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Upon leaving the UK I was questioned by immigration officers over funds I was traveling with, as they thought I had been working while in the country. After realizing that I had not been working, and I was just a tourist, they took my passport away and wrote this in it:

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before returning the passport to me, and saying I wouldn't be able to come back to the UK again. They did not confiscate anything from me.

I did not overstay my UK visa, and I have traveled on to another country for the last 6 months, but I do have a return ticket to the UK, but I'm concerned that this mark in my passport is because I have been given a black mark and I will not be granted a visa.

I understand that there are normally no exit stamps on leaving the UK. I'd appreciate to hear if anyone knows what this mark in the passport means. Also, if I do have a black mark against my passport, would that be something visibly written in my passport, or something only UK immigration would know about? I would assume it would be the former, but I really don't know.

Kate Gregory
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Pieman
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    If the border officers had taken some action I'd expect that you would have received some official paperwork. Instead they seem to have hand-written a note of the date and place of your departure. This would only be significant if you had a single entry visa. Are you sure you understood what they said to you? –  Mar 07 '19 at 12:15
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    @Pieman Did the Immigration Officer give you anything in writing? You can find out what’s held in your UK immigration history by filing a Subject Access Request https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/requests-for-personal-data-uk-visas-and-immigration/request-personal-information-held-by-uk-visas-and-immigration – Traveller Mar 07 '19 at 12:32
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    It may be that you had a single entry visa, and what the officer meant was "you won't be able to come back with this visa". – gnasher729 Mar 07 '19 at 13:05
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    Did you actually have a UK visa? It is not normal for Americans to obtain one before visiting the UK. – Michael Hampton Mar 07 '19 at 14:06
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    Are you sure they were immigration officers? There are often checks for departing passengers leaving with lots of cash, but that's probably the work of another organisation, such as customs or even the police rather than immigration (and those don't necessarily care if you worked during your stay, it's more often about money laundering, tax evasion, etc.). Did they properly introduce themselves, and did they make any note of your identity? – jcaron Mar 07 '19 at 17:44
  • Just to expand on jcaron's comments. Border Force in the UK is a combined Customs & Immigration department. There are BF officers who are trained in both functions and others who only perform one function (this is at larger ports/airports). In smaller locations most BF officers will be 'multi-functional'. They all wear the same uniform and branding.As they were asking about cash I suspect they may have been BF officers performing the Customs function. BF officers like stamping things so as stated elsewhere, that is an unusual endorsement. – canonacer Mar 07 '19 at 19:34
  • @MichaelHampton - no I got a visa on arrival. – Pieman Mar 08 '19 at 13:21
  • @jcaron - they were the people who search you when you go through the metal detector, where you take you shoes and belt off. They discovered my money belt and asked me to sit to the side. They were wearing navy blue sweater and blue pants, with (I think) clear patches on the shoulders, perhaps elbows etc. I don't recall seeing any name tags or ID on them. They didn'n introduce themselves to me, but at the end when they gave my passport back, they said they were immigration officers, and I'm fairly certain they said I wouldn't be able to come back again. – Pieman Mar 08 '19 at 13:27
  • @jcaron - I don't remember them taking any note of my identity. There were 3 of them talking to me and asking questions. They walked off a little from where I was sitting and wrote what they did in my passport, but otherwise I don't think they input any data into a computer or take out a notebook and record anything. They just wrote what they did, and then gave me the passport back. – Pieman Mar 08 '19 at 13:28
  • @Traveller - No the officers didn't give me anything in writing. Thanks for the tip about filling out a Subject Access Request – Pieman Mar 08 '19 at 13:29
  • @ReddHerring - Yes, I'm fairly certain I understood what they said. Do you think it's possible they were just trying to scare me or something? – Pieman Mar 08 '19 at 13:30
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    Huh? Now we're even more confused. There's no such thing as a visa on arrival in the UK. – Michael Hampton Mar 08 '19 at 13:52
  • Are the security checkpoints operated by the Border Force? If not, there's something extremely fishy going on here... – jcaron Mar 08 '19 at 14:46
  • @pieman I doubt anyone was trying to frighten you - why would they? There's something odd about the whole thing. I think you've probably just misunderstood something. –  Mar 08 '19 at 19:30

1 Answers1

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This is quite an unusual notation and according to immigration protocol, with any kind of ban you should have been provided with the appropriate paperwork. From your narration, this was not the case. Either that or you did not understand what the immigration officer said concerning the supposed ban.

Furthermore the immigration rules and guidance for bans does not mention a permanent ban in your context namely i.e. illegal work or breaching a condition attached to their leave.

You can complain or ask for clarification using the email complaints@homeoffice.gsi.gov.uk which can be found on the UK Visas and Immigration Complaints Procedure webpage. They will clarify if the officer banned you (because it will be in their records) or went contrary to protocol etc.

They take complaints seriously. I lodged a complaint with UK Border Force and it was handled very professionally and promptly and in my favor.

Augustine of Hippo
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