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Friend will be travelling for the first time in Europe and specifically the UK.

Being a US citizen he can theoretically stay up to 6 months so he would stay for a few months as my guest. I am a girl. He doesn't have a definite return date in mind.

We thought if he told them he's staying with some girl and no return booked yet, he would have problems.

Would a cheap ticket to somewhere else in Europe that he wouldn't use be ok as proof he wants to leave the country? He lost his job in the US but he has savings so he's not broke.

What could he be asked if they decide to grill him for some reason?

blackbird
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EUTraveller
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3 Answers3

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I'll start by saying it's generally a bad idea to try to shorten the landing interview by bending the truth or making something up. Time and again people come up with ways to get around an awkward situation and that'll only sink your friend faster. As noted in the comments, your friend will be questioned, the only variable is how much. As a matter of opinion (and of a recent question on this site) I would also advise against assuming that he'll be granted entry painlessly because of his citizenship.

I expect he'll be grilled about these topics.

Premise

It's the border official's job to be suspicious, your friend has no premise for being there. A recently unemployed person suddenly decides to stay in the UK for a few months ? Seems unlikely.

Home ties

Given that he's unemployed, he'll need convincing evidence of solid ties. Something like property ownership, upcoming medical appointment or family. They want to know he intends to leave, and as you've noticed, a flight to mainland Europe is easy enough to dispose of so as not to count very much. This answer could be helpful reading about home ties.

Finances

He has savings, but he'll need to prove he can cover his entire stay there and his return ticket, seeing as he doesn't have one. Note that according to this answer having a credit card might not be enough. Although the answer in the link talks about visas (which he doesn't need) I think they're a good guideline to proving his spending pattern won't ruin him while in the UK.
They'll also ask where the money came from, this question talks about that.

Relationship to you

Even though you are not in a relationship, the burden of proof is on him. The length of the stay will look suspicious and he'll need to convince the border official he's not trying to move permanently. They will ask details about how you met, how long you know each other etc. The fact that he has no previous travel history will not help him because these are sometimes used to establish patterns of travel.

Addendum

Even though US nationals aren't required to get entry clearance before arriving to the UK, doing so might simplify his entry once at the border. In the case of refusal, at least he'll avoid the hassle (and possible removal) you don't want him to experience. Read here for how to apply.

Community
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blackbird
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  • Savings come from previous work obviously. All genuine and verifiable lol. It's not money on a credit card. It's money in a bank account. – EUTraveller Aug 24 '16 at 20:26
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    That's fine, but the border official will need to see proof of that. – blackbird Aug 24 '16 at 20:28
  • That's why I would avoid telling the truth. Too much hassle to prove this or that. Presumed guilty until you prove otherwise. When with any crime you're presumed innocent until proven guilty.. No way they'd let him in if he told them the truth. Unemployed, staying with a girl, no previous history of travelling anywhere. I wouldn't want to bend the truth either, but he is not coming to work or stay indefinitely but they wouldn't believe him given the above circumstances. – EUTraveller Aug 24 '16 at 20:31
  • Getting a genuine return ticket seems the best bet then. As well as a genuine hotel reservation. – EUTraveller Aug 24 '16 at 20:31
  • How does he prove that? Bank statements? That's not an issue. – EUTraveller Aug 24 '16 at 20:34
  • Recent bank statements, pay slips. A real return ticket would definitely help his case, but I can't stress enough that not being honest will land him in serious trouble – blackbird Aug 24 '16 at 20:35
  • I know and thanks for all the replies. I don't like the idea of not being truthful. If it wasn't so complicated the situation, I wouldn't bother with all these "shenanigans". Well if he shows up with a return ticket to the US, hotel reservation, why would they have any reason to suspect anything really?I don't see why it would even get to asking about his money, employment or ties back home. It sounds like any tourist. He's in his 30s so his age is ok. That's what I don't get. Why would they need to question him further unless he ends up talking to some really zealous official. – EUTraveller Aug 24 '16 at 20:42
  • Now I get what you mean by premise. Well the premise is that he has time to holiday. Apparently in the US it's very rare to have extended periods of holidays like here in Europe, so why not have a relaxed holiday once he doesn't have the commitment of a job to go back to in a short time? He could always mention he knows me and other people here in the UK and so might meet up with them. I'm not the only one in the UK that he knows. – EUTraveller Aug 24 '16 at 21:09
  • I don't see written anywhere that it's a requirement to have payslips etc when travelling visa free or to have to explain any single detail. Thought all this documentation was required WITH a visa. Otherwise don't see the point of visa free if you get the same hassle honestly. If they see someone presenting as a visitor with a short-dated return ticket and proof of a hotel reservation I struggle to see why they would have reason to dig any deeper than that. Not like US citizens routinely try to cheat immigration to settle in the UK and therefore be already seen as suspicious. – EUTraveller Aug 24 '16 at 21:16
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    @EUTraveller, no, that's what the site says; you need to read it again. "However, you should bring the same documents you’d need to apply for a visa, to show to officers at the UK border. " – Gayot Fow Aug 24 '16 at 21:17
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    @EUTraveller While I sympathize very much with your predicament, this site has quite a hard "party line" which says "Trying to deceive officials in any way is pretty much never a good idea." So if you're looking for advice on how to deceive border officials, you've come to the wrong site. Any answer advising you in such a fashion would likely get heavily downvoted and possibly deleted. And there are good reasons for that. Deceiving border officials typically is a bad idea. So, I wish you and your friend the best, no matter what you do. But you won't get such advice here. – Fiksdal Aug 24 '16 at 21:21
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    US citizens have the 2nd highest removal rate :) – Gayot Fow Aug 24 '16 at 21:21
  • Pardon, thought wrongly the UK operated a Visa waiver thing like the US have for us Europeans. Then fair enough. I see they get given a tourist visa upon their arrival in the UK. Thanks for letting me know! – EUTraveller Aug 24 '16 at 21:22
  • Well I am still glad I asked because I guess it gives me an idea of what it might entail to show up before a border officer. What they ask etc. – EUTraveller Aug 24 '16 at 21:23
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    LOL, read all of this these in your spare time...... http://travel.stackexchange.com/questions/tagged/removal – Gayot Fow Aug 24 '16 at 21:24
  • Yes, I embarrassed myself there thinking there was no visa involved. I will read. Thanks – EUTraveller Aug 24 '16 at 21:26
  • @EUTraveller, he can always get an entry clearance before he goes, it's cheaper and safer – Gayot Fow Aug 24 '16 at 21:33
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    @GayotFow that should be an answer. –  Aug 24 '16 at 21:38
  • @EUTraveller Entry clearance is just the UK government's name for a visa (of visa equivalent). Also note that going to the US under the Visa Waiver Program, you can be asked for all the same things - they can (and do) ask people for proof of funds, proof of employment etc etc at the border. You say you "don't see the point of visa free if you still get this hastle" - well A, you might not, they might ask like 2 questions at the border and wave you on by. B: there's no fee (like there is for a visa) and you don't have to plan in advance. – CMaster Aug 25 '16 at 08:18
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    @Fiksdal Could you remove that link? "VisaBureau" are a private company that charge additional fees. https://www.gov.uk/apply-uk-visa is the offical government site. – CMaster Aug 25 '16 at 08:32
  • @CMaster OK, removed. I didn't mean to imply that OP should use those services, I just thought the information there seemed more easily accessible than that of the government site. But you have now provided a comment for OP, anyway. And if she has any more questions, she can post them here. – Fiksdal Aug 25 '16 at 08:35
  • Thanks. If I were to visit the USA, I can prove ties here in the UK and also home country: I have a job and tenancy agreement and I co-own the family house in my home country. – EUTraveller Aug 25 '16 at 09:55
  • I definitely wouldn't live in the USA lol. I don't like their health care system one bit. I would visit as a tourist because the USA are always fascinating for a European but wouldn't live there. I'm more than happy with my life here. – EUTraveller Aug 25 '16 at 09:59
  • @Fiksdal, tip: if you want to post a link to a legal resource, you can link to the Law Society, or ILPA, or to the Immigration Services Commissioner. – Gayot Fow Aug 25 '16 at 13:36
  • Comments are not for extended discussion; this conversation has been moved to chat. – Ankur Banerjee Aug 31 '16 at 11:26
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Your current plan, a long term visit without a definite end date, is one that is going to cause questions. A multi-month absence means his life in the US is put on hold, which implies weak ties. Regardless of photos, he is prepared to leave his dog for a substantial slice of its life.

You are considering pretending a different plan that would look more normal. Have you considered making the pretense reality, so that he neither lies nor presents a suspicious appearance?

Unless you have already spent a lot of time together, a multi-month visit is not that good an idea anyway.

In this strategy, he would plan to spend two or three weeks in the UK, as a tourist. He would buy a return ticket, reducing his air fare. He could either stay with you or stay in a hotel, but in any case would have evidence of sufficient funds to support himself in the UK for the known duration of his visit.

Meanwhile, he would continue with his life in the US. Look into jobs or education, but schedule interviews and/or enrollment for after his UK vacation. When he applies for entry, he would know what he plans to do on returning to the US.

Patricia Shanahan
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  • Thank you fro your reply. I understand perfectly why it sounds suspicious but a person might want to spend some time abroad in a specific country because maybe who knows they are thinking of coming to study there in the future. Like he would have a go at seeing how the UK is for a period that's not just a couple of weeks and then go back and if he liked it enough he would seek to return not as a tourist but as a student maybe. I know they can very well argue once in , he wouldn't go back. Makes perfect sense in their eyes. He needs this chance. – EUTraveller Aug 25 '16 at 15:13
  • You can't really say you'll like living in a country for a prolonged period without trying risk-free first. A couple of weeks etc aren't enough to establish you like living in a country. He'd be staying with me, so no accommodation to pay for and he has money so wouldn't need to work illegally to support himself. Why wouldn't he go back? We know employers can't employ illegal workers so why would an American who is not broke come to the UK to work for cash as an illegal immigrant, and so most likely in a low-paid job he could easily find in the US? – EUTraveller Aug 25 '16 at 15:16
  • @EUTraveller In 1975, I flew to California from London having never set foot in the US before, but with an L1 visa and a commitment to my employer that I was going to work there for at least a year. Sometimes life is not risk free, but can still be lived honestly. – Patricia Shanahan Aug 25 '16 at 15:20
  • @EUTraveller Immigration officers are required by law to examine travelers under the presumption that they intend to immigrate. The traveler has a burden of proof to demonstrate a lack of immigrant intent. This is difficult! The traveler could try to rely on the argument you outline, and it might work, but concrete evidence of ties to the home country are much stronger evidence. Coming with just a carry-on or a small suitcase will help reduce the chance of an extended interview. – phoog Aug 25 '16 at 15:47
  • @ Patricia Shanahan I get why you pointed out honestly as not being upfront with border officials isn't the peak of honesty but the way you worded it made us sound like criminals. Now, there are no bad intentions behind this at all. Just don't want him wasting $$$ on a flight to just be sent back because he is unemployed so surely he will overstay. A flight from the US to the UK isn't cheap. Get them to obtain a visa before the flight and they can do all their checks before someone forks out hard-earned money for possibly nothing. – EUTraveller Aug 26 '16 at 08:43
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As it currently stands on the balance of probabilities (since this is the civil test the IO will apply) there is a chance that he'd be refused entry since he is unemployed, no return date, no immigration history, visiting a female friend in the UK...if he is upfront then you never know he might be landed. IOs appreciate frank and honest people. He might even be TA-ed (Temporary Admission) for a few days even if he is refused Leave to Enter (LTE).

On the other hand if you add deception into the mix then he will be refused LTE and as pointed out already NEVER ever deceive an IO they will get to the bottom of his intentions in any event. He'd make matters much worse for himself. Just tell him to be honest about his intentions if they ask him at the border.

user50290
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    I'm not sure it's true that IO's necessarily will see through deception - I'm sure they are fooled as often as anybody else. But the problem is that it's quite hard to spin a consistent lie, and once caught in an inconsistency, then it's over. – CMaster Aug 25 '16 at 13:19
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    +1, are there any advantages to entry clearance in a situation like this? – Gayot Fow Aug 25 '16 at 13:40
  • That's why I would go down the route of pure tourist. He is unemployed yes, but has substantial savings. He is currently living with family so not sure if that counts as ties but he does have a dog he takes care of (he has pics with the dog to prove this) and he, along with his siblings, do help financially. He accumulated quite a bit in savings and has been living on them since he lost his job. – EUTraveller Aug 25 '16 at 14:18
  • THe problem with "pure tourist" is well, where is he going to stay? How is he going to afford that? Etc. – CMaster Aug 25 '16 at 15:15
  • @EUTraveller there's an overwhelming preponderance of consensus in the answers you have been given. And you are still clinging to the pure tourist strategy. It's unlikely that another user would offer a different answer and at this point it's best to take your enquiry to another site where they can help you devise the strategy you want. – Gayot Fow Aug 25 '16 at 15:20
  • I am not entirely convinced of that. I would like to know how to present the truth then with the less chance to be refused entry.. – EUTraveller Aug 25 '16 at 15:24
  • He has 10K plus in savings. I think that equals roughly what someone on minimum wage makes here in 10 months – EUTraveller Aug 25 '16 at 15:26
  • @EUTraveller, you have avoided providing information that might help you, that's why I haven't answered. By going on what you have said you are letting a guy stay with you where there's no relationship and no romantic interest. How believable is that? You have three answers advising you that depicting your guest as a pure tourist can lead to trouble. You are spinning your wheels on this site when there are other sites out there ready to help concoct a lie. – Gayot Fow Aug 25 '16 at 15:35
  • Why isn't this answer being upvoted? This is a fine answer and should be upvoted more. – Gayot Fow Aug 26 '16 at 02:48