RWAdams

She got the Heathrow in Febuary in 2007. She had an interview with an imigration officer. He refused her entry clearance into the country and then she got a flight home the next day(which she didnt pay for). Is this deportation or refusal of entry?

ian-mstm

Well, this just about says it all.


As I say, it sounds like refusal of entry. To be deported, she would have had to be *in* the UK (ie. admitted)... which, from what you've written, she wasn't. Being refused entry, while annoying and perhaps frustrating, isn't nearly as bad as being deported!

Ian

RWAdams

So when imigration lawyers breath in through their teeth and say its gona cost ya (reminds me of old mechanics).. they're just trying to get more money for themselfs? Would it be necessery to mention it on an application then? This is for UK btw, sorry to bring this into the US thread.

Noorah101

I think your girlfriend should apply for whatever the correct visa is to come and marry you in the UK (not the visitor visa). Yes, she will declare being "refused entry" (NOT deported) on the application, but I doubt it will have an impact, since she's asking now to be admitted on a more permanent basis...not as a visitor. And I doubt you guys need a lawyer for that.

I'm sure someone here knows the link for applying for a fiance/spouse visa to the UK.

Rene

RWAdams

I know where to apply for it. I just dont know the appropriate documents to send to make it a better application.

Ray

http://www.britainusa.com/visas/index_visa.asp?i=41000

RWAdams

cool, it doesnt seem that complicated and I got all the relevant information to support my claim. I might try and apply for it without the help of an agent. Thanks alot everyone you've all been amazingly helpful. I'll let u know how it goes.

Elvira

Believe me, it is ***WAY EASIER*** to bring a foreign fiancee to the UK, than it is to bring an 'alien' fiance to the US...



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lansbury

I would suspect it would only be a visitors visa that is being refused as the immigration officer who made the original refusal has marked the computer entry that they suspect she was intending to remain in the UK permanently.

Getting a visa to come and get marry would just confirm their previous suspicions, but is unlikely to be refused as there would be no grounds to do so.

RWAdams

well, we done the application last night. Now sending off the pending documents and stuff too, so wish me luck and i'll let you all know how it goes.

Thanks for all your help!

snowbunny

I always wonder how many Americans actually DO this.... her being 18 and theoretically footloose and fancy-free would have marked her out as a risk.

lansbury

The refusal will be logged in the Home Office Warning Index (HOWI) which is the system immigration officers use when they swipe a passport.

The visa officer at the British Embassy in Washington or the Consulate she applies to has access to HOWI and will see the refusal, so she should declare it if asked either on a form or verbally.

lansbury

My son had a friend in the US and invited her over, she was refused entry at Gatwick even after the immigration officer phoned me to check the visit was legitimate and I vouched for her and said I was covering the cost of her stay in the UK.

It is a great shame but in my time working alongside immigration officers at Heathrow I found a very considerable majority to be anti American, and they took considerable pleasure in being able to refuse entry to one and would boast having done so. For some reason they had a similar attitude towards white South Africans too.

snowbunny

I know this is at their discretion but really, on what grounds? How bad is the overstay rate for Yanks in the UK given that they're given six months anyway, and everything is so bloody expensive that it'd be hard to stay? Sheesh.

First trip I made over my luggage was lost for a couple of DAYS. When it arrived my friend, who'd worked in airport security, said that I was lucky that it had been delayed because it was packed so fully. I always overpack but dang, it was only clothes and shoes!

lansbury

I've really no idea how bad the overstay rate is but I'd be surprised if it wasn't anything but a very small percentage.

They don't need grounds just their opinion that the person will overstay. It can be based on nothing more than intuition. In the case of my sons friend the immigration officer decided she had insufficient funds for her length of stay and that my word that I was covering her living costs was not trustworthy.