Visiting my fiance in the UK...passport control?

Question

Just wondering if anyone has had a similar experience....my fiance lives in the UK, I live in the US. We've had a relationship since May of 06, making relatively frequent visits back and forth to spend time with each other, and have been engaged since August. We are going to marry next Oct. here in the US, and will file for a spouse visa for me to go to the UK. I'll be going to visit for a few days in December and I'm nervous about passport control...when I'm asked what the purpose of my visit is, if I answer 'I'm visiting my fiance and his family' how will this be received? My instinct is to not go there at all and say 'I'm on holiday', etc., but I want to be truthful, and don't want to encounter problems. What's the best way to handle this?

Answer 1

I really can't see that there will be a problem, presumably you have a job, home and family in USA. Just be truthful and enjoy your holiday

Answer 2

If you have visited several times you will have a number of entry stamps in your passport and of course you know from experience that you are asked quite a lot of questions when you get to the control.
The Immigration Officer will want to know how long you intend to stay and the purpose of your visit as well as how you intend to pay for your stay and your return ticket. Make sure you have proof of your return ticket - print out if it is an internet booking.
Take the advice of the US expert and ask for an entry stamp each time you return to the States. This proves that you left the UK when you said you would - neither the UK nor the US have exit stamps. Be honest with the officer, there is no point in lying because the number of stamps in your passport will indicate something more than a casual visitor on vacation.
Proof of your employment in the US and anything else that shows your intention to leave the UK will help to back up the information you give verbally. Your plans to marry and the fact that you know the rules around applying for a Spouse Visa will also add weight to your application to enter the country as a visitor. I am sure that your fiance has the same experience when he visits the States. If you can honestly tell the Immigration Officer that you don't want anything to mess up your future application as a spouse then that will be in your favour.
Your situation is not unusual. A genuine relationship is no barrier to travelling to and from the US/UK as long as you can make it clear that you intend to stick to the rules.

Answer 3

Pre-9/11, most ports-of-entry simply wanted to know whether your visit was for business or pleasure. If the former, then they wanted to ensure that the given country's jobs and materials were not in jeopardy of being "lost" to a foreigner. If the latter, then they wanted to make sure that you won't be staying longer than is allowed (common questions: how long will you be visiting our country? are you staying with friends? who are they? will you be driving? etc)

Post-9/11, there is, obviously, a paranoia about terrorists.

So, a simple "I'm on vacation (holiday)" should suffice, but you might be asked a few questions about it, per the above, and you might even be randomly selected (or profiled) to be checked/interrogated more thoroughly (in pre-9/11 days, I made the mistake of telling the truth at one port-of-entry that I was there on business; they put me through a one-hour ordeal in which I had to assure them over and over again that I wasn't stealing jobs (on the contrary, my company was actively pursuing resident employees during a downturn in the that year's global economy; you'd think they'd treat such people more kindly!). Had I answered "for pleasure", I would have been caught in a lie, since nobody goes to that nation for such!)

Regardless, honesty is the best policy. Be brief and to the point (i.e., don't waste their time, and they won't waste yours). If, on the other hand, you're actually a terrorist, then, of course, you should tell them the truth, and then they'll let you go . . . I knew I couldn't say that with a straight face! ;)

Answer 4

Just "visiting fiance, his family, holiday" or whatever. Did you say that you have been before? If so you would know the drill. Are you concerned that you have visited too often? No big as you left when you were supposed to before. You just drop your passport and you get a new stamp easy...... the UK is ok w. Americans.

As an aside. I have flown the world over w. just my laptop and carryon. But a few weeks ago I got a surprise when leaving England. They changed the rules and you can only have one bag going through security.The line was full of people trying to fit stuff into one...... including women trying to fit stuff in their purse. ONE BAG. We ended up having to truck all of the way back to check in in order to check in my laptop.

Answer 5

Basically, you're asking if you should tell the truth about your trip or be deceptive. I think you already know the answer. Once you start to make misleading statements, your credibility vanishes.

If you have things going on in your life in the U.S. to which you absolutely need to return, and you can demonstrate that fact, you should be able to satisfy the UK inspector that you're only staying temporarily.

If you make it clear to the officer that you'd be stupid not to return to the U.S., you should be able to satisfy the UK inspector that you're only staying temporarily.

If you can show that you have never violated the conditions of your numerous earlier admissions and that each stay in the UK was brief, you should be able to satisfy the UK inspector that you're only staying temporarily.

Being able to show that you work or go to school in the U.S. would help. Being able to show that the wedding is not for another 11 months would help. Being able to show, perhaps with passport stamps, that you do not remain in the UK for extended periods would help.

You should ask for an admission stamp from the U.S. officer after each trip to the UK in order to verify how long you stayed in the UK. CBP officers are required to stamp a US passport if the holder requests a stamp.

Answer 6

The best way is honestly. You are far from the first to be in this situation. Start the spouse visa process now, at least the informational part, "This is what we want to do. What forms and authorizations do we need?"

It is possible that if you are officially engaged, his visits here, where the wedding will be held, are illegal. I have friends, one from New York City and another from Canada, who married. Once the wedding was set, she was not allowed into the country until just before it It may be worth checking..

Answer 7

My view:

1) If you seek to conceal anything then you risk refusal of entry.
2) You have visited before during this relationship - this backs up your credibility in your claim that this is only a short term visit.
3) If you have booked your wedding in the USA then such documents might be useful to show an officer - but I'd consider having your fiance hold them in case of enquiry rather than present them yourself as that looks contrived.
4) If you are that bothered apply for a UK visit visa, stating all facts to the ECO incl the fact that you absolutely intend to return as given and undertake not to make any in country applications for extension/variation. A visa IS your permission to enter - it cannot be revoked unless your lied to get it or material facts have changed.

Answer 8

Calm down. This is the UK we are talking about. Passport controls are more or less a formality. I actually doubt they will ask you anything when they see you have an American passport. (Or that they will be interested in your answer). And if they do, just say your are visiting your boyfriend. What kind of problems do you think you should encounter after admitting this? Don`t be paranoiac.

Answer 9

Why are you feeling nervous about saying the truth . I think there is a hidden reason for you to be concerned. Perhaps it is hidden in your background and you know it. Claiming to be on Holiday you consider being OK and even though untrue you will not be nervous ?

Answer 10

I would say that you should show them evidence of your intention to live together in the States, ideally your application for a US spouse visa, your US wedding plans, etc. Also, you should bring evidence that would show why you would be likely to return, for example about your work/family/whatever commitments in the States.

I believe that although normally US citizens don't need visas for visits, in case of doubt you can apply at a UK consulate for entry clearance before you go. Contact them to check if this is would be appropriate. Better to be refused there than at Heathrow!