leaving debt behind

[VisagirlNJ 0]

Fiance will not be able to pay off all his debt before he gets here. It'snot a huge amount, but substantial amount. He is afraid that if he tries to go back to England for vacation that they will hold him at the airport and won't be able to come back to the U.S.

I dont know but he told me banks can prosecute if debt is over a certain amount and he's afraid hed get arrested or something at the airport because theyd flag his passport. I told him that sounds crazy.

Would they really do that??

[Jaylen Brit 0]

unless he's stealing or committing large scale fraud, I think debt is a civil offence and not a criminal one - so Im not sure they could execute any 'arrests'

[Kez/JWolf 6]

The British courts do not issue arrest warrents for debt.....

The debts he leaves behind will stay on his credit report for 7 years then be wiped out.... it would only be if he returned to the Uk and tried to get credit that they might trace where his is in the Uk....

The Credit companies can not come looking for him in the US...

The Customs and Immigration at UK POE do not check to see if you have debt in the UK before they let you in....

hope this helps

Kezzie

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

How about making arrangements to pay it off from across the ocean? That would leave one worry-free, no?

[Lou Lou 1]

I paid my debts from the US. Why can't he do that? Better than fretting all the time. Contact the lenders and let them know what is happening. I know some people can manage to run away from their debts but that was something I just couldn't do. It's a question of where your situation and morals lay!

[ladybutterfly 0]

I also left debts unpaid back in the UK; an unsecured loan and a credit card. Before I left the UK I worked for a law firm and asked one of the lawyers the same question. He assured me that debt is not a crime and the creditors can not come looking for me, nor will they 'arrest' me if I ever went to the UK.

[allycat 0]

I would do whatever I could to pay it back after I moved. Not paying back a large (or small) debt feels like stealing. I wouldn't want it hanging over my head for years.

[LaL 418]

I would do whatever I could to pay it back after I moved. Not paying back a large (or small) debt feels like stealing. I wouldn't want it hanging over my head for years.

Im with you on this one

[Jasman0717 9]

Why is this a discussion? If you have financial obligations meet them no matter where you go.

[kc456 0]

I agree. Immigration is not get-out-of-debt-free program.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Not paying back a large (or small) debt feels like stealing.

[Lou Lou 1]

Why is this a discussion? If you have financial obligations meet them no matter where you go.

Hear hear! And you never know what is around the corner. What if you had to return to live in your home country for whatever reason (death, illness etc) and you couldn't get credit? It's a big question of morals and ethics...some have more than others I guess...In my opinion it's pretty disgusting to leave unpaid debts unless you are in extreme poverty.

[ChristinaM 0]

Hey, hey guys - the OP didn't say that there was no chance of this debt ever being paid off, I think we may have jumped a little unfairly on the moralistic bandwagon here.

I also suggest that unless you've ever been in a position to not be able to pay your debts, you reserve judgement. It's not always a "morals and ethics" call.

[Lou Lou 1]

I have been in that position on more than one occasion in my life but I always managed to pay them off even if it meant deferring payments until I was in a position to pay, ie with a job again. I wasn't in a position to just run from them by leaving the country. It is still about morals and ethics. You don't lose them just because you're not in a position to pay.

I wasn't inferring that the OP was going to run from their debt. I did suggest that they should contact their lender to sort an arrangement out or that if they could they can arrange payment from the US.

[Jasman0717 9]

Hey, hey guys - the OP didn't say that there was no chance of this debt ever being paid off, I think we may have jumped a little unfairly on the moralistic bandwagon here.

I also suggest that unless you've ever been in a position to not be able to pay your debts, you reserve judgement. It's not always a "morals and ethics" call.

Guess I got confused with the part about getting arrested, etc. That seemed to me that there was some consideration about not paying the loan.