UK entry stamp question

[goonergirl 2]

I hope I'm worrying for nothing, but I thought somebody here might know about this..... The last time I entered the UK (at Stansted) I was grilled big time but eventually they said they would give me 'the benefit of the doubt' and let me in. But, above the regular entry stamp they put another stamp and hand wrote in some code (starts with 'HTV' followed by a bunch of numbers) and hand wrote in 6 months leave to enter... I've never had them do this before, so is it something I should worry about?? Will it trigger them to question me further next time? I just want to be fully prepared next time I go!

Thanks!

[Gemmie 142]

Hmm, I'm not too sure about that.

When I went through the US one time, after a particular hard grilling session, he wrote a huge 'A' on my customs form. And then my bag was 'randomly chosen' to be searched. I still have no idea what it means though.

[marlea 84]

I read on another thread that someone had a similar situation, was grilled for a few hours, then let in, but only for two weeks and was given another stamp that would require that him to be grilled again the next time he entered. For me, I was once detained, and then refused entry into the UK all because of a paperwork mistake that wasn't my fault at all. So, because of this denied entry, I will likely be grilled and refused every time I try to enter the UK again without a visa. For that reason, I will likely apply for a tourist visa before I go so that I will be granted entry clearance before I buy another ticket to go over.

[souljah4christ 0]

I read on another thread that someone had a similar situation, was grilled for a few hours, then let in, but only for two weeks and was given another stamp that would require that him to be grilled again the next time he entered. For me, I was once detained, and then refused entry into the UK all because of a paperwork mistake that wasn't my fault at all. So, because of this denied entry, I will likely be grilled and refused every time I try to enter the UK again without a visa. For that reason, I will likely apply for a tourist visa before I go so that I will be granted entry clearance before I buy another ticket to go over.

..yeah, I was "that guy" lol

when he wrote that code on my passport, he told me that this will trigger them to detain me next time I try to enter..and that I would have to explain the entire ordeal that happened again from the first detainment.

It did happen, they did detain me next time while they called my fiancee to verify that what I had told them was true. It was a piece of cake (5 minutes or so...compared to the 3 hour original detainment!)

[goonergirl 2]

..yeah, I was "that guy" lol

when he wrote that code on my passport, he told me that this will trigger them to detain me next time I try to enter..and that I would have to explain the entire ordeal that happened again from the first detainment.

It did happen, they did detain me next time while they called my fiancee to verify that what I had told them was true. It was a piece of cake (5 minutes or so...compared to the 3 hour original detainment!)

Thanks for your response! If you don't mind, what did this code look like??

I think I'll just have to bring lots of extra evidence when I go next time.... letter from fiance, letter from work, house lease agreement, pay stubs, bank statements... I also just put together a list of all my previous travel dates for the UK (which helps to explain all my passport stamps) that shows I was never in the country for longer than I was supposed to. Feels like overkill, but better safe than sorry!

[souljah4christ 0]

Thanks for your response! If you don't mind, what did this code look like??

I think I'll just have to bring lots of extra evidence when I go next time.... letter from fiance, letter from work, house lease agreement, pay stubs, bank statements... I also just put together a list of all my previous travel dates for the UK (which helps to explain all my passport stamps) that shows I was never in the country for longer than I was supposed to. Feels like overkill, but better safe than sorry!

yeah take all of that, good idea. usually they stamp it with the city, date & immigration officer #, and then again with the 'leave to enter for 6 months' stamp also.

That time though he told me that it will say 6 months, but that I was only allowed to stay for the 2 weeks that I told him I was intending to...and that in the computer he was noting that it was just a 2 week authorization.

The main stamp was the same, but the 'leave to enter' stamp was different. It had an area where he wrote '6 months', and above that was another area where he wrote the code 'HXK (and then 5 digits)'

[goonergirl 2]

yeah take all of that, good idea. usually they stamp it with the city, date & immigration officer #, and then again with the 'leave to enter for 6 months' stamp also.

That time though he told me that it will say 6 months, but that I was only allowed to stay for the 2 weeks that I told him I was intending to...and that in the computer he was noting that it was just a 2 week authorization.

The main stamp was the same, but the 'leave to enter' stamp was different. It had an area where he wrote '6 months', and above that was another area where he wrote the code 'HXK (and then 5 digits)'

Yeah that sounds like what mine looks like, but they weren't nice enough to tell me what it meant Glad I asked and will be prepared now! 5 months will have passed between that stamp and when I next go, but I suppose they won't care about that. Thanks!