YouWantFriesWithThat

I think for the benefit of non UK people reading this thread, especially JEff, Ian and Bob, I ought to point out that the poll tax bill is not necessarily a pay and forget bill.

If you have a budget account, you will receive a payment plan with current as well as future payments. This is accepted all the time as evidence of resiedence in the UK. That's not an opnion, it's a fact.

To be registred for poll tax (as the main occupant), you also have to be registered on the Electoral Roll. The ER is a very good way of establishing residence as well and is used all the time by the police, immigration and others to establish same.

So please don't say to people that such documents will not assist them as that is very dangerous advice. These documents can be the best things that people can use (in conjunction with other things, as previously discussed).

Ozzidoc

I agree with Jeff, Bob and Ian on this one.

You can legally stop paying council/poll tax at a drop of a hat - (and even get a refund) I just have!
You can easily cease to have all your utility bills - I just have! (Refunds & last payments)

Furthermore, I have done all of these via the internet from the USA.

badlydrawnmegan

Thanks for all the responses! In the past we've always said visiting girlfriend/boyfriend, even though half those times we were engaged. I suppose this time he should say fiance just in case they ask him about marriage. Wouldn't really look good to say girlfriend then have to turn around and say we're getting married....

YouWantFriesWithThat

Hi Ozzidoc,

You seem to have missed the point as well.

I have not suggested using these bills / accounts in isolaton, but in conjunction with other things like rent / mortgage documents (and a return ticket ).

Anything can be paid off anytime, anywhere nowadays. That's not the point though and doesn't show anything beyond what you've said.

Anyone who has worked in fields where assessment of a human subject is required quickly will tell you that the subject's credibility is the sum of many parts. The documents I have suggested using form part of that whole.

Ultimately, no-one can prove that they are going to do anything as the event in question has not yet happened. It's all about taking doubts out of the particular officer's mind and establishing credibility.

YouWantFriesWithThat

Furthermore, this 'let's all jump on Fries thing' seems to be missing one big point.

This forum (meaning regular posters although I won't name names; you know who you are ) regularly recommends using household bills, poll tax, utility bills, as a way of demonstrating that someone has ties to the UK. This is particularly so with threads where the alien fiance is visiting the USC fiance.

So JEff has jumped on my comments regarding this, enlightening us all that bills, are in fact, historic. All things are either historic or extant and historic.

If the consensus is going to be that JEff is correct and that such documents, even when used with other documents as I was originally suggesting, do not in anyway provide evidence of ties to the UK, then let's make sure that taking such documents with you never gets recommended again. Even though they are accepted all the time as good, credible, evidence of maintaining domicile in the UK.

Yes I'm p'd off and down at being the latest victim of JEffs petty nit picking, petty and semantic to the point where it becomes personal, pointless and really destructive. I was really enjoying this forum up until this point.

Noorah101

OK guys...let's call a truce here. The thread has gotten a bit off-track so let's put it to rest on the topic of what to bring to the POE.

Current proof, for sure, as JEff, Fries, et al agree on.
Fries had a suggestion to bring further proof...sure, why not. Whether it helps at the POE or not remains to be seen, but it won't do any damage.

It's a crap shoot at the POE no matter what, it's up to the officer of the day to allow entry or not, no matter what proof you bring to the table.

Subject of "proof of ties to the UK" closed on this thread, OK?

As you were, everyone.

Rene
Moderator Hat in Place

Elvira

Ozzidoc

I think that you have taken Jeff's comments to heart.

Many of us on here are anally retentive - it's why we can trust one another.

Please don't be offended with what anyone on here says - different people and personalities make the world a more interesting place.

Noorah101

LOL, Yum!!

jeffreyhy

bdm,

It's been an interesting thread since I asked my question (it was a question) but my standard answer to your question is that there's another point of view that is almost universally overlooked - no reason to remain in the USA once the reason for the visit has been accomplished.

What are the first two questions that a visitor is asked when requesting entry to the USA? "What are your ties to your home country?" is not one of them. If that question is asked it's usually in secondary and they're already planning to send you home.

The first two questions asked almost invariably are, "What is the purpose of your visit?" and "How long do you plan to be here?" What questions come after that, and how things go from there, depend on the sense that the immigration officer gets from listening to your voice and watching your body language as you answer those questions. Be prepared to explain, and if necessary demonstrate, to the officer that you have no reason to remain in the USA on this particular entry should the officer's next words not be "Have a nice visit."

Regards, JEff

Matthew Udall

Whether or not something "can" be submitted is not the entire story. The strength of that evidence is also important.

As an example in the AOS marriage context (lets say at the spousal interview) I tend to think having a child together is stronger proof (of a bonafide marriage) that junk mail sent to both parties at the same address.

Lets go back to the entry situation. Lets have a bit of fun here. I'll suggest a bit of evidence, and you be the officer (Fries) and tell me what that evidence means to you.

Officer Fries looks into a visitors bag and finds a wedding dress and engagement ring. [again, this is just for fun here]

badlydrawnmegan

Thanks for the response, but I have never had a perfectly smooth entry to the UK the five times I have gone, heh. Once I was asked only three questions before I got in, from a nice old man at Manchester airport. The other times were at least five questions including questions about marriage, how much money I had, asking to see my return ticket, how I met him, etc. But I was always calm and they let me in with no problems. Keep in mind all of these times I called him my boyfriend, not my fiance (the latter of which he was for three of those five visits).

So I guess this was why I am concerned about what should be said. If I was asked loads of things only using the word boyfriend, I don't know what will happen when he says fiance. Then again, maybe the people at Houston Int'l will be a bit less uptight than those in the U.K. Hehe.

ian-mstm

With all due respect, and with deference to our esteemed moderator (I won't post again in this thread - honest!)... a US immigration officer at the POE isn't going to know (or care, most likely) what a poll tax bill is. And, for future reference, I am not a "non UK person". So... friends?

Ian

fatbrit

Kleptomanic transvestite?

I'm going to enjoy this game.

jeffreyhy

bdm,

Best wishes, then. You are starting out a bit 'behind the 8 ball', which makes this whole thread a bit moot.

Regards, JEff