USC visiting UKC girlfriend in the UK
Nov 12th 2014, 7:21 am
#16
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Re: USC visiting UKC girlfriend in the UK
I have a Syrian visa in my passport which CBP officers have noted a few times, but it never caused more than a couple of brief questions.
I'll keep saying it, provided he has no desire to overstay he'll breeze through any questions without trouble. A return ticket and proof of his studies will be enough to establish he'll be returning, just as it would in the US. Having a gf here is not a red flag unless he's planning a 6 month visit or has no means of supporting himself.
I'll keep saying it, provided he has no desire to overstay he'll breeze through any questions without trouble. A return ticket and proof of his studies will be enough to establish he'll be returning, just as it would in the US. Having a gf here is not a red flag unless he's planning a 6 month visit or has no means of supporting himself.
Nov 12th 2014, 8:16 am
#17
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Re: USC visiting UKC girlfriend in the UK
I have a Syrian visa in my passport which CBP officers have noted a few times, but it never caused more than a couple of brief questions.
I'll keep saying it, provided he has no desire to overstay he'll breeze through any questions without trouble. A return ticket and proof of his studies will be enough to establish he'll be returning, just as it would in the US. Having a gf here is not a red flag unless he's planning a 6 month visit or has no means of supporting himself.
I'll keep saying it, provided he has no desire to overstay he'll breeze through any questions without trouble. A return ticket and proof of his studies will be enough to establish he'll be returning, just as it would in the US. Having a gf here is not a red flag unless he's planning a 6 month visit or has no means of supporting himself.
Dec 21st 2014, 6:38 pm
#18
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Re: USC visiting UKC girlfriend in the UK
OK so he got in but he's just told me they gave him a really hard time from the word go.
Luckily he was expecting it. Such is the world I suppose.
Luckily he was expecting it. Such is the world I suppose.
Dec 22nd 2014, 12:17 am
#19
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Re: USC visiting UKC girlfriend in the UK
What do you mean by hard time?
Dec 22nd 2014, 6:50 am
#20
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Re: USC visiting UKC girlfriend in the UK
He said he was approached immediately he got off the plane and was repeatedly asked if he was carrying drugs, then grilled about whether he was going to return, asked to show his phone, and asked whether his parents knew us, which apparently calmed things down when he said yes.
Dec 22nd 2014, 7:19 am
#21
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Re: USC visiting UKC girlfriend in the UK
Straight off the plane, that is new.
Dec 22nd 2014, 8:09 am
#22
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Re: USC visiting UKC girlfriend in the UK
We all know there is targeting on drugs, it just rankled when he told me but no point labouring that.
Dec 22nd 2014, 1:58 pm
#24
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Re: USC visiting UKC girlfriend in the UK
Dec 22nd 2014, 5:16 pm
#26
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Re: USC visiting UKC girlfriend in the UK
Sorry to hear he had a hard time of it.
For the benefit of EU passport holders - I have always had a harder time getting into the UK than the US. Never anything like being met at the plane, but definitely more rigorous questioning, ie. UK genuinely feels like a test I could fail, as compared to checking boxes in the US. Admittedly, as a (then) young Australian citizen, I expect that's probably some rather well-informed profiling at work!
From memory, this abated a bit with subsequent visits, so hopefully he won't run into something so unpleasant again
For the benefit of EU passport holders - I have always had a harder time getting into the UK than the US. Never anything like being met at the plane, but definitely more rigorous questioning, ie. UK genuinely feels like a test I could fail, as compared to checking boxes in the US. Admittedly, as a (then) young Australian citizen, I expect that's probably some rather well-informed profiling at work!
From memory, this abated a bit with subsequent visits, so hopefully he won't run into something so unpleasant again
Dec 22nd 2014, 5:19 pm
#27
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Re: USC visiting UKC girlfriend in the UK
Being met seems very very unusual, sounds like somehow he was on someone's radar
Dec 22nd 2014, 5:28 pm
#28
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Re: USC visiting UKC girlfriend in the UK
Iranian names are usually very distinctive, similar IME only to some Armenian names, and would undoubtedly leap out from the flight manifest. There are sizeable expat communities of both in California.
Dec 22nd 2014, 5:52 pm
#29
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Re: USC visiting UKC girlfriend in the UK
He said,"I know it's my name and appearance" but I was surprised about the drugs issue which he described as being immediately upon arrival.
It doesn't really make sense for terrorism as that community fled the Islamic Revolution, but that was the thing I was concerned about in the initial postings, plus the girlfriend issue of course.
Thanks for the kind words, retzie.
It doesn't really make sense for terrorism as that community fled the Islamic Revolution, but that was the thing I was concerned about in the initial postings, plus the girlfriend issue of course.
Thanks for the kind words, retzie.
Dec 22nd 2014, 6:00 pm
#30
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Re: USC visiting UKC girlfriend in the UK
Perhaps he has an similar name to a know drug trafficker?