lsquare

I've been in the UK since April 22nd and I'm a Canadian passport holder. I know that I'm allowed to be here for up to 6 months. I've never really had an issue with immigration in any other countries that I've visited before.

The UK immigration officials gave me a hard time in the two times that I re-entered the UK (22 April 2011 and 1 May 2011). Each time they questioned my ability to finance myself here in the UK and whether I have a legitimate place to stay or not. While I'm not rich, I do have two credit cards on me which I showed them along with my Student ID and 600 Euros on me. I re-entered the UK on 1 May 2011 because I went on a short trip to France and Luxembourg with my girlfriend. Fortunately for me, the accommodation part was taken care of because my girlfriend was able to vouch for me when I was talking to the UK Immigration officer.

The issue now is that I'm thinking of going on a short trip to Dublin, Ireland sometime at the end of this month. My girlfriend isn't going with me as she'll be working. I know that Ireland is part of the Common Travel Area, but I'm afraid that some complication may arise should I try to leave the UK. My girlfriend is advising me not to go and just travel around the UK. However, as some of you may have known from all of the threads that I have created, I have done a bit of travelling around the UK since I got here on April 22nd. I now want to see something a little different. I've already got my return ticket out of the UK booked and it's set for 8 September 2011.

In August I'm also thinking of spending 2 weeks going to Continental Europe. My girlfriend is also advising me not to do it. I'm not sure if it's true, but she told me that one of her friend's boyfriend was once deported on the grounds that he tried to entered the UK too many times.

So having said that, what should I do boys? I guess I could always carry couple thousand pounds on me just to prove that I have the money, but it seems a bit excessive. As mentioned, I do have credit cards and ATM cards. My passport is legit and I have a clean spotless record. I am afraid that they may deny me from entering the country and then be forced to buy another ticket on the spot to go home. Are these fears unfounded or what?

Thanks for the help in advance!

mtkeller

DUB shouldn't be an issue, as you won't clear UK immigration when you return to the UK. For the continent, of course, you will have to clear UKBA. Rather than carrying cash, carry a current bank statement. Do you have a plane ticket booked back to Canada for the end of your stay in the UK? Those sorts of things generally make the UKBA feel good. If you're returning to your uni in Canada, are you registered for fall? See if the Registrar can send you a letter stating this, as an indication you are expected back in Canada on such and such date.

You might also check out UK Yankee for advice from North Americans who've moved to the UK, many to be with significant others. They can provide good advice on what info they supplied to UKBA when making initial visits that lasted for a few months but weren't yet intending to settle here.

Christopher

Good advice above from mtkeller. You won't be seen by anyone from UKBA on the trip to Dublin, although you may well have to show your passport on arrival in Dublin, especially if you are travelling by air. This oughtn't to pose any problems, however. As always, have details of your return itinerary back to the UK out of Ireland.

SFOSpiff

I thought the UK and RoI made up a common travel area where there were no immigration controls? I didn't know about the travel area until after I flew from London to Dublin in 2007, where I had to go through immigration, and later assumed that maybe it wasn't fully in effect.

What are the rules about what requires a passport and what doesn't?

Aviatrix

The Republic of Ireland is a sovereign country and they have every right to carry out identity checks on those crossing their borders.

UK nationals do not need a passport to visit Ireland (but have to be able to prove they are British). Everybody else needs to be in possession of a valid travel document (passport or EU identity card).

In practice I believe that Dublin Airport is currently the only place where incoming passengers routinely have to go through an Immigration check even when arriving from the UK. In my experience those with a British driving licence are let through with no questions asked.

lsquare

For starters, what's the benchmark for having "adequate funds" to stay in the UK? When I told her that I had the equivalent to about 1500 GBP in my accounts, the officer became concerned that I might not have enough to finance myself even though I don't have to pay for accommodation. Of course I can always get my parents and or my girlfriend to put thousands more into my account if that's what it'll take.

Yes, I already have the e-ticket back to Canada. It's all been paid for and taken care of. I'm not going back to school in the fall. I'm just afraid that they might possibly deny my entry back to the UK on the grounds that I've tried to enter too many times. Is this even possible?

I know that they are afraid that I might overstay my visa and or use up social benefits, but if I already have a ticket showing that I am indeed going home on 8 September 2011, then it shouldn't be a problem right? My girlfriend won't be with me the next time I re-enter the UK and I won't have anyone to vouch for the fact that I do have a place to stay in London.

Thanks!

lsquare

I'm planning to take the ferry to DUB and then take the train to Belfast. Will I have to go through immigration when going to Belfast from Dublin by train?

mtkeller

No, there are basically no immigration controls on the land border between ROI and NI. As has been stated the UK just uses the common travel area for entries from ROI and treats it like domestic, while ROI does some checking.

mtkeller

Adequate funds is probably something that's subjective, but bank statements (current ones!) are always better than your personal statements. As to having your girlfriend with you, I think a letter from her about providing your accommodation would go some distance toward placating the UKBA. I don't think they'd have any grounds to deny you entry on having entered too many times (especially if you have documentation of your return flight to Canada showing that you've no intent to overstay), but I have the benefit of entering the UK on a work visa, so no issues for me on number of (re-)entries.

Definitely go ask the fine folks at UK Yankee, though. We're pretty good about helping people with travel and tourism in the UK, but immigration issues get complicated. UK Yankee has some real immigration experts (both as careers or just experience) and can point you at the relevant regulations. Sometimes, showing that you know the rules and have documented that you have no intent to violate them can go a long way.

emma69

At a guess, the 'staying with a girlfriend' is the part that may make little alarm bells go off - as in, it is a reason you may remain in the country after you are supposed to leave. Having ties to a country is somethign that causes people to remain beyond the time which they are allowed, and a girlfriend counts as a tie to the country. I would simply say that you are staying with a friend at X address if asked.

britenbsas

Lying to an immigration officer is never a good idea. @OP: If you say you are staying with a "friend" and they subsequently discover that said "friend" is in fact your girlfriend then you will definitely have problems. Only answer what is asked of you but make sure that your answers are truthful

ajax

Nowhere did anyone suggest that the ROI did not have a right to check the IDs of all those entering, and you know it. There is no need to imply otherwise.

IME, neither do Irish nationals.

I have never cleared immigration elsewhere other than DUB when arriving on a flight originating from the island of Britain. Occasionally I have flown from London to DUB and have been directed through the airport without needing to clear immigration, but this is rare.

Aviatrix

If I misread the post that I was replying to I apologise. SFOSpiff appeared to be expressing surprise at the passport checks at DUB.


I used the word "visit" (rather than "enter"). But you're right, an Irish expat visiting Ireland wouldn't need to present a passport either, as long as he can prove Irish nationality in some other way

Reason077

They also check passports at Dublin ferry port.

In any case, this is all irrelevant for the OP because there are no passport checks when re-entering the UK from the ROI, whether its by train, car, ferry, plane, tandem bicycle, or whatever.

emma69

Since when does the 'girlfriend' bit mean they are no longer a friend? It isn't lying to say you are staying with a friend, the fact you are sleeping with the friends is irrelevant. Unless the relationship is more formal (living together, engaged, married etc) then they are a friend - most countries wouldn't take into account 'girlfriend' or 'boyfriend' when completing immigration or customs forms etc. In American lexicon, if I say my girlfriend and I are going to Montreal next week, most Americans would assume I am going to Montreal with a friend, not a lover.