Pat and Jim

Help-Advice Needed, I may be traveling on brief consulting business to a company in
the U.K. (3-4 days) and then taking 3-4 days in London on pleasure. I don't think I
have time to send passports and papers by mail to consul offices and get all that
back in time. Many people keep telling me I don't need a visa for such a short
duration. I am not getting paid in the UK for my work, but rather by the company in
the US which has world wide offices there in UK. Basically I will be doing some
training for the UK employees... but perhaps just answering a lot of their questions.
P.S. I am not a self-employed person, I work for a company that is in partnership
relation with the one sending me. I can get a P.O. from the people in the U.K. who
want me there.

Now, some say I do and some say no on the visa. What is the answer?

More important however is what happens if I get to the UK customs and at entry they
decide my trip is business and I need a visa. Can that be handled there or do they
send you home. It seems odd that I could travel to L.A. and get it handled as a
walk-in, if the same were not true at the border (I am assuming of course that there
is nothing that would worry the customs people).

Jim

Please reply also the [email protected] and [email protected] if you don't mind since I
am in different places and cannot always get to the newsgroup. Thanks.

Stephen Thompson

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Depending on which countries passport you are entering on, you will get a 6 months
visa at the border. This includes all British commonwealth countries, and a couple of
ex commonwealth countries (US included)

http://www.ind.homeoffice.gov.uk/default.asp?PageId=985

This web site has all the information you need to get the answer you require, but
generally for < 6 months, its just a formality to get into the United Kingdom

Steve