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American Visiting Uk Questions.?

By admin Posted in: Edinburgh

Hi,
I’ve asked a similar question before, but I’m a little confused.
I’m a US citizen and passport holder.
I will be traveling to the UK in April. I’ll be staying from April 3rd to August 20th.
During this time I’ll be staying with 2 friends. (One in Inverness, the other a cousin in Edinburgh).
Ok. So my questions are….
1. Do I need a visa. What kind?
2. What kind of questions will they ask me at immegration (if any)?
3. Is there anything (documents, addresses, etc) that I should bring to provide at the border other than my passport?
I’m one of those paranoid people who worries over nothing and I’ve heard some horror stories involving the UK Border. This is also my 1st international trip so I’m a little nervous. Any help would be appreciated.

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  1. Anonymous Says

    U.S. citizens do NOT need a visa to visit the UK for six months or less. You may stay in the UK on your U.S. passport. Five months is one month less than the maximum of six — you’re not going to have any problems.
    Please go to http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/ if you haven’t already. Here are your answers:
    NO, in most cases you do not need a visa to come to the UK for a short visit
    You told us that
    you are a national of United States.
    you are coming to UK to Visit.
    you are normally and legally living in United States.
    What do you need to do?
    If you are coming to the UK for a short visit (up to 6 months), you generally do not need a visa.
    However, you should bring documents with you to show our immigration officers when you arrive at the UK border.
    The Visiting the UK section describes the different categories of visitor visa, and lists the types of document that you may want to provide. It also explains the conditions of your stay as a visitor.
    Although you do not need a visa, you may want to obtain one before you travel (for example, if you have a criminal record or you have previously been refused permission to enter the UK). And you will need a visa if you want to come here in some categories of visitor (such as a visitor for marriage or civil partnership). The Visiting the UK section contains more information.http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/view/v…

  2. Maxi Says

    http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/visas-… get your importnat information direct
    Passport, information about who you are staying with and where you are staying, what you are going to be seeing, your return ticket and enough money with you or access to so you can spend 5 months here without needing financial assistance ( ie sponging off the British tax payer or working)
    Have a LOVELY TIME…………. and stop stressing it is bad for you

  3. David S Says

    That is the problem with Yahoo Answers. There are some great experts here but about half the answers are imagined or invented.
    You can stay up to 6 months as a visitor/tourist. You must have a return ticket to the U.S. and be able to demonstrate thay you have the financial resources to support yourself while in the U.K.
    - Cash, credit cards, debit cards etc. Whether you are allowed to stay for the full 5 months is at the discretion of the immigration officer, but if you are on the level you should have no problems

  4. Geoff B Says

    Go or phone the nearest embassy I’m sure they will help with your questions better than I or anybody else
    Your visa would be a tourist probably
    make sure you have funds to live on for your stay
    you might want to bring your driving licence if you want to hire a car

  5. Anonymous Says

    For heavens sakehttp://ukinusa.fco.gov.uk/en/visiting-uk…

  6. Sthlm Says

    See the link below for official information.
    1. You will seek entry to the UK as a general visitor, as you do not plan to work, study, get married, receive medical treatment or do anything else that would require a different status. A general visitor may stay for up to six months (certain other European countries have a 90 day limit in similar cases, but not the UK). As a US citizen you do not need a visa to come as a general visitor. If you meet the criteria for a general visitor and have no intention of breaking the law you are extremely unlikely to not be admitted.
    2. You may be asked questions. If you are honest you will be fine. Some possible questions:
    - How long will you remain in the UK? (You do have a return ticket.)
    - Where will you stay? – Will your friends really allow you to stay with them for months? – Can we reach them by telephone?
    - How will you support yourself? – Are you aware that the UK is expensive?
    - Do plan to visit any other country before going back to the US? (Leaving the UK for eg Ireland or France and get back in is allowed. That you do not have any detailed plans, but think of taking side trips to see more of Europe would be reasonable.)
    - What do you normally do in the US? Do work or study?
    - What will you do when you get back home? Do you have a job lined up?
    3. You must present:
    - A passport valid for the duration of your proposed stay.
    - A completed landing card. (This is a form available on the plane and on the airport in UK. Questions include name, date of birth, nationality, passport number, contact address in the UK, length of stay.)
    Just in case:
    - Contact details for you hosts. – Possibly letters, faxes or emails confirming that they will house you.
    - Proof of funds, like a statement of account.
    There is no reason for you to worry.

  7. Anonymous Says

    You must have your passport. The driver’s license is important, but not essential at the local airport. Since you have a passport, it is the definitive ID document. But I have mine anyway. It is helpful to have two copies of everything in case something is misplaced, lost or stolen. So be sure to have two extra passport photos, and a copy(2) of your photo page of the passport.
    You have an automatic visa to UK for 90 days. Nothing you need to do for this, just show up and they stamp your passport. This is the visa. Some countries require this visa be applied for and purchased in advance. You can consult the State Dept web site for details and a long list of visa requirements for an American citizen.
    The Customs agent will ask you questions about your trip. Such as: where you will be staying (with friends), why you have come there (tourist), how long you will stay, whether you have a return ticket. Having a written itinerary is helpful. That doesn’t mean that your friends can’t deviate; it means arrival and departure details.

  8. peanut 2 Says

    1 – Yes you need a VISA.
    Kind depends on what you plan on doing, Working? Need a live and work VISA (which you wont get…) if you dont plan on working, which no one will believe for such a long stay (how would you support yourself?), you need a holiday VISA.
    Only Europeans can come into the UK without a VISA.
    This is why you book VISA’s before you pay for flights etc….as its quite likely you wont be going for that long. A holiday VISA usually allows at most 1 month…I dont believe the UK does Working Holiday VISA’s and if we did you wouldnt get one right now as there are no jobs.
    2 – How much money you have? How you expect to support yourself? What do you plan on visiting? Who are you staying with? Are they here to pick you up ? (can prove your story)
    You likely wont get through immigration if your return ticket is 5 months after you arrive….or if you dont have a return ticket at all. They will think you have come here to work.
    3 – If you want them to believe you are a genuine tourist, bring your passport. And a driving licence perhaps as you dont want to bring your passport out on a boozy night out. A camera…Money…
    DO NOT BRING:
    A CV
    Qualification certificates
    Anything that has anything to do with working.

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