Hello,

I am not sure what country you are writing from but if I were you, or your son, I could call the UK Consulate/ Embassy in your country and ask your questions. You don't have to give details of your name, etc. but perhaps you can state the facts: your son is travelling around the world, he has X amount in bank account, he is staying with friends, etc. etc. They may be able to more officially and formally inform you of what the UK government's concern are and how he can avoid running into problems subsequently. Is there any need for a Visa? Perhaps he can get one regardless for a short term stay. Entering countries with a Visa is brilliant -- you know well in advance if they're not going to let you in!

Likewise, if you are nervous to call the UK consulate/ embassy, then contact your country's embassy/ consulate in the UK. They also may be able to help you.

I think the best way, obviously, is to plan ahead but using the proper tools. While forums like fodors are so very useful, asking the proper officials what a visitor needs and should expect would help you and your son be that much more prepared.

Hope that helps and wish him luck. I was a scruffy 21 year old the first time I entered the UK and I was upgraded to business class, so it just goes to show you.....

NicaZ: What on earth do you suppose a call to the UK embassy (or even less useful - the embassy of her home country) will accomplish?

"<i><blue>Hello. artsnletters here. I have a son who travels around w/ dreads and look like a street person. How do we get him into London when he doesn't have a fixed address nor an onwards ticket?</blue></i>"

And even IF the embassy officer gives her advice, he won't be there at LHR arrivals passport control to help. This isn't a question about needing a visa, it is a question about using common sense when traveling.

""I believe common sense dictates that most immigration be halted." - there doesn't seem to be much common sense in this post,"

Yes, when one is in a recession and many citizens are out of work, it makes perfect sense to halt immigration.

<< suec1 on Sep 8, 09 at 03:15 PM
Unfortunately too many people (at least in the US and I assume the UK) enter in as visitors and then do overstay - so who can really blame the immigration officials. If your son is old enough to do the "round the world" adventure - he should be old enough to adjust himself to the realities of immigration and purchase a ticket to an onwards destination. >>

I've read all of the posts and I feel that this one makes the most sense.

<<What I'm saying is using common sense when it comes to immigration and not allowing in those that are more prone to terrorism or don't assimilate very well and it's a myth that all groups can equally assimilate or even assimilate. Anyway, both the US/UK are in a recession and have had massive immigration over the past several years so I believe common sense dictates that most immigration be halted.>>

Those more prone to terror? Er and which groups would that be? Let me think about terrorism over the last 30 years - well the Irish stuff to start with, then ETA ............. oh I get it lets stop all Catholics entering the UK and USA.

And lets not let in anyone at all, don't worry about that causing a shortage of doctors and nurses. At least people will die in a country with no nasty foreigners.

sashh: Oh - don't fret about corli33. She goes off on the same sort of rant every so often. We all just just learn to ignore her . . . .

<<< What I'm saying is using common sense when it comes to immigration and not allowing in those that are more prone to terrorism >>>

At least one of the 7/7 bombers was a convert to Islam - and in any case how do you detect people who are "more prone to terrorism" several years before they are born?

I'm not really a racist - I'm just trying to prevent terrorism!

I think the important point is: nothing your son wants to do is in any way illegal or frowned upon by the governments of the countries he wants to visit. He can easily state what he intends to do (it isn't that unusual).

As others wrote, the only thing that might cause a problem in the UK is the missing return ticket. There is a good explanation, i.e. he wants to stay flexible and thus he can't pre-book anything without risking cancellation fees. I think it's absolutely legitimate to ask the UK consulate whether this will be a problem and what they advice. If you do it by mail, the reply can be printed out.

Alternatively, look at booking a ferry (I think a short hop across the channel costs less than 20 pounds). If the date can be changed or if the consulate sees a problem if he hasn't got an onward ticket, then he might buy it in advance.

With the immigration guys he should just stay with the true and simple story of him wanting to visit friends in the UK for maybe two weeks as a tourist and then move on to the continent, using public transport for which he will buy tickets in the UK.

"oh I get it lets stop all Catholics entering the UK and USA."

The Irish thing was an internal problem. How many Catholics from abroad fly into the USA or UK to cause terrorism?

"And lets not let in anyone at all, don't worry about that causing a shortage of doctors and nurses. At least people will die in a country with no nasty foreigners."

There is NO, I repeat NO SHORTAGE of workers in the UK/US, there is a shortage of jobs for citizens so saying that people will die is ridiculous. There is a shortage of doctors in many places where these immigrants come from however. Also, I never said or implied "foreigners were nasty", that comment is absurd and you know it nor is common sense "ranting".

"and in any case how do you detect people who are "more prone to terrorism" several years before they are born?"

Look around and see all of the buddhists blowing up airplanes and planting bombs? Seriously, we all know who I'm talking about.

"I'm not really a racist - I'm just trying to prevent terrorism!"

The truth is not racist, it's just the truth.

Face it folks, we all know which group on average is more prone to terrorism. Furthermore, I'm talking common sense here. The UK is an island with limited space,resources and not enough jobs for the citizens. It makes NO sense to continue most immigration at this point. The USA is not an island but also doesn't have enough jobs for its' citizens and has limited resources. Large growth is causing severe water shortages in the Southwest as well as straining the electical systems, causing a greater usage of oil, urban sprawl etc. By mid-century, the USA will have half a billion people and over a billion before century's end if this continues. Both the UK/US will implode on themselves. Not to mention in BOTH countries or anywhere, importing people with very differing languages, cultures etc. en masse leads to increased tensions and balkenization. Most immigration is not needed and in such high levels is harmful, a proven fact. Don't kill the messenger.

"There is NO, I repeat NO SHORTAGE of workers in the UK/US"

But all workers are not equal. If you wish your nurse or doctor to be a citizen, but to have trained as a shelf packer at Walmart, then that's fine.

To answer your other points, there were strong, documented links between parts of the Irish American Catholic community and the terrorist organisations in Ireland. This included finacial support, arms and providing of safe havens.

The UK born bombers are second and third generation immigrants. How obvious was Pakistani inspired terrorism in the early 1970s?

Your self justification about "The truth" comes across as barely veiled islamaphobic racism. It always amazes me that an inhabitant of a nation proud of its diversity, and built by generations of immigrants should think this way.

"But all workers are not equal. If you wish your nurse or doctor to be a citizen, but to have trained as a shelf packer at Walmart, then that's fine."

I'm NOT saying that all docs/nurses have to be citizens. I'm saying that immigration en masse is unecessary and much of it needs to be halted.

"there were strong, documented links between parts of the Irish American Catholic community and the terrorist organisations in Ireland"

That was true in the past but is not a problem today.

"The UK born bombers are second and third generation immigrants.

True, you have a point but now that we know, why continue with migration of certain groups. Also, not all groups all groups are equally assimable or even assimable.

"It always amazes me that an inhabitant of a nation proud of its diversity, and built by generations of immigrants should think this way."

If you're talking about the USA, immigration in the past was legal ,was in much smaller numbers and on an as needed basis and there was a lot of pickiness and quotas about who was let in.

None of which helps the OP.

Back on track here:
1. onward ticket would help, or a clear idea of the longest he will be in the UK, together with proof of funds.
2. evidence of employment or other commitments in the US that he will be returning to will be a big help.
3. if a round the world ticket has been purchased, at least he will have some sort of evidence that he intends to travel on from the UK.

I really don't think that this is the first scruffy young American ever to enter the UK. The immigration officials are well-trained professionals and know how to look past physical appearance. When they ask about plans, they are generally qualified to determine if somebody who says "I'm going overland to India" is being truthful or not.

Arriving with a one way ticket is actually quite common when one is planning to wander around Europe, North Africa, or whatever (ask a lot of the Australians and New Zealanders out there!) for an indeterminate length of time.

The clarity of the young man's replies will be far more important than trying to wear a 'normal person disguise' to get into the country -- those disguises are what the terrorists wear.

Thank you to those who rerouted the conversation back from the immigration debate. My son is not interested in immigrating, legally or illegally. Perhaps corli33 and willit might start their own thread to debate the merits of immigration?

Is there a consensus here that if he has an onward ticket to somewhere and states clearly that his plans are to spend a couple weeks in England and then move on, there should be no problem with the one-way ticket? (Remember, he has the bank account down.)

Yup artsanletters, that's about the size of it.

Hope your son has a great trip.

An onward ticket, firm plans and general attitude of cooperation have always worked fine for me. (Actually with those, I've never been asked for a bank statement, which is a good thing as I've never had one with me.) Just remind him to have his friends' address with him on the plane to fill out his landing card. And to have a great trip.

Does he have a valid credit card? Officials find that particularly reassuring.

artsnletters - congratulations on having an adventurous son who is curious about seeing the world. I wish the worst thing any twenty-something did was wear dreadlocks and travel on the cheap! The most interesting, intellectually curious, well-rounded people I know are people who did exactly what he plans to do when they were young. More power to him. And more power to you too - I know it's hard to "let" (as if we have a choice) - our young loved ones go off to far-flung adventures.

Last year DH and our 20-year-old DD and myself arrived in Amsterdam with no onward ticket anywhere and not word one was said about it. No questions of any sort. We had quite good explanations and were eager to tell someone our life stories, but no one was interested.

Of course I had sense enough to be wearing couture and a tiara.

And I know Amsterdam isn't the UK, so the experience isn't really relevant, but I just wanted to brag about how my fashion know-how enabled me and mine to sail through European immigration with no return tickets.

I do think the idea about having some sort of (refundable) ticket in his possession might possibly help. Although surely immigration people are aware of such ploys. Basically I agree with Kerouac re: "the clarity of the young man's replies will be far more important ...". An honest and sincere explanation of his plans - perhaps with emphasis on how one of his dreams has always been to see India or Africa or wherever, will help convince them he doesn't want to limit his adventure to staying in the UK. As some have pointed out, Europe is FILLED with young people who look just like him - many of them from the US, Canada, Australia, etc. and many of them with open-ended travel plans just like his.

Or maybe, in lieu of trying to look like an insurance salesman from Des Moines, he can deliver an impassioned lecture about how he hates to work (anywhere) and considers getting ANY kind of paid employment a major sell-out. That would let them know he doesn't plan on getting a job AND endear him to the people who work for a living at immigration.

Tell your son to write a trip report - or maybe you can keep us posted. I'd love to hear about his adventures.