socaltraveler

So naive. "What's the worst that could happen in one month?" Oh, just one fall, one broken bone. one mystery flu. My 20 year old daughter certainly wasn't planning on dislocating her shoulder in Positano. We had insurance cards for all our children, they never traveled without them. As for assuring them you had enough money, that is what a copy of your bank account statement is for.

So, next time smarten up and bring ALL of these cards, papers, proof of return ticket. Should make for an easier time.

Ackislander

It is their country. They get to decide who gets to come in or go out. "Fair" has nothing to do with it. You waved a lot of red flags, and they declined to accept you. You know what the red flags are now. Avoid them on your next entry. Chalk this one up to learning.

janisj

$2000 / £1200 is hardly enough money to support one for a month in the UK (Unless you were planning on working) which would be yet another red flag.

So --
• immigrant boyfriend
• no return ticket
• insufficient funds
• no proof of insurance

The story just gets better and better.

nytraveler

Sorry if the OP hasn't heard of them - but there are many young people - yes many american young people - who go to europe on as tourists - when their real intention is to stay long-term - either to stay with a boy or girlfriend illegally - or to travel around europe for longer than the 90 days allowed to tourists.

Thinking that doesn't happen is very naive - and thinking it's not a lot of american kids is naive and entitled. (Just as there are many young people from western europe who do the same in the US - MANY illegal immigrants are NOT from Mexico or Guatemala.

To have no trouble entering any european country - esp when you are waving the "visiting boyfriend" red flag. You huold have had you return ticket ready, your proof of reason to return to the US (school or job, proof of) and also enough money to support yourself (so they won;t think you are going to try to work there). That means either a substantial amount of cash or a credit card or debit card that shows a substantial amount to spend. And no - $200 won;t do it.

Alec

There is no pooling of general immigration record between UK and Schengen countries, but of course the existing passport with red crosses would raise eyebrows. The German immigration (where you enter Schengen) cannot immediately find out about your run-in with UK Border Force, but they can extract information by request. Because UK isn't in Schengen, each has only limited access to other's database, except for agreed details of more serious cases like terrorist suspects.

I know of many cases of young Americans, Australians, Canadians, Japanese etc being denied entry to UK or being given a very short leave. UK is cracking down on illegal immigrants and potential visa violators and anyone of any nationality, ethnic group etc can expect to be quizzed according to immigration profiling. Now that UK has stringent financial requirement for family route (spouse, fiancé, partner etc), they are on particular lookout for tourists and visitors who are in fact trying to get around the strict visa rules by overstaying and working illegally.

So the poster's experience at UK border may not be familiar to typical Fodorites, but your sons, daughters and grandchildren may have a completely different experience.

skyking

She had a return ticket and was able to show proof to immigration. $2000 is definitely enough spending money if you are staying with friends. Heck, it's enough if you aren't staying with friends. Not everyone rents apartments, gets picked up by car services from the airport, or eats in fancy restaurants while traveling. And do you really think every young person who comes to the UK has proof of insurance?

Of course she's naive--she's 18 for goodness sake, not 50 or older like most of us. Not an experienced traveler. Hasn't been to Europe multiple times like most of us. Doesn't have the life experience we do. And I have NEVER traveled with a copy of my bank statement.

No proof she's a ditz, and certainly doesn't deserve to be called names. Every traveler is given the "opportunity" to be rejected every time they pass through immigration. London is a world-class, multi-ethnic, multicultural city, not some backwater town. Having an immigrant boyfriend shouldn't automatically raise eyebrows. If her story is accurate, I don't see where she waved any more red flags than any other college-age kid.

FariSan, my advice is to stop defending yourself and stop responding to comments. You are not going to win this, and the posts are just going to get harsher and more high-handed. Anytime anyone posts a negative travel experience here, people immediately start blaming the victim: If you had a bad experience you caused it, deserved it, or both.

Now I remember why I stopped visiting this website.

janisj

skyking: >>$2000 is definitely enough spending money if you are staying with friends. Heck, it's enough if you aren't staying with friends.<<

Think about it . . £1200 is less than £300 a week - about £40 a day. Even every meal a picnic and sleeping in a hostel will cost more than £40. And that doesn't cover drinks, basic transport, any sightseeing at all. If this was truly a 'leisure/tourist' visit £40 a day doesn't hack it. Having a boyfriend in the UK only means one has to have even more evidence of self sufficiency . . .

>>She had a return ticket and was able to show proof to immigration.<<

Not according to her posts -- she says she didn't have a ticket, an e-ticket or an itinerary -- was going to print them out later

>>And do you really think every young person who comes to the UK has proof of insurance? << No -- but IF they are the least bit sketchy, they had better have one. Old folks too . . .
BTW

colduphere

Good post skyking.

janisj

'good' . . . but wrong headed.

If skyking can't see that FariSan tripped just about every 'profile' flag, fine. But she did -- and that is just reading <i>her</i> version of the story. The actual events may have been just a tad <i>different . . .

colduphere

The "good" part was about the pompous blowhards that are here every day with their superior, condescending attitudes.

historytraveler

Since when did presenting the realities of passing through immigration become condescending?

janisj

So -- being honest/realistic is pompous???

Most of us were trying to explain why this happened to the OP. It seems pretty obvious to me the border agents didn't buy anything she said. And they red flagged her passport and sent her home. We advised her to get a new passport and learn from the mistakes.

Pompous/blowhard . . . Nope

We actually helped her --

Whereas some think "oh, don't be mean to the poor little thing" is being helpful. Now THAT will solve things for sure . . .

jamikins

I think the issue may be that while she may have had funds, insurance, and a return ticket she did not have evidence of them to prove anything. Immigration officers will not just take your word unfortunately and she ticks a lot of red flag boxes at this time.

Live and learn sadly, but I bet she will be prepared every time she flies from now on - and many people reading this post will ensure their family and friends are prepared as well.

sofarsogood

in the OP's words "Above all they just insisted they didn't trust my boyfriend with my safety…" Quite likely, yes.

It's not solely the lack of on-hand paper work. It's why is an 18 year old girl travelling (alone it appears) half way around the world to meet another foreigner in a foreign country? And once the authorities start questioning, and the answers are unsatisfactory, such as insufficient funds and ask about the boyfriend, that's when alarm bells ring.

We only have a one-sided filtered version of events, and to believe the authorities acted harshly or unfairly fails to see the bigger picture, which none of us has.

Kate

"And do you really think every young person who comes to the UK has proof of insurance?"

A note for any visitor. With our current conservative-led coalition government, immigration rules have toughened up hugely, and 'health tourism' is a daily feature of our papers, with various ministers vowing to clamp down on it. Remember that our NHS is free at the point of delivery, and there are instances (and overblown rumours) of people visiting relatives, then using the time to get a hip replacement or whatever, all at the UK tax payers expense. Everyone make sure you have adequate insurance, because the government is leaning on those grumpy border guards on this particular issue.

Aside from that, the OP's situation would have screamed 'overstayer' to any experienced border guard. No evidence of return ticket, no evidence of insurance, staying with a boyfriend from a foreign country, not enough funds...

cymraeg

OP, has your boyfriend ever visited you in the U.S.? If so, was it easy for him to get in?
The point I'm making is that all countries these days are tightening up, not least your own country. It's a sign of the times and we'll have to live with it for the forseeable future.

Christina

Various countries are now demanding evidence of health insurance when you travel there, although I'm sure it is used when they want to stop someone they think could be an illegal immigrant, not your everyday tourist from the US or UK (the Czech Republic, for example, has that as a requirement to enter the country for anyone, proof of medical insurance).

Also, no one seems to have mentioned the possibility of human trafficking or sex slaves. This actually happens in various parts of the world, including the US, but is a real problem in Asia and some Eastern Eur countries, including Estonia. Now one might that that would be impossible if the girl were traveling to the place, but it can happen that way, women are promised jobs or something, and they get there and find out the job was prostitute and they can't leave, and often don't have much money. So I think it is good that the immigration officers are looking out for unusual things like this. e.g.,

http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news...-1226602429149

http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp...YhrXd_8qKyZ_rw

http://estonia.usembassy.gov/tip_2011.html

thursdaysd

On the human trafficking issue, the second hour of today's Diane Rehm show on NPR featured a UK woman who visited her long-term boyfriend in Italy and was forced into prostitution by him.

http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/20...an-trafficking

An 18 year old woman with minimal funds visiting a boyfriend could certainly be perceived as "at risk".

khunwilko

Mant people talk THEMSELVES out of a visa - Immigration want to be sure to 2 things..
1 - you will go home
2 - you have money to support yourself.

It looks like you gave the impression that you had neither. the folks at immigration are not the sharpest knives in the draw - they have very limited views regarding race/gender etc and will stereotype anything that comes in front of them - and they usually ask a series of pre-dtermined questions - if applicant says "A' go on to question 3...if applicant says "B' go on to question 6 etc etc - so with the best intentions in the world it is very easy to shaft yourself at UK immigration - better luck next time

Luisah

I first traveled to London in the late 90s. I was an employed, adult American and was amazed at the amount of questions I was asked before being admitted to the country. I've been to more than 30 countries and England seemed to be the strictest for entry requirements.

Apparently the "foreign" boyfriend and her age were the major factors in the incident, since the officer said they were worried about her safety.

A computer check would have shown she had a return reservation, medical insurance is a different issue. It was an unfortunate experience for first time abroad travel; I hope the trip to Estonia goes better.