The 2009 United Kingdom Interview Thread!

[Big Papa Zone 93]

My April visit to Pat almost ended before it started. To make a long story short, I waited for 2 1/2 hours at passport control. They almost didn't let me in because they thought my American Express Gold card and £150 in currency was close to vagrancy.

They called Pat twice and then embassy to confirm our stories.

Why did they call her twice? Did the first person that called her not understand English?

[Bob and Patricia 0]

My April visit to Pat almost ended before it started. To make a long story short, I waited for 2 1/2 hours at passport control. They almost didn't let me in because they thought my American Express Gold card and £150 in currency was close to vagrancy.

They called Pat twice and then embassy to confirm our stories.

Why did they call her twice? Did the first person that called her not understand English?

I got a few personal message on this so I'll tell the whole group instead of one at a time in PM.

I said it was a long story, you've been warned

At passport control. The nice lady asked why I was here, and I told her i was on holiday... visiting a friend. She asked me who and how long I had known said friend. I said it was my fiancee and I had known Pat 3 years. I don't know if this is a red flag but this turned into a cross-examination.. are you here to get married. where does she live, whats her birthday, where does she work here, will we be living in the states or the UK, has she lined up a job there yet.. do you have a job, do you own a home... and on and on.. I muddled thru the answers as best I could.. I got little sleep on the plane and my body clock was telling me it was 2:30am. She asked where I was staying and how much money I had.. I told her I was staying at Pat's house and had my American Express charge card, my bank debit card and about £150 in currency. She then wanted to know if Pat was there to pick me up and I replied no, Pat was at work. So I got asked how I was going to find my way to her house. I told her i was taking the train into Manchester and meeting Pat at her office... this seemed to satisfy her. She wrote down so many notes on the entry card I filled out on the plane that she had to go to a separate sheet of paper. I was motioned to a holding area and she came back every 10 min or so to ask more questions and then disappear again. At one point I even broke out my 2008 1040 tax return to show that I make damn good money, and I'm not thinking about skipping the US.

Eventually she called Pat who of course confirmed the fiancee story and said I was staying with her. Immigration told her they were concerned that I had so little money on me and was Pat going to be responsible for my living expenses while I was here. I guess people that carry gold class credit cards are destitute. Satisfied with Pat's answers, they told her they'd release me. 20 minutes later I'm asked more questions about our relationship, where we're at in the visa process, etc. The Immigration lady left again for some ungodly time and comes back saying the embassy in London has no record of Patricia and suggests that my entry into the UK might be fraudulent. Now I'm sweating bullets and all I can envision is waiting until the afternoon return flight and thinking I'll be put on it.. in handcuffs.. (yeah i know it was a bit dramatic but I was really worried). I tell her call Pat again to get her LND number. (All my paperwork is in checked baggage and they haven't/won't let me get to it.) They place another call to Pat, get the case number and call the embassy. Another 20 or 30 minutes later I'm finally given my passport and allowed to go. All told, I'm held there for nearly 2 1/2 hours.. sheesh. Then I get downstairs to baggage and my bag is sitting in the middle of the floor completely unattended. All I could think of is a thousand airport PA voices saying Do not leave your bags unattended, Unattended luggage will be disposed of by the fill in the blank police department.

Bob

[Big Papa Zone 93]

I got a few personal message on this so I'll tell the whole group instead of one at a time in PM.

I said it was a long story, you've been warned

At passport control. The nice lady asked why I was here, and I told her i was on holiday... visiting a friend. She asked me who and how long I had known said friend. I said it was my fiancee and I had known Pat 3 years. I don't know if this is a red flag but this turned into a cross-examination.. are you here to get married. where does she live, whats her birthday, where does she work here, will we be living in the states or the UK, has she lined up a job there yet.. do you have a job, do you own a home... and on and on.. I muddled thru the answers as best I could.. I got little sleep on the plane and my body clock was telling me it was 2:30am. She asked where I was staying and how much money I had.. I told her I was staying at Pat's house and had my American Express charge card, my bank debit card and about £150 in currency. She then wanted to know if Pat was there to pick me up and I replied no, Pat was at work. So I got asked how I was going to find my way to her house. I told her i was taking the train into Manchester and meeting Pat at her office... this seemed to satisfy her. She wrote down so many notes on the entry card I filled out on the plane that she had to go to a separate sheet of paper. I was motioned to a holding area and she came back every 10 min or so to ask more questions and then disappear again. At one point I even broke out my 2008 1040 tax return to show that I make damn good money, and I'm not thinking about skipping the US.

Eventually she called Pat who of course confirmed the fiancee story and said I was staying with her. Immigration told her they were concerned that I had so little money on me and was Pat going to be responsible for my living expenses while I was here. I guess people that carry gold class credit cards are destitute. Satisfied with Pat's answers, they told her they'd release me. 20 minutes later I'm asked more questions about our relationship, where we're at in the visa process, etc. The Immigration lady left again for some ungodly time and comes back saying the embassy in London has no record of Patricia and suggests that my entry into the UK might be fraudulent. Now I'm sweating bullets and all I can envision is waiting until the afternoon return flight and thinking I'll be put on it.. in handcuffs.. (yeah i know it was a bit dramatic but I was really worried). I tell her call Pat again to get her LND number. (All my paperwork is in checked baggage and they haven't/won't let me get to it.) They place another call to Pat, get the case number and call the embassy. Another 20 or 30 minutes later I'm finally given my passport and allowed to go. All told, I'm held there for nearly 2 1/2 hours.. sheesh. Then I get downstairs to baggage and my bag is sitting in the middle of the floor completely unattended. All I could think of is a thousand airport PA voices saying Do not leave your bags unattended, Unattended luggage will be disposed of by the fill in the blank police department.

Bob

Not laughing at you, Bob, just the ridiculousness of the whole thing. I mean, if you were carrying $5000 in cash (rather than doing the sensible thing, and keeping the cash amount on you to a minimum, and just using your cards as and when required) they would have waved you straight through, right!!??

Completely retarded.

[Gemmie 142]

That's ridiculous, Bob.

When my fiance came to visit me for the second time ever (trips a year apart), they got bitchy with him too.. asked him all about his job prospects in America and how he had managed to get so much time off (almost a month).. nothing compared to what you went through though, Bob! He was eventually let through after 20 minutes with a stamp and a scowl.

Got a text today saying my passport will be delivered tomorrow sometime from 8-6... I don't have a doorbell, so this might be a problem. I'm hoping I can leave a number to call by the door.

[elmcitymaven 9,712]

I have to add, yes, that does seem retarded. I can't remember the last time I travelled internationally anywhere with more than the equivalent of $100 in my pocket (and usually much, much less -- when I went to Amsterdam the other month I had about $5.72 in my handbag). Sounds like some jobsworth who got carried away, and you had to suffer the consequences.

[KnightAndMagpie 7]

I'm so sorry you had to deal with that, Bob . I think everyone else has more or less summed up my thoughts toward the silliness of what you had to deal with . I mean, it seems to make more sense if someone was carrying large wads of cash about their person rather than carrying a sensible amount and credit cards...duhhhh.

Especially if you were carrying an American Express gold card. Good grief!

Magpie.

Edited May 7, 2009 by KnightAndMagpie

[MonkeyJuice 3]

Oooh bob that sounds like a terrible ordeal! Sorry you were treated like that.

Received text from courier, visa to be delivered tomorrow before 8am. woo hoo! that was quick. Flight book ages ago for 27th May..cost of 250 quid so I'm glad that worked out well.

Less than 3 weeks to go & it feels scary but exciting. Can't wait!

[MissusM09 1]

Yeah that's what I thought also. I'm going to make an appointment with my GP for next week and get it sorted I hope, judging by her letter she just wants me to clarify the situation and as you said, state that I am no harm to myself or anyone else in the future. Such a mess, really isn't easy!

i had this same issue. Now i know what you are going through exactly, what the "nice" irish doctor will say if they see evidence of self harm ( suicide, or abuse) is for a psychiatric evaluation. this will set you back about 250 up to 500 pounds. shop around though and you will get a good deal, go with the Priory if you can they are reasonable and have a good reputation. after that you will be approved via the medical and be sent off to the embassy. this is worst case scenario however. just be prepared.

i know how u must be hating the fact that u were so honest, in the long run it pays off.

all the best

prima and jay

[mrs_sdp 0]

My April visit to Pat almost ended before it started. To make a long story short, I waited for 2 1/2 hours at passport control. They almost didn't let me in because they thought my American Express Gold card and £150 in currency was close to vagrancy.

They called Pat twice and then embassy to confirm our stories.

Why did they call her twice? Did the first person that called her not understand English?

I got a few personal message on this so I'll tell the whole group instead of one at a time in PM.

I said it was a long story, you've been warned

At passport control. The nice lady asked why I was here, and I told her i was on holiday... visiting a friend. She asked me who and how long I had known said friend. I said it was my fiancee and I had known Pat 3 years. I don't know if this is a red flag but this turned into a cross-examination.. are you here to get married. where does she live, whats her birthday, where does she work here, will we be living in the states or the UK, has she lined up a job there yet.. do you have a job, do you own a home... and on and on.. I muddled thru the answers as best I could.. I got little sleep on the plane and my body clock was telling me it was 2:30am. She asked where I was staying and how much money I had.. I told her I was staying at Pat's house and had my American Express charge card, my bank debit card and about £150 in currency. She then wanted to know if Pat was there to pick me up and I replied no, Pat was at work. So I got asked how I was going to find my way to her house. I told her i was taking the train into Manchester and meeting Pat at her office... this seemed to satisfy her. She wrote down so many notes on the entry card I filled out on the plane that she had to go to a separate sheet of paper. I was motioned to a holding area and she came back every 10 min or so to ask more questions and then disappear again. At one point I even broke out my 2008 1040 tax return to show that I make damn good money, and I'm not thinking about skipping the US.

Eventually she called Pat who of course confirmed the fiancee story and said I was staying with her. Immigration told her they were concerned that I had so little money on me and was Pat going to be responsible for my living expenses while I was here. I guess people that carry gold class credit cards are destitute. Satisfied with Pat's answers, they told her they'd release me. 20 minutes later I'm asked more questions about our relationship, where we're at in the visa process, etc. The Immigration lady left again for some ungodly time and comes back saying the embassy in London has no record of Patricia and suggests that my entry into the UK might be fraudulent. Now I'm sweating bullets and all I can envision is waiting until the afternoon return flight and thinking I'll be put on it.. in handcuffs.. (yeah i know it was a bit dramatic but I was really worried). I tell her call Pat again to get her LND number. (All my paperwork is in checked baggage and they haven't/won't let me get to it.) They place another call to Pat, get the case number and call the embassy. Another 20 or 30 minutes later I'm finally given my passport and allowed to go. All told, I'm held there for nearly 2 1/2 hours.. sheesh. Then I get downstairs to baggage and my bag is sitting in the middle of the floor completely unattended. All I could think of is a thousand airport PA voices saying Do not leave your bags unattended, Unattended luggage will be disposed of by the fill in the blank police department.

Bob

Oh my ... that sounds awful! What a horrible experience that must have been for you Bob. I guess I always think of the UKC having problems getting into the USA .. I hadn't really considered that the USC could have a hard time trying to visit here!

One more day to work ... then off work for the week .... woot!

Have a good one ....

Moira x

[Damian&Kelly 16]

I've had a very similar experience when I flew into Heathrow the first time. They questioned me and held me for close to 3 hours. They also lied to me and told me that they called Damian to tell him they were holding me. Well I later learned they never called him and that he was just about ready to leave the airport.. and Heathrow is a 2 hour drive from his house. They ended up going through my suitcases and holding up everything, and we weren't in a private room.. It was the worst experience I have ever went through. The man held up my underwear and I grabbed it out of his hand and said "excuse me! that's my underwear" and he pointed to his wedding ring and said I know! What a jerk! and the reason for all of this was because they didn't want me to marry while I was in the UK, They made me swear to them I wouldn't get married, haha not like swearing does much on the books.

But I've had trouble more than once getting into the UK, and I always left when I said I was going to leave, never got married there and never worked or used government money. but they hate me.

[Nik+Heather 121]

I can't even remember passport control all that well. First trip (when still just BF/GF) for 10 days all I remember is the ungodly long line at Gatwick. They say that their computers were down. (?!) Second trip, 15 days over the holidays (BF/GF coming in...Fiance/Fiancee coming out!! ), again, not a lot of recollection, except that the guy mumbled at me so I had to ask him to repeat himself more than once.

I suppose if I was going again, I'd prepare just like I made Nik prepare when he came to see me between NOA1 & NOA2!

I can understand a little more scrutiny thinking that people from some countries might be coming to stay to live, but from the US<->UK?? So easy to do it the right way, so what's the fuss about thinking we are all fraudsters!!

[mr and mrs 187]

bob, was it a little room off to the left-hand side of the immigration checkpoint with a water cooler?

(me sitting waiting to be processed. i take photos of a lot of random things. :l)

i feel like i have been through a couple of different immgration areas at manchester, so you might have been in a different area. i got stuck in this one for about 15 minutes (which i thought was a horrible nightmare) and chatted with the IO. she was actually really sympathetic and just asked me to wait until she finished processing the rest of the plane. then she dealt with me and a girl who was claiming refugee status from an african country. i was scared, but i acted tough and i got through it. she said that my passport was flagged (from the previous year when i had a long chat at heathrow. horrible. i freaked out at the sound of airplanes, rolling luggage and cockney accents for the first few days in london. see mini-stury below.)

in january 2007 at heathrow. the IO there was pretty harsh with me. it got to the point where i was in tears talking about my younger brother who died 15 years ago and explaining why i was in love with a guy who didnt have the same education level as me. the guy was a bit of an #######, even if he was doing his job. he was a #######. the people in front of me spoke NO english. they could not tell him where they were staying. it seems awful that i had to answer a lot of personal questions (which im fine with, but it seemed unfair when the couple in front of me could not explain details of their visit.) he started asking questions and i just started dumping information. tons of detail to just be like 'dude? stop being mean to me.' he asked me why i had brought so many clothes and shoes and i told him 'because i havent been on a date in 6 months and i want to get dressed up for my boyfriend so we can go out to dinner.' he also thought it was sketchy that i had my laptop with me. he sucked. a lot.

this year, when i went, i think immigration lasted for all of 30 seconds. i asked why it was so easy this time and she said 'because im a seasoned immigration officer.' i told her i appreciated that very much. : )

[Stinkerpotsam 6]

My April visit to Pat almost ended before it started. To make a long story short, I waited for 2 1/2 hours at passport control. They almost didn't let me in because they thought my American Express Gold card and £150 in currency was close to vagrancy.

They called Pat twice and then embassy to confirm our stories.

Why did they call her twice? Did the first person that called her not understand English?

I got a few personal message on this so I'll tell the whole group instead of one at a time in PM.

I said it was a long story, you've been warned

At passport control. The nice lady asked why I was here, and I told her i was on holiday... visiting a friend. She asked me who and how long I had known said friend. I said it was my fiancee and I had known Pat 3 years. I don't know if this is a red flag but this turned into a cross-examination.. are you here to get married. where does she live, whats her birthday, where does she work here, will we be living in the states or the UK, has she lined up a job there yet.. do you have a job, do you own a home... and on and on.. I muddled thru the answers as best I could.. I got little sleep on the plane and my body clock was telling me it was 2:30am. She asked where I was staying and how much money I had.. I told her I was staying at Pat's house and had my American Express charge card, my bank debit card and about £150 in currency. She then wanted to know if Pat was there to pick me up and I replied no, Pat was at work. So I got asked how I was going to find my way to her house. I told her i was taking the train into Manchester and meeting Pat at her office... this seemed to satisfy her. She wrote down so many notes on the entry card I filled out on the plane that she had to go to a separate sheet of paper. I was motioned to a holding area and she came back every 10 min or so to ask more questions and then disappear again. At one point I even broke out my 2008 1040 tax return to show that I make damn good money, and I'm not thinking about skipping the US.

Eventually she called Pat who of course confirmed the fiancee story and said I was staying with her. Immigration told her they were concerned that I had so little money on me and was Pat going to be responsible for my living expenses while I was here. I guess people that carry gold class credit cards are destitute. Satisfied with Pat's answers, they told her they'd release me. 20 minutes later I'm asked more questions about our relationship, where we're at in the visa process, etc. The Immigration lady left again for some ungodly time and comes back saying the embassy in London has no record of Patricia and suggests that my entry into the UK might be fraudulent. Now I'm sweating bullets and all I can envision is waiting until the afternoon return flight and thinking I'll be put on it.. in handcuffs.. (yeah i know it was a bit dramatic but I was really worried). I tell her call Pat again to get her LND number. (All my paperwork is in checked baggage and they haven't/won't let me get to it.) They place another call to Pat, get the case number and call the embassy. Another 20 or 30 minutes later I'm finally given my passport and allowed to go. All told, I'm held there for nearly 2 1/2 hours.. sheesh. Then I get downstairs to baggage and my bag is sitting in the middle of the floor completely unattended. All I could think of is a thousand airport PA voices saying Do not leave your bags unattended, Unattended luggage will be disposed of by the fill in the blank police department.

Bob

I made it through several trips until this last time when I made the mistake of saying "here to visit friends and family" ...... Family???? FAMILY??? I said well my fiance and his family but they are like my family already....what followed was exactly the same line of questioning but I wasn't held hostage for being vagrant..not sure why was I never travel with more than 20 US dollars on me and my ATM card. They were more interested in if I was invading England or if I was taking one off their hands.

[laura819 0]

My April visit to Pat almost ended before it started. To make a long story short, I waited for 2 1/2 hours at passport control. They almost didn't let me in because they thought my American Express Gold card and £150 in currency was close to vagrancy.

They called Pat twice and then embassy to confirm our stories.

Why did they call her twice? Did the first person that called her not understand English?

I got a few personal message on this so I'll tell the whole group instead of one at a time in PM.

I said it was a long story, you've been warned

At passport control. The nice lady asked why I was here, and I told her i was on holiday... visiting a friend. She asked me who and how long I had known said friend. I said it was my fiancee and I had known Pat 3 years. I don't know if this is a red flag but this turned into a cross-examination.. are you here to get married. where does she live, whats her birthday, where does she work here, will we be living in the states or the UK, has she lined up a job there yet.. do you have a job, do you own a home... and on and on.. I muddled thru the answers as best I could.. I got little sleep on the plane and my body clock was telling me it was 2:30am. She asked where I was staying and how much money I had.. I told her I was staying at Pat's house and had my American Express charge card, my bank debit card and about £150 in currency. She then wanted to know if Pat was there to pick me up and I replied no, Pat was at work. So I got asked how I was going to find my way to her house. I told her i was taking the train into Manchester and meeting Pat at her office... this seemed to satisfy her. She wrote down so many notes on the entry card I filled out on the plane that she had to go to a separate sheet of paper. I was motioned to a holding area and she came back every 10 min or so to ask more questions and then disappear again. At one point I even broke out my 2008 1040 tax return to show that I make damn good money, and I'm not thinking about skipping the US.

Eventually she called Pat who of course confirmed the fiancee story and said I was staying with her. Immigration told her they were concerned that I had so little money on me and was Pat going to be responsible for my living expenses while I was here. I guess people that carry gold class credit cards are destitute. Satisfied with Pat's answers, they told her they'd release me. 20 minutes later I'm asked more questions about our relationship, where we're at in the visa process, etc. The Immigration lady left again for some ungodly time and comes back saying the embassy in London has no record of Patricia and suggests that my entry into the UK might be fraudulent. Now I'm sweating bullets and all I can envision is waiting until the afternoon return flight and thinking I'll be put on it.. in handcuffs.. (yeah i know it was a bit dramatic but I was really worried). I tell her call Pat again to get her LND number. (All my paperwork is in checked baggage and they haven't/won't let me get to it.) They place another call to Pat, get the case number and call the embassy. Another 20 or 30 minutes later I'm finally given my passport and allowed to go. All told, I'm held there for nearly 2 1/2 hours.. sheesh. Then I get downstairs to baggage and my bag is sitting in the middle of the floor completely unattended. All I could think of is a thousand airport PA voices saying Do not leave your bags unattended, Unattended luggage will be disposed of by the fill in the blank police department.

Bob

I made it through several trips until this last time when I made the mistake of saying "here to visit friends and family" ...... Family???? FAMILY??? I said well my fiance and his family but they are like my family already....what followed was exactly the same line of questioning but I wasn't held hostage for being vagrant..not sure why was I never travel with more than 20 US dollars on me and my ATM card. They were more interested in if I was invading England or if I was taking one off their hands.

I've always just said sightseeing and friends. No mention of boyfriend/fiance. And its true, because I also visited friends while I was there. The most I ever got questioned was the first time I went, they wanted to know when I was graduating school, and if I had gone to Japan on my student visa yet, and I said I was going there right after returning from England.

Changing the topic...Sven is starting to get a little worried about Packet 4? We have yet to recieve it...when I called DOS and got the Interview Date, they said it had been sent..but where is it? Or does it always take this long? He lives in Canterbury..

Edited May 8, 2009 by laura819

[Nich-Nick 3,354]

Well Bob, I hope you don't get questioned when you go again for the interview. I've been to Gatwick/Heathrow 9 times and was never asked more than "what is the purpose of your trip" and "how long are you staying". Stamp. Done. I always said "I'm on holiday." Good thing they never asked about money. I only carried enough to get a cappuccino when I got off the plane. I always got money from the cash machine in the terminal after arrival. A cool thing I did was sign up for IRIS when they started it. (I love gadgets and just had to try it.) With IRIS you don't have to get in the long lines or talk to anybody. You look in the machine, it reads your irises, the gate opens and gives you a paper recording your arrival, and you're off to baggage claim.