients each but our numbers are still the same so there has been pretty much unlimited overtime since May and I have made a ton of extra $$ by working an extra shift here and there.

Maybe I'll try to find a bathroom somewhere before reaching customs and dress up a bit and wear heels to hide my 5'0 stature, lol.