UK Immigration - onward ticket required?
Mar 27, 2015, 2:07 pm
#1
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Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
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UK Immigration - onward ticket required?
Hello all,
I'm heading to the UK and Europe from the States. I will 2, possibly 3 months for the UK. However booking a roundtrip ticket to/from LHR is cheaper than a one way so I was thinking of having the return in early October (which is just under 6 months from the day I arrive). I won't be in the UK all that time - likely just 2, perhaps 3 months of it - then in Europe for <90 days and non-schengen for 1 month.
Question - does UK immigration require an onward ticket? If they do - and I show mine it'll appear as though I'll be staying the almost maximum 6 months allowed. Will this pose entry problems? Can I just explain what I explained above or will they require me to buy an onward ticket to Europe - which I don't yet have since I don't know the date of travel out of UK?
Would it be best to just say I am staying in the UK for 60 days - and buy a cheap throwaway RyanAir or EasyJet ticket out of the UK?
Does immigration stamp my passport for the full 6 months if I say I am staying only 2 (in case I need to stay longer)?
Thanks
I'm heading to the UK and Europe from the States. I will 2, possibly 3 months for the UK. However booking a roundtrip ticket to/from LHR is cheaper than a one way so I was thinking of having the return in early October (which is just under 6 months from the day I arrive). I won't be in the UK all that time - likely just 2, perhaps 3 months of it - then in Europe for <90 days and non-schengen for 1 month.
Question - does UK immigration require an onward ticket? If they do - and I show mine it'll appear as though I'll be staying the almost maximum 6 months allowed. Will this pose entry problems? Can I just explain what I explained above or will they require me to buy an onward ticket to Europe - which I don't yet have since I don't know the date of travel out of UK?
Would it be best to just say I am staying in the UK for 60 days - and buy a cheap throwaway RyanAir or EasyJet ticket out of the UK?
Does immigration stamp my passport for the full 6 months if I say I am staying only 2 (in case I need to stay longer)?
Thanks
Mar 27, 2015, 3:34 pm
#2
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 7,560
When you enter the country the UK Border Force (or whatever they're called this week) want to satisfy themselves that
- you are a bona fide visitor
- you have enough money to support yourself
- you are not going to work
- you are not going to overstay
I don't believe they routinely ask for return/onward tickets, but if they do then your ticket home is sufficient proof that you are not going to overstay, so I wouldn't worry about buying a throw-away ticket to somewhere else. Whatever questions they ask, answer truthfully, or to the best of your knowledge - if you are planning to travel to other European countries, but don't know when yet, then say so.
The standard stamp will say that you are being admitted for six months, and I don't quite understand why you would want to ask them for less - it wouldn't gain you anything! When you return to the UK after your European travels you will get another six months, the UK has no Schengen-style restrictions of "x months within any y-month period"
- you are a bona fide visitor
- you have enough money to support yourself
- you are not going to work
- you are not going to overstay
I don't believe they routinely ask for return/onward tickets, but if they do then your ticket home is sufficient proof that you are not going to overstay, so I wouldn't worry about buying a throw-away ticket to somewhere else. Whatever questions they ask, answer truthfully, or to the best of your knowledge - if you are planning to travel to other European countries, but don't know when yet, then say so.
The standard stamp will say that you are being admitted for six months, and I don't quite understand why you would want to ask them for less - it wouldn't gain you anything! When you return to the UK after your European travels you will get another six months, the UK has no Schengen-style restrictions of "x months within any y-month period"
Mar 27, 2015, 5:06 pm
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,015
When you enter the country the UK Border Force (or whatever they're called this week) want to satisfy themselves that
- you are a bona fide visitor
- you have enough money to support yourself
- you are not going to work
- you are not going to overstay
I don't believe they routinely ask for return/onward tickets, but if they do then your ticket home is sufficient proof that you are not going to overstay, so I wouldn't worry about buying a throw-away ticket to somewhere else. Whatever questions they ask, answer truthfully, or to the best of your knowledge - if you are planning to travel to other European countries, but don't know when yet, then say so.
The standard stamp will say that you are being admitted for six months, and I don't quite understand why you would want to ask them for less - it wouldn't gain you anything! When you return to the UK after your European travels you will get another six months, the UK has no Schengen-style restrictions of "x months within any y-month period"
- you are a bona fide visitor
- you have enough money to support yourself
- you are not going to work
- you are not going to overstay
I don't believe they routinely ask for return/onward tickets, but if they do then your ticket home is sufficient proof that you are not going to overstay, so I wouldn't worry about buying a throw-away ticket to somewhere else. Whatever questions they ask, answer truthfully, or to the best of your knowledge - if you are planning to travel to other European countries, but don't know when yet, then say so.
The standard stamp will say that you are being admitted for six months, and I don't quite understand why you would want to ask them for less - it wouldn't gain you anything! When you return to the UK after your European travels you will get another six months, the UK has no Schengen-style restrictions of "x months within any y-month period"
Mar 28, 2015, 3:32 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
Programs: UA 1MM, AA Plat, Marriott LT Titanium, Hyatt Glob, IHG ♢ Amb, Hilton ♢, Hertz Pres
Posts: 6,015
The standard stamp will say that you are being admitted for six months, and I don't quite understand why you would want to ask them for less - it wouldn't gain you anything! When you return to the UK after your European travels you will get another six months, the UK has no Schengen-style restrictions of "x months within any y-month period"
Mar 29, 2015, 10:01 am
#5
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: UK
Posts: 7,560
btw, you mention if you leave the UK and come back you get another 6 months. Doesn't this effectively mean that someone from the US could "live" in the UK as long as they want as long as they go to the EU every 6 months? Doesn't that sort of create a loophole to ensuring a visitor doesn't overstay their welcome?
As I said earlier, one of the things they want to satisfy themselves about is that you are a bona fide visitor.... and someone who is living in the UK pretending to be a bona fide visitor is clearly NOT a bona fide visitor.
Mar 29, 2015, 11:03 am
#6
Suspended
Join Date: Aug 2010
Location: DCA
Programs: UA US CO AA DL FL
Posts: 50,262
The best advice above is to tell the truth. If you are asked something to which you do not know the answer, admit that you don't. The people denied most often are people who tell silly fables and get caught out.
Mar 31, 2015, 10:13 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Sitting down
Posts: 557
This is the list of requirements for a visitor, from the immigration rules:
The references to 46G etc are to different kinds of entry, eg business.
The requirements to be met by a person seeking leave to enter the United Kingdom as a general visitor are that he:
(i) is genuinely seeking entry as a general visitor for a limited period as stated by him, not exceeding 6 months or not exceeding 12 months in the case of a person seeking entry to accompany an academic visitor (as their child, spouse or partner), provided in the latter case the visitor accompanying the academic visitor has entry clearance; and
(ii) intends to leave the United Kingdom at the end of the period of the visit as stated by him; and does not intend to live for extended periods in the United Kingdom through frequent or successive visits; and
(iii) does not intend to take employment in the United Kingdom; and
(iv) does not intend to produce goods or provide services within the United Kingdom, including the selling of goods or services direct to members of the public; and
(v) Save to the extent provided by paragraph 43A, does not intend to undertake a course of study; and
(vi) will maintain and accommodate himself and any dependants adequately out of resources available to him without recourse to public funds or taking employment; or will, with any dependants, be maintained and/or accommodated adequately by relatives or friends who can demonstrate they are able and intend to do so, and are legally present in the United Kingdom, or will be at the time of their visit; and
(vii) can meet the cost of the return or onward journey; and
(viii) is not a child under the age of 18.
(ix) does not intend to do any of the activities provided for in paragraphs 46G (iii), 46M (iii) or 46S (iii); and
(x) does not, during his visit, intend to marry or form a civil partnership, or to give notice of marriage or civil partnership; and
(xi) does not intend to receive private medical treatment during his visit; and
(xii) is not in transit to a country outside the common travel area.
(xiii) where he is seeking leave to enter as a general visitor to take part in archaeological excavations, provides a letter from the director or organiser of the excavation stating the length of their visit and, where appropriate, what arrangements have been made for their accommodation and maintenance.".
(i) is genuinely seeking entry as a general visitor for a limited period as stated by him, not exceeding 6 months or not exceeding 12 months in the case of a person seeking entry to accompany an academic visitor (as their child, spouse or partner), provided in the latter case the visitor accompanying the academic visitor has entry clearance; and
(ii) intends to leave the United Kingdom at the end of the period of the visit as stated by him; and does not intend to live for extended periods in the United Kingdom through frequent or successive visits; and
(iii) does not intend to take employment in the United Kingdom; and
(iv) does not intend to produce goods or provide services within the United Kingdom, including the selling of goods or services direct to members of the public; and
(v) Save to the extent provided by paragraph 43A, does not intend to undertake a course of study; and
(vi) will maintain and accommodate himself and any dependants adequately out of resources available to him without recourse to public funds or taking employment; or will, with any dependants, be maintained and/or accommodated adequately by relatives or friends who can demonstrate they are able and intend to do so, and are legally present in the United Kingdom, or will be at the time of their visit; and
(vii) can meet the cost of the return or onward journey; and
(viii) is not a child under the age of 18.
(ix) does not intend to do any of the activities provided for in paragraphs 46G (iii), 46M (iii) or 46S (iii); and
(x) does not, during his visit, intend to marry or form a civil partnership, or to give notice of marriage or civil partnership; and
(xi) does not intend to receive private medical treatment during his visit; and
(xii) is not in transit to a country outside the common travel area.
(xiii) where he is seeking leave to enter as a general visitor to take part in archaeological excavations, provides a letter from the director or organiser of the excavation stating the length of their visit and, where appropriate, what arrangements have been made for their accommodation and maintenance.".
Mar 31, 2015, 10:23 am
#8
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2013
Location: Miami, FL
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Thanks all. I meet all the requirements listed and now see it shouldn't be an issue at all to have a return ticket 5 months out.
