MartinR111

My leave of entry visa is expiring shortly and I do not intend to extend it.

I would, however, like to visit the UK as a tourist in six months' time to stay probably for two months. I am from a country that does not need a tourist visa for UK. Will I run into difficulties entering the UK as a tourist as I did not extend my spousal visa, that is I have prejudiced myself from future visits?

Please advise. Thank you.

SanDiegogirl

Are you divorcing your partner or is he/she leaving with you?

MartinR111

Hi SanDiegogirl

Neither. My partner is staying in the UK for another one or two years to complete his studies and sell our house.

MartinR111

Just to be clear: What I mean is that my leave to entry expires soon and I am not going to extend it. My British husband is staying in the UK for the time being to study and to organise our house sale. Meanwhile, I want to return to my home country for personal reasons. In six months' time or so I will return to UK as a tourist to visit my husband and help with the house sale etc. I do not want to be stopped at Immigration and accused of trying to enter on an expired (spousal) visa. I want to be admitted as a tourist.

Are there any problems? Do I need to notice Immigration in advance saying my leave to entry has expired but I want to enter as a tourist etc?

cyrian

Don't overstay your visa.
Otherwise you could be refused entry next time with perhaps a ban on re-entry for a number of years.
If you overstay once then they will assume that you will do it again.

MartinR111

Hi cyrian

Many thanks. Yes, definitely! I absolutely will comply with leaving before my current spousal visa expires. No nonsense there. But I am just worried that when I return as a tourist I may be flagged somehow as trying to enter on an expired visa instead of as a tourist. Of course if challenged at Immigration I can readily explain that I complied fully with the conditions of the spousal visa and never overstayed. But these days I notice that because of my biometric passport I usually just go through without being questioned. Hope the Immigration database captures that I would be returning merely as a tourist.

SanDiegogirl

With a husband living in the UK you MIGHT get questioned.
You should take proof that you are going to return to your home country - employment/accommodation etc.

MartinR111

Hi SanDiegogirl.

Thanks for the reply. Sure, no problem presenting my return air-ticket and proof of accommodation etc. Also, my husband has permanent residency in my country so he can readily migrate once the UK house is sold. We have a consistent and truthful story.

It is just that I am curious whether if I go through automatic clearance (biometric entry gate) I might be inadvertently classified as entering on an expired spousal visa. Should I proactively make arrangements in advance (somehow?) or perhaps make a beeline to an Immigration Officer and say 'Hey! I'm here as a tourist'. If needs-be, my husband can accompany me to the UK; he will be visiting me in my home country.

SanDiegogirl

IF you get stopped, THEN provide your story. I would never instigate a conversation with an immigration officer unless asked to.